A More Meaningful Christmas

Introduction:

The shopping malls and businessmen are fascinating us with all sorts of decoration and lightings, telling us that Christmas is worth-celebrating. The cinemas, TV programmes & commercial ads are working together to promote this festive season too. You can hear Christmas songs and carols almost everywhere charming our hearts to sing along and to usher you into the holiday mood. But all these are only attracting people to shop and indulge in eating, drinking, celebrating and getting merry. As Christians, we want to have a more meaningful Christmas – Christ, the King - must be honoured and glorified in our celebration. How can you and I do that?

Our Involvement & Participation

Our Church has lined up a list of Christmas programmes for this coming season. We would like to urge all our members and friends to get involved and participate in all the Christmas programmes. By doing so, you will make your Christmas celebration a more meaningful event.

16th Dec 2007 - The Choir from Calvary Jurong BPC (Mandarin) will come to our Church on the 16th Dec 2007 (Sun, 10am) to present a Christmas Cantata. We thank God that these Choir Members are willing to come all the way to share the Christmas joy and message to our people here. They are burdened to share the good news of Jesus to save the lost. What about you and me? Though we may not join the singing but you and I can invite our friends and relatives to come and listen to the gospel message. Praise the Lord that last Sunday about 2,000 leaflets had been handed out. We have another 3,000 leaflets to be distributed to areas like Indahpura, Bandar Putra, Kulai Besar, Kulai Baru & etc. We have two more Sundays to hand out the invitation. So, let each of us start to invite our family members and friends to come.

22nd Dec 2007 – We will be going around to different homes for Christmas Carolling on 22nd Dec 2007 (Sat) evening. Both the English & Chinese carollers will first meet in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Wilson Lim for a House Warming before moving out to the respective homes. In view of the fact that our Church would be having our Christmas Sunday Service the following day, we would like to limit the Carolling only to a few homes (i.e. on first come first serve basis). As such, may I advice those who like to open your home for carolling to sign up early.

23rd Dec 2007 – our Church Christmas Combined Service will be held on 23rd Dec 2007 (Sun, 10am). The Chinese & Children Choirs will be presenting a few songs. Besides, we would like to invite anyone in our midst to render instrumental pieces. Please approach Eld. Peter Lew if you want to present any item. You may also want to prepare or provide food or beverages for the "Christmas Luncheon". Let us come to share the Christmas joy together as a Family in a God-honouring manner.

25th Dec2007 – I have been invited to share the Gospel Message in a Christmas party to be held in the home of Dr. & Mrs Wee in Kemaman on Christmas Day evening. It will be good if some of you would like to come along to support (better still if a choir could be formed). This may provide you an opportunity to know the ministry that has been going on in Kemaman so that you could pray better. If you are keen to go, please come and see me.

Our Support & Love Gift

During the last Session Meeting held last Sunday, our Church Treasurer had reported about the latest income and expenditures, he has also forecast the year-end balance based on the last ten months. The report shows that we have fallen short of about RM 20,000 of our budget this year. The good news is, our expenditure is also much lower than our budgetted amount. However, we have to work harder in order not to run into a deficit. May I urge you to bring in your tithes and gifts during this Christmas Season so that the House of the Lord will lack nothing. Dearly beloved, if you have received much blessings from the Lord and even the year-end bonuses, would you present your love gift to the Lord with gratitude?

Our Prayer & Meditation

Yet Christmas celebration is not just a time of getting busy with all kinds of activities and programmes. Every evangelism effort must be coupled with prayer. We cannot do God's work with our strength alone neither can we do God's work without prayer. We must depend on the Spirit of God to work in us and through us. Ultimately it is the Holy Spirit Himself that is touching lives and savings souls. We are but God humble servants. Too many people are engrossed by all kinds of Christmas fun and activities. Giving time to prayer also provides us a time for quiet meditation about God's wonderful act in sending His Son to save us. It is a time for us to reflect and to appreciate God and His love towards us.

Conclusion:

Dearly beloved, may you and I have a more meaningful Christmas, we must share the Christmas joy with others, even the joy of salvation to the lost. Let us come together to support and participate in all the meaningful events and programmes. Let us give of our substance and render our service to the Lord. And remember, give much time to prayer. Amen.

Affectionately,
Pastor David Wong