Friends of Faith Baptist of North Chili,
Yes, we cancelled our services last Sunday. The huge storm that was predicted, with one to two feet of snow, didn’t materialize, but on Sunday morning we did have freezing rain and sleet which made things icy and dangerous. Now we are preparing for our Christmas Sunday worship. It will be a great day of remembering the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Because we will be with our family next week, there won’t be a FaithFriends until next year. So, here is the advance “heads up” about Sunday, December 30th. I will preach the morning message – “I Am Going Away” (from John 8:21-30). Ironically that will come after I’ve been away, but it isn’t about me going away, it’s what Jesus said. Then, in the evening service on the 30th, our own Dan Noyes will bring the message.
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Time for a smile:
I’ll admit, it can be hard to buy gifts for men. There are still a couple of shopping days left, so I’m going to give you a little help: buying gifts for men is not nearly as complicated as it is for women. Follow these rules and you should have no problems.
Rule #1: When in doubt – buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain. As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why.
Rule #2: If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car. A 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of deicer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.
Rule #3: You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money buy your man a big-screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips, and flips, and flips.
Rule #4: Buy men label makers. Almost as good as cordless drills. Within a couple of weeks there will be labels absolutely everywhere. “Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink.” You get the idea. No one knows why.
Rule #5: Never buy a man anything that says “some assembly required” on the box. It will ruin his day and he will always have parts left over.
Rule #6: Good places to shop for men include Home Depot, John Deere, NAPA Auto Parts, and Sear’s Clearance Centers. They are all excellent men’s stores. It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t know what it is. “From NAPA Auto, eh? Must be something I need. Hey! Isn’t this a starter for a ’68 Ford Fairlane? Wow! Thanks.”
Rule #7: Men enjoy danger. That’s why they never cook – but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100-pound propane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. “Oh the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?”
Rule #8: Tickets to a football game are a smart gift. However, he will not appreciate tickets to “A Retrospective of 19th Century Quilts.” Everyone knows why.
Rule #9: Men love chainsaws. Never, ever, buy a man you love a chainsaw. If you don’t know why – please refer to Rule #4 and what happens when he gets a label-maker.
Rule #10: Rope. Men love rope. It takes them back to our cowboy origins, or at least The Boy Scouts. Nothing says love like a hundred feet of 3/8″ manilla rope.
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Sunday, December 16, 2007
Family Bible Classes – 9:30am
Morning Worship Service – 10:45am
Since our services were cancelled last Sunday, the message for this Sunday remains the same, “I Am The Light of the World,” (from John 8:12-20). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” That is an extravagant claim and it was met by an extreme challenge (You LIE!), but Jesus responded with an encouraging certainty.
Our choir, Faith Singers, will also present their Christmas cantata titled, “The King of Kings.”
Evening Celebration – 6:00pm
Our evening celebration will be a “Christmas Carol Sing” – we will be singing our favorite Christmas carols along with some Scripture reading and special music including some from the children and teens. It will be like caroling except without the bulky coats, freezing temperatures, and getting children in and out of cars at multiple stops. You won’t want to miss this!
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That’s all for this edition of FaithFriends. Pray with me that God’s people will be equipped and encouraged and the lost will hear the good news of the Gospel and trust Christ for their salvation!
Your faithful Minister of the Word,
Pastor Harriman