Weekly Note from Pastor Allan
December 5, 2025
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Friends,
Well, winter is here. I type this email while looking at a beautiful snowfall. I hope the weather brings you some peace this week.
Peace is a relevant word. It is the theme for the Second Sunday of Advent this Sunday, December 7. The scripture lesson is Isaiah 11:1-10. In these verses, the prophet is describing a future when the wolf and the lamb will live in harmony together. I could not imagine the anxiety that I would feel if I were a lamb standing next to a wolf! Yet, the word of God is that we have peace in Christ Jesus.
While the peace of Christ can certainly offer comfort to a people in the midst of war and violence, it is also a reminder of the inner peace we experience with Jesus the Christ. Let’s be honest, in today’s world, there is so much anxiety, fear, anger, and general unhappiness. How might the peace of Christ come upon us in a way that brings an inner peace to our souls? Let us reflect on how God’s grace for each of us brings us peace. The title of the sermon is “I Am Me”.
Thank you for participating in the week of prayer for the Lottie Moon International Missions offering. I hope you will consider how you can support these ministries. We will be collecting for the Lottie Moon Offering through Sunday, December 28.
As a reminder, the Quarterly Business Meeting will be held Sunday, December 14, at 11:45 AM, following Sunday School. The monthly Coordinating Council meeting will be this Sunday, December 7, also at 11:45 AM.
On Thursday, December 11, there will be an interest meeting at the Goshen Baptist Association office in Montreal at 6:00 PM for anyone with any interest at all in possibly attending the Mission Trip to Armenia this summer. The trip is scheduled for Thursday, July 30 - Monday, August 10. Please feel free to reach out to me directly with any questions.
We look forward to the Children and Youth Christmas Program on Sunday morning, December 21, in worship. The students have been busy practicing each Sunday for the program. As a note, on Sunday, December 14, the students will practice during Sunday School so that practice does not conflict with the Quarterly Business Meeting.
The Louisa County Sheriff’s Office sponsors a “Shop With A Cop” event each year at the Walmart in Zion Crossroards. Here is some more information about the event - https://www.louisacounty.gov/3504/Shop-with-a-Cop. This year’s “Shop With A Cop” will be held on Tuesday, December 16. If you would like to know more, or you can help with the even that morning, please let me know and I can put you in touch with the sheriff’s office.
On Saturday, December 20, the MBC Deacons are sponsoring a caroling event. We will meet at MBC at 3:30 that afternoon to go spread Christmas joy in the community.
I hope you all have a blessed weekend.
Allan
