This Week At Renovation
Christmas is just around the corner. If you are like me, Christmas has been here since midnight on November 1st. As with every Christmas season, we have planned fantastic events and adjusted gathering times. Heads up, this is gonna be a lengthy TWAR, and for all of us skimmers, there is a TL:DR at the end.
It’s beginning to look like a Jazzy Christmas.
Many things are true about Renovation Church; one of the truest is our collective love of music. Last Christmas, we decided to look at the redemptive threads and history surrounding our favorite Christmas songs. We are continuing that tradition this year with a bit of a twist. This year, we are putting a jazz spin on the Christmas songs and several other surprises that will make this a unique community experience.
Jazz Christmas begins Sunday, December 11th @ 10:00a & 11:45a
You might ask yourself, “I love that pastor, but what about Christmas Day? It’s on a Sunday.”
I hear you, and my immediate response is, “Don’t you love Jesus?” But I only respond that way because I am full of mischief.
We believe in being present with family and friends on Christmas morning. We got presents to open, French Toast to make, and parents to see. So to celebrate Christmas together, we will have corporate worship on Christmas Eve @ 6:00p.
Yes, that means that Sunday, December 25th, we will NOT have in-person corporate worship. Pastor Léonce has recorded a special family devotional that will be available on our Youtube page.
“So what about the next Sunday, Pastor? It’s New Year’s Day!”
Have you ever heard of a watch night service?
I’m just playing. Sunday, January 1, 2023, we will NOT have in-person corporate worship. In its place, Renovation Online will have a pre-recorded stream at 10:00a and be available on-demand after that on our Youtube page.
For those of us who like bullet points, let me recap
- Jazz Christmas begins Sunday, December 11th.
- Jazz Christmas Ugly Christmas Sweater Sunday December 19th.
- Jazz Christmas Eve Gathering @ 6:00p
- Christmas Day: No in-person corporate worship
- New Year’s Day: No in-person corporate worship. Renovation Online exclusively.
Legacy Sunday
At the beginning of this year, as a church set out to accomplish many things in our community. From our first-ever marriage conference to our first Serve Day and public launch. You can see it all here, Vision 2022
The question is we should ask ourselves, how did we do? On December 4th, Legacy Sunday, we will look back at all that we accomplished this year and some powerful opportunities that have surfaced to serve our city.
Expect that day to be a bit different than normal… whatever normal is for us.
Legacy Sunday, December 4th @ 10:00a & 11:45a
Last Call
There is only one more opportunity for you to experience our Family Movie Nights this year. This Friday, November 18th @ 7:00p, we will be watching The Rock in his finest cinematic role to date, Maui. You’re Welcome.
Denying Jesus
Like Dave Grohl once crooned, I’ve got another confession to make. At times in my life, I have denied Jesus. In subtle and not-so-subtle ways, over the last twenty-six years of following Jesus, I have denied Him a grievous number of times. But one time that stands out happened back in 2018. I was travelling from one coast to the other amid a string of trips to preach at different conferences. I was tired, very tired, over tired because I was living out of an overpacked schedule and failed to recover well—talking to a few of you all right now.
As I was flying home, the flight attendant began to ask me where she had seen me before. I deflected and tried to go to sleep, but every time she came by, she asked some probing questions. Eventually, she googled me and discovered I was a pastor. Of course, I thought this would deter the attention, and I could go to sleep, but it only sparked more questions about everything in the world. It was like she had been waiting for the right person at the right moment to pour out all the things she had been carrying in her soul. My disinterest at the moment became apparent, body language speaking louder than any words ever could. I saw her hesitate for a moment, and then she said, “I thought Christians would be eager to talk about Jesus.”
My heart sank.
Weekly Goodness To Help You On Your Journey
I Need To Vent by Breanna Crump
“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”
Philippians 2:14-15
This verse right here. I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with this verse and I’m sure that if you are honest and take inventory of your thoughts/tweets/posts, that you could admit that you struggle with it as well.
Why?
Well, we live in a broken world, and let’s face it, life is hard and every day brings its own set of sanctifying challenges. Every day, we are being faced with decision after decision to either obey this verse or completely disregard it.
For Your Kids & Students
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