Make it Count!

Dear Evergreen Church,

As we enjoy the Advent season together and all of the Christmas preparations during this month of December, I am asking you to do something very intentional...make it count! What do I mean, "make it count"? What I mean is, let's try to pause every day in December and make that moment, that task, that day count for the Lord Jesus.

Making a moment or task count for Jesus is being mindful of Him in the midst of whatever we are doing. Pleasing Jesus is as simple as having a heart of love for Him and others when we are at work, with loved ones, shopping for gifts, or doing any of the other myriad extra things that come up on the "to-do" lists every December.

The thing is, when we are in the middle of living out a moment, we really do not know the full significance of it until some time passes. That's the reason it is so critical to truly live present in the day we are given by the Lord. Jesus tells us in His Sermon on the Mount not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will have its own worries to deal with, plus He clearly tells us how useless worry is, as in, can it add a moment to our lives? Throughout His teachings Jesus reminds us over and over to live in today because today is really all we have. And that was not Jesus being pessimistic, that was Jesus being realistic and giving us the freedom to live every day and every moment intentionally and with as much carefree trust as a little child!

When you are spending time with that loved one or going that extra mile to make Christmas special for someone else, remember you may be living right in the middle of "the good ole days" that you will look back on one day with a mixture of gratitude that you had it and longing for all the sweet things of that time period. There is joy and peace in living the abundant, one moment at a time life that Jesus modeled and commanded. So as Carly Simon says in her song Anticipation, "stay right here 'cause these are the good old days".

We love you all and wish you a Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas! Make it count!

Remember every Sunday during Advent we are taking Communion together, and if you are joining us remotely just have your elements ready beforehand to take the Lord's Supper with us at the end of each service. Below is our December calendar, please note that we have our first ever Christmas Eve service at Evergreen this year! We will celebrate Christmas and worship together as a church at the Christmas Eve service with NO Sunday morning service on Christmas Day. Enjoy Christmas Day with your friends and loved ones!

Love,

Pastors Danielle & Stewy

December 2022 Calendar:

December 4th - 10th:

• Sunday, 12/4 Mens' Bible Study, 9:45 AM

• Sunday, 12/4 Evergreen Service, 11 AM - Kids' Church Offered!

• Tuesday, 12/6 Prayer, 7 PM

December 11th - 17th:

• Sunday, 12/11 Mens' Bible Study, 9:45 AM

• Sunday, 12/11 Evergreen Service, 11 AM (No Kids' Church)

• Tuesday, 12/13 Discovery Group (End Times Study + Annual Christmas Party) 6PM Potluck Christmas Meal!!!

December 18th - 24th:

• Sunday, 12/18 MBS, 9:45 AM

• Sunday, 12/18 Evergreen Service, 11 AM - Kid' Church Offered!

• Tuesday, 12/20 No Events (Prepare your Christmases!)

• Saturday, 12/24 Christmas Eve Service, 5:00-6:00 PM

December 25th - 31st:

• Sunday, 12/25 NO SUNDAY MORNING SVC - CHRISTMAS DAY

• Tuesday, 12/27 Discovery Group (End Times Study) 6PM Snack night, Bring a snack to share!

(Nursery provided at all Sunday and Tuesday church events.)