Despite some of the setbacks of 2020, we still moved ahead with the same generous spirit our church community brings to Christmas each year. Thanks to the generosity of LWCC: Approximately 125 gifts were given for Community Progress Council/Head Start kids. 1,262 shoe boxes were given for Operation Christmas Child. 42 Young Lives moms and their kids were given gifts by growth groups, […]
If you missed “Part One” of this pastoral letter, you may want to skim through that first. THE WORD OF GOD THAT SHAPES US When I was growing up, my dad told me, “Brian, you can do anything you want, if you want it bad enough to work hard enough for it.” Dad also said, “Brian, you can put up with anything for a while if you […]
I had a number of things I wanted to share that were on my heart as we are so close to Christmas. So I reflected a bit and jotted down my thoughts. I will share some of them today and the rest tomorrow. There is light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel, but we all know this December part […]
The main biblical insight from Sunday’s message is this: Christmas is a season, a message, and a Savior full of GRACE. Because of the Good News of GRACE in the Christmas message, our families can have so much HOPE. During the holidays, family is more important and perhaps more painful than any other time of […]
Many years ago in 2003, when Becky and I returned to Living Word and our relationships with dear friends picked back up, one of those friendships was with Gordon Carpenter. Gordon had always been interested in spirituality and spiritual formation. He had a long history of journaling and using devotional guides as a supplement for […]
Hello parents!   My desire for 2020 is to create a vault (noun: a secure room where valuables are stored) of parent resources that encourage and equip you with tools, insights, and practices that will help you vault (verb: jump over obstacles; leap forward) in raising your children to be authentic followers of Jesus!   We are living in […]
Today on the blog, Rebecca Rice, the Counseling Center Director, shares her favorite Christmas traditions. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12) A number […]
Today on the blog, Diana Trout, one of our Worship Leaders, shares some of her favorite Christmas traditions. I love Christmas. The family time, the food, the music, the decorations, giving and receiving gifts… it’s all so good! My small, close-knit family back in New Jersey has always participated fully in the Christmas season. We’d […]
Today on the blog, Brian Newman, our Pastor of Leadership Development, shares his favorite Christmas carol. I did not grow up celebrating Christmas, and we did not sing Christmas hymns or carols in my youth. I remember when I first learned Christmas carols I was quickly enthralled with “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” There was […]
Today on the blog, Connie Milching, our Director of Women’s Ministry and Prayer, shares some of her favorite Christmas traditions. One thing I love about the Christmas season is a special memory from my childhood. Birth through elementary school took place in Elkins, West Virginia, population 8,307. To put that in perspective, Living Word’s weekly […]