The Dr. Seuss-Style ending to the Christmas service

Amazing obedience is part of Christmas

A Solution To Our Most Fundamental Problem

A key reason why Christmas brings joy is because Jesus came and provided a solution to one of the most fundamental problems human beings face. Because of His mercy and grace, He makes it possible for people who are separated from God to connect with God.

We will be talking about this important and encouraging truth today at our Christmas services. If you are in the Chicago area I invite you to please come and join us!

Merry Christmas!

First Church of God

4600 W. 111^th Street

Oak Lawn, IL

Service times: 9am and 11am

E-Flash From Dan, December 17, 2015

Dear E-Flash Friends;

I was on the C.S. Lewis Institute website yesterday and was reminded that Lewis referred to the Incarnation [the coming of Jesus] as the “Grand Miracle.” Lewis calls the Incarnation the Grand Miracle because all of the other miracles of Jesus’ life—including the resurrection—were only possible because of the Incarnation.

“…[A]ll the well-established Christian miracles are part of it [the Incarnation]… they all either prepare for, or exhibit, or result from the Incarnation.” C.S. Lewis

The fact that the Lord Jesus would set aside His divine privileges and enter into His creation as a humble, defenseless, human baby is so staggering that it is impossible for us to even grasp the full implications of this extraordinary event. According to the Bible, He did this because of His great love for us. That makes it even better!

We will be celebrating this wonderful event—the birth of Jesus—at the services this Sunday, December 20^th, 9am or 11am.

The worship team is planning a terrific program for us and I am working diligently on a message which will express the Joy of this Good News! I am praying the joy spoken of by the angel to the shepherds on that momentous night long ago will be communicated in such a way that it will come alive in you and me.

You won’t want to miss our time together this Sunday! It will truly be a blessing.

Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Why not take a risk and invite someone? People who may not typically go to church are likely to go to church at Christmas time if they are invited. Let’s invite and see what God does.

I’m looking forward to seeing you!

Love and blessings,

Dan

E-Flash From Dan, 12/19/14

Dear E-Flash Friends;

 

The brilliant thinker and author C.S. Lewis referred to the Incarnation (God becoming man) as the “Grand Miracle.” According to a C.S. Lewis website he called it the Grand Miracle because he saw “every other miracle of Scripture as preparing for, demonstrating, or resulting from, the Incarnation.”

 

In other words the Incarnation had to happen first in order for every other miracle that Jesus performed here on earth—including the Resurrection—to occur.

 

We will be talking about this wonderful Grand Miracle at the services this Sunday, December 21^st, as we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus.

 

Lisa has planned our worship time for the Christmas services and in a memo she sent the team earlier this week she expressed her feelings this way: “I... CAN... NOT... WAIT! :) So looking forward to worshiping with you all!”

 

I agree completely. You won’t want to miss this one!

 

I really hope you can join us. Service times are 9am and 11am.

 

Love and blessings,

 

Dan

 

 

P.S. We also have a great service planned for Christmas Eve. Why not make plans to bust away from the pumpkin pie for a few minutes and join us for our beautiful candle-lit service this Wednesday, the 24^th, at 9pm? I truly believe your heart will be blessed.

 

 

P.P.S.  Click on the link to watch a very brief video invitation to the Christmas services.

Link…   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtsfmmezbS4

First Church of God

4600 W. 111th Street

Oak Lawn, IL

708-636-2620

E-Flash From Dan, Dec. 13, 2010

Dear E-Flash Friends;

A friend said to me, recently, “People go to church on Christmas and Easter.”

I said, “Good.  I’ll be seeing you at church pretty soon, then, right?”

He laughed and said, “I’m not one of those people.”

Despite the tricky reply, my friend has a valid point.  A fairly good number of people will go to church on Christmas or Easter when they might not frequent church services very often during other times of the year.  So, that presents us with an opportunity!

We will be celebrating Christmas this Sunday, December 19^th at 9am & 11am.  And we will also be celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve, at 9pm.

I hope you are planning on attending these services (I know I am) and I would like to ask you to pray with me about inviting someone to these services.  This could be a time where one of our friends could encounter God in a fresh and meaningful way—perhaps even an eternity-altering way.  Wouldn’t that be cool?

I’m excited about Christmas…because I’m excited about Jesus!  I hope you are, too.

Love and blessings….and Merry Christmas to you!

Dan

P.S.  The day AFTER Christmas is Sunday, this year.  I will be speaking on the subject:  “After Christmas, Then What?”  We will be combining the 9am and 11am services for one big, thrilling, praise-filled, inspiring service at 10 am!  If you miss this one you will be kicking yourself for the rest of the year.  (Actually, that will only be 5 more days.  But still.  That’s a long time to be kicking yourself.)