Skipping Christmas Church

Skipping Church after Christmas

Christmas Eve is one of my favorite services of the year. The Sunday after Christmas isn’t.

“Pagan! How can you suggest one Sunday is different from another?” Simple, it is. Proof is in the attendance numbers. We’re just burnt out.

One thing we learned during our Advent Conspiracy study is that we need to slow down if we are to enter the story of Christmas. That’s our plan, and skipping Christmas Church at Cottonwood is part of it.

Christmas Eve Service 7PM: This is our focus for Christmas worship 2010. You can arrive at the school as early as 5 to help set up the manger, drinks, Christmas lights, incense, advent, communion, music, readings, and the whole shebang. You can wait and show up at 7, and bring some goodies to share with the rest of us. Bring a friend too, you won’t want to miss this service.

December 26 No Service: Take a break from ministry for a week. You don’t have to come early to set-up, or teach kids or make coffee, or greet or… just sit back and enjoy. Go ahead - join your home team or another church and worship with them. January 2^nd life will be back to normal at Cottonwood (whatever that means). Meanwhile…

It’s our prayer that this isn’t just a way to get out of work. We pray it will help all of us, church staff included, to slow down and enter the story of Christmas. May we all be able to worship fully on December 24, 25, and 26.

Merry Christmas,

Dan

JOY

I love the message of Christmas.

I love the old carols, and the new stuff (check out I Heard the Bells by Casting Crowns here). I love to hear about joy, hope, peace, love, the virgin birth, the deity of Christ. I love our home traditions of giving PJs on Christmas Eve, listening to Scrooge and drinking hot cocoa. I love the food. I love decorating as early on Thanksgiving as possible (while driving JoLynn crazy) as the kids and I remove everything that isn’t Gold, Silver, Red or Green. But that’s not the message of Christmas

I love our new Advent Conspiracy traditions of spending less and giving more meaningful gifts here, so we can send our money to those who need it more. I love that our little church gave Christmas to six families here, while at the same time sending over $700.00 to Haiti for families there. But mostly I love the message.

I love thinking about the JOY that the Shepherds, Simeon, Mary, and Joseph felt; and about the JOY those six families in Rio Rancho and those in Port-au-Prince will feel. But, the reason we give is because of the message. The message is…

You matter to God.

That’s the message of Christmas. That’s why He came – that’s why He was born, why He lived, why He died, and why He rose again. You matter to God. That’s the message I love. That’s Christmas.

How great our JOY!

Dan

Reminder:

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE 7PM. Food, hot cocoa, lights, hot cocoa, manger, and you.

NO SERVICE DEC 26. Take a break from our set-up and tear-down portable church work over Christmas. Join your home team or another church and worship with them. Just don’t like them more than us!

Happy Hanukkah

Have you ever been in total darkness? When I worked for Camp Peniel, we had a crazy leader who took us into an uncharted cave. There were three adults, (the unnamed leader, myself, and the bus driver), and 16 junior high boys. We hiked, crawled, and scratched our way through a maze of up, down, and sideways muddy tunnels until coming to what seemed to be the end. By this time we had been in the cave for over an hour. We sat down and turned off our flashlights to see just how dark it really was. No matter how close your hand was to your face, you could see nothing. Nada. Zip. There was this moment of panic when you wondered if any lights would come back on.

On the way out a boy was injured, and our unnamed leader, at the front, the only one who knew the way out, hurried out with the boy, leaving the rest of us behind. He told one of the boys (I was at the end of the line, so didn’t know what was happening) to “take lefts” on the way out. Now I was in the lead, and lost, and when tunnels go up and down as well as left and right, which left do you take? I took the wrong one.

We were now down to two flashlights (others had broken, bad batteries, dropped into water, etc), crawling through an area inhabited by thousands of bats, and doing everything possible to remain sane. One flashlight was extremely dim, the other was bright enough to freak out the bats. We knew we were lost - nothing looked familiar. The cave seemed like an endless labyrinth of ant tunnels. We prayed plenty.

Every time my thoughts slid down the “what if the last couple flashlights die” path, I forced them to climb back up. It was too scary to consider. We were over three hours in the cave before finding our way out. Once out, I let the thoughts slide. The other leader and I sat down and considered the confusion, misery, panic, and worst possibilities – all for the lack of light. “God said, ‘Let there be light, and there was light.’” Genesis 1:3.

Hanukkah is called the “feast of lights.” It’s the celebration of the lamp of God being re-lit in the temple after the Greek army was defeated. In John 10 Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Hanukkah. It’s the at this time, when the city was lit up in celebration, Jesus said, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” John 12:26

“O LORD, you are my lamp. The LORD lights up my darkness.” 2 Samuel 22:29

Happy Hanukkah,

Dan

Love All

Love All – really? No way.

