Announcements
SYMPATHY: to Lynne Gephart and her family on the passing of her sister-in-law, Patricia Haviland, on Thursday, November 26. A viewing was held on Tuesday, December 3 at Bailey Funeral Home. Interment will occur at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery.
CHRISTMAS OUTREACH: Thank you to all those who took a tag from the tree. Please make sure your wrapped gifts are dropped off at the Welcome Desk by tonight.
GRIEFSHARE: The next session begins on Tuesday, January 7, at 6:30 p.m. Come be part of our next session that helps individuals find comfort, healing, and hope after the loss of a loved one. Please sign up at the Welcome Desk, or see Kathy Reed for more information.
ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING RESULTS: All items from our recent Church of the Open Door Business Meeting passed by a majority vote. The 2025 Church Council members are Pastor Norris Belcher, Rob Ward, Buck Bowers, Steve Bond, David Brown, David Roberts, Mike Goodwin, Omar Echegoyen, Mike Mangum, Vijay Parekh, Mark Peterson, Sam Muller, Levi Haines, and Joshua Peterson .
From My Heart
When the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, it was a night unlike any other! We are told in Luke 2:8-20 that there were shepherds watching over their flocks. These shepherds were probably not just any ole shepherds, but were Levites, chosen to raise sheep for the purpose of sacrificing them for sin. They were not your average, ordinary, run-of-the-mill shepherds, but men who knew the Old Testament Scriptures from front to back. They were men who understood the Word of God promised a coming Messiah and were looking with great anticipation for Him to come.
While watching over their sheep, something phenomenal happened! The Angel of the Lord came to them to announce that the long-awaited Messiah had been born. We are told in v. 9, “…the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them….” This “glory” that shone brightly to them, was none other than the Shekinah Glory! The Shekinah showed up to announce to these men that the Savior had been born!
The reason we make such a big deal about Christmas is because this first celebration of the birth of our Lord was celebrated in such a huge and wonderful way! Just imagine how humbled these men would have been to be in the very presence of Deity! I find this amazing that the Lord Jesus appeared to these shepherds to announce His own birth. There has never been a day like this when our blessed Savior was born into the stream of humanity!
Now, one would certainly think that the King of Kings would have been born in a palace or the finest hospital in Jerusalem, or at the least, in the Temple, but He wasn’t! No, the King of Kings came into this world in the most humble of beginnings - born in lowly Bethlehem. Bethlehem means, “the House of Bread.” Isn’t that ironic, the “Bread of Life” was born in “the House of Bread.” In John 6:35, Jesus boldly proclaimed, “I am the Bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger.”
The town of Bethlehem was a short walk up the hill from where the shepherds watched over their sheep. As soon as the announcement was made, there was a multitude of angels who filled the night sky around the shepherds and this Heavenly Host praised God, saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men.” In v. 15, I have always thought this praising and glorifying of the Lord went on for a little while because the 15th verse says, “And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven….” I know I would have loved to have been there to witness this event!
The last thing was the impact it had on these shepherds! They ran to see the newborn Savior - which was exactly as the Angel of the Lord had said, and in v. 17, they went to tell everyone what they had seen and heard.
Let’s tell everyone we meet about this wonderful Savior! Have a great day!
Pastor Norris
Hospitalizations
Michele Boone - CHC 421
Keith Gist - CHC 205
Billy Gray - UMCC 52A
Dora Manning - JHU 508
Ed Mauler - CHC 408
Chuck McKinney - St. Jos. 22
Thomas Minossi - Good Sam. 315
Troy Parrish - St. Jos. 410
Greg Troup - Harrisburg 3