Tomorrow we will look at a Christmas message which will consider God's Ways as revealed in the Christmas story.  Sunday evening we will have the blessing of a musical program entitled "The Weary World Rejoices".  A number of our musicians and singers will remind us of the blessing of Christ's birth.

The cold weather reminds us that Christmas is coming.  Sunday evening we have the Sunday School Christmas program.  This is a great opportunity for young people to express their faith and give our church an opportunity to see the good job our Children's program is doing.  We will hopefully have a number of relatives come to encourage their grandchildren, nieces, nephews and children.  Please pray for them.

Sunday morning, I would like to do a quick review of Colossians 1 & 2 and then finish the last 3 verses of Colossians 2.  I hope this series is helping you like it is me.  I trust we are not only learning truth, but believing it, and putting it into practice.  Next week we will look at the Christmas story.

Tomorrow morning we will be observing the Lord's Supper.  In God's sovereignty, we will be focusing on the cry and prayer in Ps 22 which was quoted twice in the drama -- My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.  Why are you so far from helping me and from the words of my groaning?  This cry has probably been uttered by many people through centuries of time since David penned the words 1,000 years before Christ.  We will see tomorrow that Jesus cried them from the cross.

At 6 pm, we have the privilege of having James Liang preach for us.  He is a young man who attends our church and works with college students at UCONN.  We have had a number of UCONN students coming to church over the last semester.  Pray for him that God will use him in a special way.  

I trust you had a great Thanksgiving.  In what has become a Thanksgiving tradition for our church for the last 13 years, Missionary Dan Olson will be preaching for us tomorrow.  He is always able to challenge us with truth from the Bible presented in a way that is both deep, yet simple, convicting and practical.   This month the Lord has given us special speakers that have been creative, refreshing and convicting.  Thank you for being faithful.

Sunday evening we have a talented family who are friends of Eli Rodriguez (the McMahon family) who will present several special numbers for us.  Eli will close with a challenge from the Word of God.  Sunday evening is a good time to strengthen and encourage each other in the Lord.

Nearly twenty years ago Chad Prigge was our Assistant Pastor.  He left so he could become a head pastor of a good church in Wisconsin.  Tomorrow morning we have the opportunity to have his son -- Caleb Prigge -- preaching for us.  It will be a blessing to have Caleb's wife Abby and his 18 month old son Judson here also.  

Be sure to plan to come back for the Men's and Women's meetings on Sunday evening followed by a pizza fellowship which will cost $1 per person.  Please note, the cost is simply a donation to help defray the cost of the pizza.  It is a donation and no one is turned away if they do not have the money.  

We are looking forward to a great Harvest Banquet this evening and a special day tomorrow.  Rand Hummel is a great speaker that has helped many people in his life.  He has been the director of the Wild's Christian Camp of New England that many of our young people go to each summer.

Rand will be speaking not only for the Harvest Banquet, but also three times on Sunday.  During ABF all of the ABF classes will be meeting in the Auditorium at 9:15am with Rand.  Then Rand will preach the morning service and the evening service at 6pm.

Tomorrow morning we will have Ben and Ashley Fairchild, missionaries.  Ben is a good preacher and will stir your heart to with a message from 2Co 2:14-17.

On Sunday evening they will show slides of their work in their mission country.  It is good for us to learn about the people in other lands and their need for Jesus Christ.  

If you come at 9 am you can join a small group that memorizes scripture each weak and quote the verses to each other from about 9 to 9:13.  Also we have a good group that prays on Sunday evening each week across from the copier room in the auditorium building at 5pm.  Come and join us if you can.  

Tomorrow we are going to look at a divine mathematical equation -- one that only makes sense when you know the true and living God.

Sunday evening we will have a Family meeting in which the deacons will present some options for the church moving forward.  Please pray that God will give a genuine spirit of wisdom, love and unity as we think about the future.

We have so much for which to be thankful.  However it does not take much for us to realize how weak and vulnerable we are to discouragement.  Tomorrow we will look at one verse in Colossians that has to do with Satan and demonic forces.  It is true that Christ has defeated them in the cross.  But it is also true that Satan is the master deceiver and liar.  God has give us truth that will help us stay strong and pure and victorious in the fight.  Please pray that God will help us all to "resist the devil" so he will flee from us.

Sunday evening we have our Men's and Women's ministries.  This is a great opportunity to connect with others and be encouraged.  Plus we have a church fellowship dinner afterward.  Don't miss!

Our Sunday morning study in Colossians has shown us that through Christ we are "complete in Him".  Colossians 2:13-14 shows that "Complete Salvation" includes Total Forgiveness and Total Assurance.  We will find that the most victorious Christian life is a result of grace not law and rules.  Please pray that God will use this message in all our lives.

As believers we are expected to be salt and light in this ever more dark and confusing world.   Surely God would expect us to be wise about our influence at the voting booth.  I will quote some of the founding fathers as their view of government was very Biblical.   Please pray for our country that God will send a revival to our land. 