Love All is the final sermon/point in the Advent Conspiracy series/book. I understand “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son…” (Jn 3:16). But, I’m not God. I don’t know that many people – how can I love those I don’t know? Is it even honest to say I love those I don’t know? And, more importantly, where does God tell me to love all?

Please don’t give me the “love your enemies,” (Mt 22:20) and “love your neighbor” (Mt 5:43) teachings. I know my neighbors and I wish I could forget my enemies. Somehow God can help me love them both. But, love all?

This Christmas season, the church office has been flooded with calls from unemployed single moms and dads who need help. If love is an action, how can I help them all? I can help a child through Compassion.com, and poverty in Haiti for a few. I can help a family or two who can’t have Christmas this year. But, I can’t help all the 3900 kids who will die due to dirty water tomorrow, or the hundreds of thousands of homeless in Haiti, or even all those who have called the church office for help with Christmas (well, maybe, but JoLynn wants to keep our house). Loving all is overwhelming.

I’m not sure how to teach this lesson on Sunday except to say - I can’t love all. That’s a God-sized task. Jesus can, He is God. That is why He was able to die for the sins of the entire planet. I can’t, I’m not. As Christ lives in me, in my attitude, I can love all, and in my actions love some. I hope and pray I’m not coping out.

Loving some,

Dan

Enter the Story

Do you ever feel like you “missed it” when Christmas is over? Think back - what gifts do you still have from last Christmas? How many gifts do you remember that you received or gave? What if God had a better way, a real way to enter the story of Christmas?

Most of my life from my High School days is gone. The ’62 bug, my horse, every Christmas present I had received to date is history. But one thing I kept.

It’s an old army trunk my dad bought me in 1975, as I was leaving for college. On the lid he wrote my name in huge letters. I still love seeing my name in his old style cursive handwriting. The trunk was used - very used, but it was what they could afford. Dad’s gift was personal and risky - and I still love it.

Jn 1:14 says, “The Word became human and made his home among us.” His gift was personal - and risky. The best gifts are still like that. If we give like Jesus gave, we can enter the story of Christmas, and God continues to impact the world.

Enter the story…

1 – Spend less by giving more personal, risky gifts. They may still be around in 35 years – even Oprah’s big spending 2010 VW Bug giveaways will be in the wrecking yard by then. Use rethinkingchristmas.com for ideas. When you give to a friend, you can also invite them to the Christmas Eve Service. In this way we enter the story of Christmas.

2 – Give away what you didn’t spend (so your total Christmas budget is the same) to those who truly need it. Places like heartlineministries.org, or compassion.com, or our Angel Trees at church are a good place to start. Shoot, you can even give to Cottonwood. In this way God continues to impact the world… through you.

Let’s not miss Christmas this year.

Dan

What Do You Do With Nothing?

Have you ever given somebody something major, something you had to sacrifice for, were really jazzed about, and the response was… nothing? What do you do with nothing?

Luke 17:11-19 tells a story about 10 lepers being healed by Christ. It’s a big deal - Leprosy. They were outcast - isolated from family and friends, and… sick. Surely it sucked. Nine, once healed, took off. They were given a major gift, but returned nothing.

But, one returned to thank Jesus for healing him. The result? He was healed and saved. (A different word for healed is used here than was used earlier. The word healed in verse 15 means cured. This time it means saved or delivered. The Message translates it ,“Your faith has healed and saved you.”) No Thanks, no salvation. What do you do with nothing?

James 1:17 tells us every good gift comes from God. So, what do you have to be thankful for?

Dan

BTW, we have some cool new links.

1. Check out Stephanie’s (our Youth Director’s) first online publication here

2. Also – Check out Cottonwood’s new 2010 Photobook here

Spend Less, but don't boycott...

I’d like to wade in on the Merry Christmas, Xmas, and Happy Holidays controversy. It’s a suicidal tendency, I know, but I think we are wrong to punish stores that no longer say “Merry Christmas.”

After discussing this in our Advent Conspiracy group, I’ve become convinced it’s our opportunity as Christians to share Christ at Christmas. That means it’s not the job of a store. We shouldn’t boycott the world for being worldly.

Stores are in it for the money. They don’t worship Jesus. They are selling short-term happiness at your current Visa card’s interest rate. They aren’t evil, but they aren’t Christian either. Why would we expect them to tell the world about a Christ they may not even believe in? They aren’t selling Jesus at Christmastime. That’s our job.

What would happen if we acted like Christ at Christmas? Instead of boycotting we could spend a bit less (overspending and getting what we want while others go hungry is an odd way to celebrate the One who came to set us free from sin/selfishness), and use the spare time/money to…

· Give More Like Jesus – Meaningful gifts like time, our presence and creativity (ideas at www.rethinkingchristmas.com)

· Worship Like the Wise Men - Giving what we now don’t spend to those really in need– like to our local Crisis Pregnancy Clinic or Haiti Relief or the local abused women’s shelter. Think of it as spending less for junk made in China for people in America who don’t need it, and spending more for homes made in Haiti for those who live there and desperately need it.

