Ramblings--20091215

CHBC Ramblings
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The Living Nativity
Our 21st annual Living Nativity Drive Through was a success! For just the third time in its long run, we had to cancel a night—Saturday’s presentation—due to the weather, but both Friday and Sunday saw excellent attendance. On Sunday night, Cindy and I were both at the exit, and I wish everyone had that opportunity. Several people had tears in their eyes, some tried to give us a donation (we refused!), many told us that it was a special part of their Christmas tradition, and almost everyone expressed gratitude for both the presentation and its excellence. One person in particular shared that he was glad that we told the whole story and didn’t end with the nativity. I must confess that I am moved at the last scene: the sign that says, “He is not here…” and then, in order, an empty manger, an empty cross, and an empty grave. Not only do we need to tell the world that He is born but that He is risen!

Last Week—Mary’s Song: Let It Be
This past Sunday was the third Sunday of Advent, and the Parents’ Candle was lit by the Ed Jenkins family. One of the highlights of the service was the painting of Mary by artist Kerry Jackson during the last part of the message, Christmas According to Mary: Let It Be. Kerry is an artist and church planter who is starting a church for the art community in Atlanta. If you would like to see more of his work or even a purchase a print of what he painted for us on Sunday, look at his website, www.drawingtotherock.com.

This Coming Sunday
Can you believe it? This week will be the fourth Sunday of Advent—the final Sunday before Christmas! In our messages this year, we have been looking at Christmas from a variety of perspectives—this week it will be Christmas According to the Shepherds. The shepherds can be models for us in how to truly celebrate Christmas. (If you missed any of the messages in this series, you can listen on our website, www.clairmonthills.org.)

Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions
Have you made a special gift to International Missions this month? If not, I hope you will do so this week as we give this special offering to help support our over 5000 international missionaries. We are about half way to our goal of $15,000.

Open House
Our annual Open House is this Sunday from 4:00-6:00 p.m., and we are at a new location this year, 2236 Chrysler Court. We hope that you can come! To make it easier for some of our people, our minibus will make trips back and forth from the church building about every 30 minutes. You can be dropped off right at the end of our walkway, and it will also help with the traffic flow in our neighborhood, so it will be good from two points of view if you want to take advantage of this. Come enjoy a lot of homemade treats, thanks to Cindy and everyone else in our family—except me!

Christmas Eve...
is always a special time for worship, so I hope that you will plan to attend our Christmas Eve Candlelighting and Communion Service on Thursday, December 24 (no service on Wednesday, December 23). The actual service starts at 6:30 p.m., but a half hour of pre-service music starts at 6:00 p.m. for those who want to arrive early.

Merry Christmas!

Fred O. Pitts, Pastor
Clairmont Hills Baptist Church