Tomorrow we will pick up back in Jesus Sermon on the Mount/Matthew 6 where we left off this past summer. Jesus challenged the people of His day, and by extension us, to trust the provision of the Father and be wholly committed to Him in the all the material things we need to live. I trust we will all be encouraged to recognize our loving Father as our provider and to look to be generous as He has thus called us to be.

In the evening, Pastor Eli will be bringing a message, so please plan to come back if you are able.

Tomorrow we will look at probably three of the least known verses in Colossians... Colossians 2:11-13.  They teach a vital truth about how we can live victorious lives in the face of the world, the flesh and the devil.  If you counsel others or if you are simply a friend, these verse with help you know how to help those with sin or addiction or issues of self control.

Sunday evening, I want to illustrate the same truth we will see on Sunday morning using the nation of Israel as an example.  We will also talk about a "motivation list" that was shared with me by one of our evangelists years ago.

Sunday morning we continue in Colossians.  After a brief review about the errors the false prophets were introducing at Colossae in 2:8, we will look at probably the most significant verse in the Bible regarding the deity of Christ in 2:9.   Then we will see the practical application in vs 10 when I believe Paul asserts that we should be living our best life now.  What does that mean?  Come ready to change and bring a friend.

Sunday evening we will have the regular monthly Men's and Women's Meetings with a church fellowship afterwards.  These are a great time to get to know and interact with other believers.

Sunday morning we see Paul beginning to expose wrong thinking about life and God in Colossians 2:6-10.  I believe you will be challenged to avoid errors the world, the flesh and the devil throw at us everyday.  The solution is truly learning to know Jesus Christ and letting Him live through us.

Sunday evening we have a missionary Don Stertz who founded "Couriers for Christ" ministries.  Originally his purpose was to get Bibles and Christian materials to Communist countries behind the Iron Curtain.  He took many risks and made sacrifices to get the gospel to people who would never hear.  He is still getting Bibles and Christian materials to those who may never hear without such a ministry.  Please come and be challenged to pray and give to others.

Sunday morning we will look at some marks of a great church that focuses on a great Savior -- Colossians 2:1-5. Keep praying for God to work in bringing visitors and speaking to all our hearts.

Sunday evening I would like to pull out a paper I wrote many years ago on "Biblical Church Government".  I have had several people asking me about this subject.  I will present what I believe the Bible teaches on this subject.  Please come with your thinking caps on!

If you enjoy a mystery, we will learn about one that God kept hidden for "ages and generations" but has now revealed to us.  Some loose ends will come together during Sunday morning message on Colossians 1:24-29.  I believe you will find this message both enlightening and practical.  

Tomorrow morning we have the opportunity to have Todd and Sarah Hudson with us.  They have been missionaries in Vienna, Austria for many years.  They have done a great job in the midst of many challenges.  The Islamic population has greatly increased in Austria as well as many other countries.  Todd is a great preacher, a great missionary and he and Sarah are great parents.  You will not want to miss them.

They will be with us also in the evening to present more about their field and answer questions.  I am interested to see if he can give us ideas of how to witness to Muslims.  That is a group of people I have not been successful in gospelizing.  They can answer questions on almost any subject including family and child raising.  Don't miss Sunday evening.

Tomorrow we are going to look at a big topic -- Reconciliation.  We have become alienated from God and have become enemies of God by wicked works that result from sinful thinking.  I have met people who say, there is no hope for me.  I have grievously sinned.  We will ask, "Is there any person who is "beyond hope of being reconciled" to God?" 

I am excited about Sunday evening because we have great topics to discuss in both the Men's and Women's meetings.  Please come to listen, discuss, be challenged and changed.  Afterward we will have a fellowship meal together in the gym.

Tomorrow morning we have the privilege (and challenge) of meditating on Jesus Christ being the "Firstborn" of all creation and "Firstborn" from the dead.  God's intention by these thoughts is that Jesus Christ is to be exalted and superior to all others.  False cults misinterpret these verses to deny the deity and greatness of Christ.  Please pray the the message will be as much a blessing to the church as it has been to me as I have studied for it.

Last Sunday evening we had a great time of testimonies of how God has made Himself real to each of us by providing needs -- often in unusual ways or at the perfect time.  Sometimes it may not seem that God is providing as our resources run lower and lower.  Elijah experienced this but seems not to have worried.  I want to consider God's provision for Elijah and see how we can learn from his example.

Tomorrow morning we are going to look at Christ's infinite ability to sustain and provide all needs of every being in the universe -- including you.  This is one of the most challenging truths for a believer to learn if you want to live without worry, stress and fear.

Sunday evening we are going to change it up some by having more of a question, answer and discussion time dealing with the truths that we will be considering in the morning.  I will ask questions and let you (if you want) give answers, testimonies and explanations.  

I believe the truths we will consider tomorrow beginning in Colossians 1:17 are essential to victorious Christian living.  Please plan to come both morning and evening.