Someday our children will be able to say, “Our fathers have told us what God did in their days.”  God had done amazing things at Vintage Fellowship in 2006, and we want to give Him all the credit.  Psalm 44:1-8 expresses our thoughts well.

It is His right hand, His arm, and the light of His face, for He loves us.
It is not by our creativity and cleverness that Vintage has come to this day. 

In God we make our boast all day long. 
Vintage will always be about God, for God, and He will get the glory.  And we will praise His name forever.

Where do we go from here?  If this is what can happen in just 3 months, imagine what the next 12 will hold.  Psalm 67 expresses our thoughts well.

May God be gracious to us and bless us, and make His face shine upon us.
Only God’s blessing will take us through 2007.

That your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
We want to proclaim God and salvation to NWAR.  Can you think of someone you know who needs it?

May the peoples praise you, O God, may all the peoples praise you.
We want to worship God in spirit and in truth, and invite others to worship with us.

The earth has yielded its produce and God, our God, will bless us.
We want to see unbelievers and the de-churched be wooed into relationship with God.  We want to meet the needs of this community.  We want to be known for what we’re for, and for being God’s ambassadors to NWAR.  Ultimately, we want to overflow with Joy because of what God is doing in us and through us.

What does that mean for you in 2007?  Psalm 84 expresses our thoughts well.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.     We’re all on a journey.  Not sure where yours took you in 2006.  But I’d like to challenge you about where it will go in 2007.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house.
Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.

Find yourself finding pleasure in this community of faith called Vintage Fellowship.  Be blessed by intertwining your life in 2007 with the life of Vintage Fellowship.  Prize time engaged in Vintage Fellowship more than any time spent elsewhere.

Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Look with favor on your anointed one.
O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
 

I pray God’s richest blessing on you in 2007.  I ask God to look upon you with favor in 2007.  May you be blessed as you trust in the Lord God Almighty in 2007.

Worship Set:  All by David Crowder

Oh Praise Him

Here is our King

You are my Joy
Forever and ever and ever etc.

Wholly Yours

Join us at 10:15 am at the Twin Theater at the Northwest Arkansas Mall this Sunday.

What a year 2006 has been!  We’ll take a look back on what God has done with Vintage Fellowship this year since we began meeting in September.  Then we’ll look ahead to what is in store for 2007 for Vintage and for you.  Come reflect and respond with us this Sunday.

I am posting this from Nashville TN where I am enjoying a little vacation with family from around the country. Vanessa and I have commented several times about how many homeless folks we have observed here in Nashville - where there is a sign downtown instructing people NOT to give to panhandlers. I decided to check the news back home and saw this article with the perspective of an expert I know and respect - maybe you do too.

How can a church like Vintage bring grace and truth to a conversation like this? Can we be honest without being cruel or judgmental? Can we be generous while maintaining accountability and proper priorities?

What do you think?

For me, the most profound statement in the entire Christmas story is made by the angels in proclaiming Jesus’ birth to the shepherds in Luke 2:11, “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

For YOU is born a Savior.  For YOU.  And why did he come to earth?  “For God so LOVED the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

This whole crazy, improbable, unimaginable plan is because of Love.  God loves us so much, He did the unthinkable.  Jesus loves us so much He gave up heaven to become an embryo who would be born in a barn stall to poor parents.  He loves us so much that he chanced childhood, accepted adolescence, tolerated his twenties, and was executed in his early thirties.  He loves us so much that he died in my place and in yours so that our death might be temporary.  He loves us enough give us life, eternal life.

You see, not only does Love change our priorities, but Love isn’t Love until it is demonstrated.

God demonstrated His Love for us by sending Jesus for us, even when we were still His enemies and living in our sin.  As is usually the case, when we experience such an attribute from our God, we are then compelled to express that same attribute toward others.

In the gospel of John, Jesus says that our love for one another will be the defining attribute by which others will know we are His disciples.  John’s letter to a church entitled 1 John is full of truth about how we are supposed to live out the Love of God if we truly know God.

1.  Have you accepted the Love of God in the person of Jesus? 

2.  What priorities do you need to allow Love to change?   

The entire law and prophets are summed up with “Love God, Love Neighbor”

Is Love a priority at all in your life?

When you consider on your own or discuss with your spouse decisions about how you will spend your time, your money, your attention, or your service is Love setting the agenda?  Does Love have the run of the house?

3.  How can you demonstrate Love to others?   

Words of affirmation ~ sometimes we just need to say it. 

Quality time ~ How much time and what kind of time to you spend? 

Acts of service ~ meals, yardwork, cleaning a house, babysitting (free), fixing a car . . . 

Physical Touch ~ an appropriate hug or arm around a friend. 

Gifts ~ they don’t have to cost a lot, they can even be homemade.  Are the gifts you’ll give this Christmas signs of consumerism and greed or are they demonstrations of Love?

Today, this week, next weekend as you celebrate Christmas, and beyond, let Love have the run of the house, and find ways to demonstrate it to those around you.

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus-Charles Wesley 

Angels From the Realms of Glory-Steven Curtis Chapman: www.stevencurtischapman.com 

Amazing Love-Billy Foote: www.billyfoote.com 

I Love Your Presence-Brenton Brown: www.vmg.com 

Offering-Paul Baloche: www.paulbaloche.com 

Ladies!  Don’t want to make lots of different Christmas treats this year to have that perfect spread of sweets when friends or family invades?  We’ve got your solution.  Make 3 dozen of ONE kind of Christmas goodie and bring it to the Marshall’s home Friday, December 15th at 7:30.  Bring a container big enough to take home a few of everyone else’s concoctions and you end up with that perfect party tray!  See you then.

O Come O Come Emmanuel-traditional 

Angels From the Realms of Glory: www.stevencurtischapman.com 

Humble King-Brenton Brown: www.vmg.com 

O Come Let Us Adore Him-traditional 

Wonderful Maker: Chris Tomlin: www.christomlin.com 

Hark the Herald Angels Sing-traditional