You may only have a minute to read this, so let me start by inviting you to our Christmas Eve service next Wednesday at 6pm [CORRECTION: 5pm]. We will enjoy a service of Scripture readings and Christmas carols. Afterwards, we will go caroling in the neighborhood, then return to the church for some hot chocolate and cookies. We hope you will join us! Here’s a picture from our caroling a couple of years ago:

I recently watched some of Charlie Brown’s Christmas, with the famous presentation of “what Christmas is all about.” We have actually been on that theme for several months now, and it’s a good time to share a recap in case you’ve missed anything.

Knowing Christ

Christmas is all about the amazing person of Jesus Christ—God made man. This was the subject of this year’s Silicon Valley Bible Conference. Our friend Dr. Mark Jones joined us from Vancouver to speak on the theme, Knowing Christ. His messages helped us see Christ in Scripture in a fresh way. If you would like to hear those messages, they are available in both audio and video.

Remembering Nicaea

Christmas is about the marvel that Jesus Christ “came down from heaven.” That line comes from the Nicene Creed, which originated at the Council of Nicaea in 325. This year was the 1700th anniversary of the Council, and we marked the event in a couple of ways.

I (Pastor Calvin) just finished a series of sermons on the Nicene Creed. It was a great joy to preach through the main doctrines of the Bible: God and creation, Jesus and salvation, the Spirit’s life-giving work in the Scriptures, in the church, and in the life to come. You can find those sermons on our SermonAudio page, or as a podcast.

In Adult Sunday School, I also enjoyed teaching on the history of the fourth century. We covered the Council of Nicaea, the life of Athanasius, the emperors Constantine and Constantius, persecution, and the key theological questions about the Son and the Holy Spirit. We tried something new and made video recordings of these lessons. You are welcome to check them out on Youtube or SermonAudio.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year

Pastor Nathaniel has recently been preaching Christmas-themed sermons, focusing on key lines from famous Christmas carols: “Mild, He Lays His Glory By”, “And Heaven and Nature Sing”, “Dear Desire of Every Nation.” These have given us many ways to meditate on the glory of Christ, whose birth marked the arrival of God’s salvation. They help us see what Christmas is all about.

As one year ends and another begins, we have lots of plans and ideas for our church life and ministry. I hope to start sharing some of these in the coming weeks, but that can wait until after we have all enjoyed some holidays. For now, I hope you and your family will enjoy God’s blessings during this Christmastime.