Overwhelmed with Gratitude
- Jerry Witham
- Dec 30, 2008
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Overwhelmed with Gratitude
As I reflect back on 2008 I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Paul’s words to the church at Philippi, says it well for me when it comes to you. He says, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now (Philippians 1.3-5). I thank God for each of you because of what Christ is doing in and through you as you live out the gospel.
This advent season has been a great example of your gospel living. As a church you adopted 11 families to help this season. You gave clothes, toys, gift cards (to help with food and other needs) and other gifts. Some even helped out with a monetary gift to help one of the family’s relatives to get a surgical procedure. You also gave 1,092 cokes to help with the SoupMobile’s Christmas Angel Project to the homeless. Others of you also helped down at the event serving the men, women and children. The head of the SoupMobile wrote this to you:
Thank you so very much for all of your help with the SoupMobile's 4th Annual Christmas Angel Project.
Especially thank you for the 1,000 Cokes. What a wonderful blessing these soda's were for our homeless men and women. You and I can get a soda anytime we want, but for the homeless soda's are a special treat. My grateful thanks to you and your church for taking the time and effort and funding to make this all happen.
Getting 1,000 cokes together is no small feat. With your help, you made sure our homeless guests received a special Christmas they will never forget.
Please tell the entire group how very thankful I am to you all.
Our advent giving goal was $85,000 this year. To date $50,900 has been given. We need $34,100 to reach the goal. We are falling short of the goal thus far, but in a year when those in our body have lost jobs and others have been faced with the fear of losing theirs I am highly encouraged by your continued faithfulness. Through your gifts thus far we have paid for 10 more water wells to be built in Asia in 2009. In addition to that you have given the following to Gospel for Asia as well: 2 water wells, 6 Asian language Bibles, 2 bio water filters, 1 blanket, 16 chickens, 1 drum, 2 goats, 5 gospel literature packs, 2 lambs, 1 pack of New Testament Bibles, 12 pigs, 12 rabbits, 2 packs of VBS materials, and 2 winter clothing packs. These gifts will go a long way to help the people and missionaries in Asia. Thank you for your kind gifts to help the people in Asia. Your giving also continues the ongoing ministry of our church to our children, students, adults, to our community and across the world. If you would still like to give a year-end gift you may by dropping it off by the church on today or Wednesday. You may also go online and safely give as well. Thank you for cheerfully giving to the Lord and honoring Him with your wealth in 2008. Thus far you have given 19% more over last year. We praise God for your faithfulness.
There is much more I could say from this year, from your one day effort in collecting cans of food for CCA and Metrocrest Social Services, to helping build two houses in South Dallas with Riverstone Ministries and Habitat for Humanity, to collecting shoes for orphans across the world, to your continued ministry to Autumn Leaves (thank you John and Diane for leading in this), to those who faithfully lead and host LIFEgroups and especially to those who minister weekly to our children and students. It is such a great joy to pastor a church with such a big heart for others. One of the daunting tasks of today’s church is to change it from a place of a bunch of consumers to a people of service. I praise God for answering our prayers in making our body a serving people. May we continue to give presence in 2009!
