Dear Church of the Open Door family,
This is the time of the year where my kids start giving Nancy and me hints about what type of gift would make their Christmas dreams come true. Each year what’s on their hearts seems to vary.
This year, one of my daughters wants her own purple beach-cruiser bicycle. One of my sons wants the newest shoes for his basketball season. Another son wants to have his own personal refrigerator and entertainment center in his bedroom (that’s not going to happen).
What is on your list this year?
Many folks all around us are facing desperate family, financial and health issues and the Christmas season is often used as a way to placate or escape these painful realities.
The story of Christmas is a story of joy. Two thousand years ago Jesus came in a manger and then on a cross so that His “joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) The joy of Jesus is such a stark contrast to the shaky, shallow and circumstantial human experience of this season.
This Christmas season we are inviting you to share this joy with others. On the nights of December 15, 16 and 17 we are presenting a Living Nativity. It is an outreach that enables us to introduce people we love to the joy of Jesus Christ in a disarming, relational setting.
Would you ask the One who came to complete your joy for an opportunity to share it with someone this year?
We’ve prepared some tools that may be helpful in this process:
Pick up Living Nativity invitation cards in the lobby of the Worship Center or in the church office.
Visit our website for some great Nativity e-invites to share on social media.
Be sure to take a look at our downloadable Advent resources as well!
I can’t wait to see His provision this glorious Christmas season!
In His love,
David Anderson
P.S. I recently received this message from one of our newer families:
COD has been an incredible blessing and answer to years of prayer for our family. Thank you for welcoming and loving us this last year. We are so thankful for our new family!
Friends, this is why we do what we do! Thank you for your part in making that possible here in our church family! And Nancy and I are so thankful for your partnership in continuing to ask the Lord to help us reach many in the San Gabriel Valley and around the world who are in need of the Savior.