· Worship Like the Shepherds – Investing in others and inviting them into the story of Christ. Maybe even to a Christmas Eve service and a meal at your place.

· Love All – Even the “Happy Holidays” door holder who is trying to cheer you up while stuck working retail at the most difficult time of the year. Give him a tip and wish him Merry Christmas in the name of Jesus. He might remember.

Wading out,

Dan

Christmas Can Still Change the World

Two years ago we, as a church, decided to live lean in order to have our money follow our priorities – and we went portable. Now we are partnering with AdventConspiracy.org to celebrate Christmas by spending less, giving more, worshiping fully and loving all this season. Lord willing the result will be helping families in Rio Rancho, NM and Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

It’s not just about saving money; it’s about giving our presence instead of presents. After all, that’s what the first Christmas is all about. (For fun, personal gift ideas go to rethinkingchristmas.com.) For some cool Advent Conspiracy videos just type their name in YouTube, or click here.

The Real Deal With Halloween

People get crazy around Halloween. Christians are the worst.

I remember church people that were freaked out by Halloween - “Satan’s holiday” they called it. They preached about the costumes, demons, razors in candy, and devil-worshiping wackos they seemed to believe were given free reign on this night. As a result they hid in a back room, lights out, praying for the night to pass. They missed the greatest “love your neighbor” outreach opportunity of the year. Satan must hate Halloween outreach.

Halloween is like the greatest opportunity ever. When else can you dress up, drop in on your neighbor, and be in an immediate conversation? It’s a night of neighborhood community. Here are some suggestions…

• DON’T hide in your closet. Put on some silly clothes and hang out with your neighbors. On this night families care about safety, costumes and candy. Don’t give Satan a holiday – he doesn’t deserve it.


• DO worship on Halloween morning. At Cottonwood we’ll learn about the history of Halloween, The Day of the Dead, and All Saints Day – and worship through communion. Just don’t go back to church Sunday night.


• DON’T do the Halloween alternative with Bible character costumes. First, it’s lame. And second, someone may come as one of the seven naked sons of Skeva! Instead take church out of the box and into your neighborhood.


• DO have fun. Make Halloween the beginning of a connection. Start some conversations, make some friends. Invest in your neighbors now and maybe you will get to invite them later.


• DON’T go weird the other way and enjoy the night too much – in ways that are inappropriate for followers of Christ.


• DO overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Have some cheap flashlights ready for those who may need them, give some hot cocoa to the parents, scare some kids by jumping out from behind a bush, give the best candy on the block. In short – love your neighbors. Satan will hate it.

Dan

Restored

Years ago I was given an ’83 Toyota pickup from my dad. It was my favorite car, which I acquired just a few years before my dad passed away. I drove it for maybe 5 years in Tucson, and then rebuilt the engine while we were living in Winnipeg. The body started to rust, so I ground down all the rust I could find, put on some fancy rust treatment, and had it repainted. We even had the bottom undercoated for the wicked Winnipeg winters.

After 7 years in Winnipeg, we moved to New Mexico where I put on a 2” body lift and some larger tires. It looked great, but was getting tired. Now approaching 200k miles and needing it’s second timing chain and engine rebuild, shocks, brakes, and every rubber component made, it was a bit worse for wear. The rust was starting to come back around the bed. Under the floor mats you could drop a football through the floor to the ground below.

The truck was too far gone to sell, too expensive to repair, and too sentimental to send to the wrecking yard – (otherwise known as auto hell). My wife knew how I felt, and left it to me to wrestle my emotions against reality. Like so many others who don’t know what to do with their left-over junk, I gave it to a mission in Mexico.

It would have been expensive to restore the old truck, in time and money and common sense, but I sometimes wish I’d thrown reality out instead of the truck. Restoration is always costly.

Numbers 6:26 says, “May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.” Showing you his favor means to look you in the eye – right down into your soul. He wants to see the rust and worn out timing chain. To be at peace means to be set at one again, to be healed. God is in the restoration business, and the cost is no object.

Dan

Reflection

Numbers 6:25 says God wants to bless us by making His face reflect in ours. But – what does that look like?

Is He old, or forever young? Does he dress more like a policeman, or Santa? What superhero does He remind you of – Superman? Underdog? The Incredibles? Is he all bright and glowing, or can you look at Him? Does He come to you with a hug or a spanking?

Imagine a combination of the above, an old, bent over Underdog glowing under a Santa suit walking toward you with a paddle. Or Superboy dressed like a cop wanting a hug. Maybe you have a better idea?

What does it mean to have the face of God reflect in yours?　
　
Dan
　
"May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you." Numbers 6:25 nlt