Kenny Hibbard

Are you in the Christmas mood yet? I am getting there…..

We have our tree up…just not decorated. We have our wreaths out…just not up.

About half of my neighbors have their lights and decorations up, so I still have time to keep up. However, my guess is that by Sunday night everyone will have their stuff up and the full sparkle of the season will be in full bloom. With any luck I too will be done by Sunday night. I really do love the sights, sounds and feel of the decorations that go up every year. For one month our whole city/community seems to match and have a similar look and feel to it.

If you are lagging behind in Christmas cheer and holiday mood, then you need to be here Sunday morning. Our stage design team has done a “magical” and incredibly beautiful job with the stage this year. If you are feeling “Scrooged” on Sunday, then the sight of the stage and cafe area will cheer you up. The incredible arrangement of Christmas music will inspire you and I believe this weeks message will enlighten you.

This week we start a very unique but timely Christmas message series called:

My Grown-up Christmas List:

** December 2nd Get Over Christmas Past
** December 9th Enjoy Christmas Present
** December 16th Prepare For Christmas Future

December 23/24th Follow That Star…A Special Christmas Service
We will have 5 identical services: Sunday at 9, 10:30 & 12; Monday night at 5 & 6:30.

Invite as many people as you can for this life changing Special Christmas series!

No no no…..we are not in need of West Virgina Mountaineer jackets….

As many of you know, we are supporting our former youth pastor and his wife in their new ministry located in a poverty stricken area of West Virgina. They have asked us to collect as many good-used-jackets, hats, gloves, boots, etc. as possible. The winters are cold in the WVA mountains and many kids and adults cannot afford to have warm clothing. Any style, size and color will be accepted. However, please make sure it is not so old and worn out that it is not useful or respectful.

This Friday (11/30), A volunteer from CSF, Jerry Christopher, will be traveling to West Virginia in order to bring what we have collected to Kevin and Emily and the mission they are working for now. Please bring anything you are giving away to the CSF office between now and Friday morning, no later than 9am. Jerry and his family will be making the trip on Friday and will ensure that these items go directly to these needy families.

This is another way in which CSF EXPANDS its impact that goes beyond our local community. Thanks in advance for pitching in!

Read in 2 Corinthians about why God gives us so many blessings….so we can give to others!

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase YOUR store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of YOUR righteousness. YOU will be made rich in every way so that YOU can be GENEROUS on every occasion, and through us YOUR GENEROSITY will result in thanksgiving to God!”

PS…We had a wonderful Christmas decorations team here last night making our Porch Cafe and Fellowship breeze-way area look great for the Christmas Season. Our building is always beautiful on the inside and out….but during this time of the year our creatively designed building looks fabulous! Great job decoration team!

Every year as a Fellowship we use the month of December to give a special offering that we call our Year End Gift. Our Year-End-Gift gives us a real and practical opportunity to focus on what is most important and to then give sacrificially at a time when so many are concerned about what they are receiving.

Each year we present to you needs we have as a Fellowship or the needs of others that we would like to help meet that are not covered by our normal operating general budget. These needs are not budgeted and would go unmet if not for the Year End Gift.

We have documented this year’s needs in a letter that was sent to our entire Fellowship. Will you begin to pray about what God may be leading you to give as a gift? The financial gift you give is over and above what you normally give and is given before the end of the year. All gifts…Cash, stock, “gifts in kind” that are designated Year End Gift will go directly to this annual gift and will be tax deductible for 2007.

We truly believe that if every person and family will pray and then give something to this special gift, then we will hit our stated goal of $57,000. It will take everyone giving something…..but that is what defines a Fellowship. Everyone coming together as a team to do more as a group than we could ever do alone.

The purpose of the Year End Gift is for you to pray and then give a GIFT back to God that expresses your thankfulness for his blessings to you and your family. Giving over and above during this time of year can be challenging as we feel like we need to save up for ourselves and our family. The Year End Gift is designed to help you keep your financial priorities in line with God’s will for your life.

Thanks in advance for your prayers and gifts!

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 “Each person (family) should give what they have decided in their heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all Grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

This Christmas Season at CSF is going to be Awesome!