From the Pastor:

I’m going to let you in on a big secret—Christmas is coming, so you had better get out and do some gift shopping. Oh, you already knew that… Well, I am not surprised. The stores have been dropping hints since Halloween or before. Most of us have already begun or already completed our Christmas shopping, but is that all we need to do in preparation for Christmas ? I am not talking about baking or party plans; I am talking about making preparations to stand in the presence of God. What would you need to do to prepare yourself for the Creator’s coming? That’s what the season of Advent is all about. While you might say: “I’ll never be ready!” You still need to be. So Advent is celebrated every year in hopes that maybe over the course of a life time we will get better prepared.

These last few months I have been preaching a series of sermons on Richard Foster’s book Celebration of Discipline. I have generally covered all of the 12 disciplines from his groupings: Inward Disciplines, Outward Disciplines and Corporate Disciplines. The only one I did not address is the Corporate Discipline of Confession. That’s not something that Baptists do, but maybe we should. Oh, we practice private personal confession… We do believe I John 1: 9 “If We confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins...” But we have trouble with James 5: 16: “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote about the Church in Life Together (pg 93): “It is possible that Christians may remain lonely in spite of daily worship together, prayer together, and all their community through service—that the final breakthrough to community does not occur precisely because they enjoy community with one another as pious believers, but not with one another as those lacking piety, as sinners.” I think that the confession and absolution, spoken of in John 20: 23, really matter: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any they are retained.” Finding a confessor and maintaining the sanctity of that role are difficult matters I don’t have space to address in this format.

However, one form of confession which we might more easily practice during this Advent season is seeking to mend broken relationships. I feel certain that during this Christmas season the original “Home Alone” movie will be shown at least once. My favorite scene in that movie is when Kevin (McCauley Caulkins) runs into the old man from next door (who he thought was the shovel slayer), and the man confesses his broken relationship with his son, which keeps him from seeing his granddaughter in the Christmas program. Kevin encourages the man to call his son, and toward the end of the movie you see them greeting each other in the driveway next door.

Maybe during Advent we could use the broom of confession to clean our hearts, even if the confession is only “I Love you and I am sorry my pride has kept us apart.” May God bring wholeness and joy to you and your family this Christmas season.

December 2006

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wednesday Evening Programs as usual

December 6^th, 13^th , 20th. There will be no programs December 27^h due to celebration of Christmas.

December 2^nd, 3^rd.

Children's play practice 9:45 a.m.

December 3rd Communion,

Congregational meeting to approve Budget 2007, immediately following Worship Service.

December 7^th

3:30 – 7:00p.m. (or any part of that time)

Shelter Meal Preparation

December 9th

9:45 a.m.-11:15 Childrens’ play rehearsal

11:15 a.m. Childrens’ pie making.

December 10^th

9:45 - 11:00 a.m. Childrens’ play rehearsal.

11 a.m. Worship

Christmas Pageant, presented by the children.

Christmas Dinner immediately following Worship Service.

December 11th

10:30-3p.m. – Annie Armstrong Circle will meet in the home of Irene Eaton, 8800 Walther Blvd. #1116, 410-663-0680. Please bring a sandwich.

Needles & News will not meet this month.

December 16th,

9:00 a.m. Decorating the sanctuary.

3:00-8:00 p.m.- Caroling. All are invited.

December 24^th ,

For the program: if you would like to have your child in the pageant of lights please contact Susan Edwards and if you would like to be a disciple please contact Don or Diana Romano.

Christmas Eve Candle Light Service

4:30 p.m. Special music begins.

5:00 a.m. Service begins

December 24^th, Church School and Worship

service at the usual time.

December 25^th, CHRISTMAS DAY

This is also our day for Sarah’s Hope

December 31st

Pick-up cakes for Our Daily Bread and return by Saturday.

Telephone Directory: We are working on an updated telephone directory for members and friends of Calvary. If there are any changes or additions you want to make, please send them into the Church office this month.

Snow Policy: As a reminder to you of what we do when it snows after we have gotten back from the store with necessary provisions:

1. Sunday Morning activities are never canceled. However if you are scheduled to take part in Worship or Sunday School, prayer, reading, music, or teaching, don’t kill yourself getting here. We will get along with whoever shows up, and the service may be abbreviated depending on number of attendees.

2. Wednesday Evening programs follow the schedule for Baltimore County Schools. If they are closed, so are we. If they close early, we are closed.

3. Use your common sense.