New Springs News

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Read more of December 17 Newsletter here. Weekly Newsletter - December 17, 2015                                                              From Pastor Dave Dear Friends,  One of the first contemporary Christian praise songs I learned was John Fischer's, "All Day Song".  Love him in the morning when you see the sun a-rising,  Love him in the evening 'cause he took you through the day,  And in the in-between time when you feel the pressure coming,  Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay.  When you think you've got to worry,  'Cause it seems the thing to do,  Remember he's not in a hurry,  He's always got time for you and me, so...(Repeat)  There are hand motions. I still remember. Free book to the first person who asks, sings it with me, and does the hand motions.  That third line is something around which to build a theology of Christian faith, life, and spiritual formation.  And in the in-between time when you feel the pressure coming.  The theologian George Ladd called it, "The already but not yet." Jesus has come, and has inaugurated his kingdom. He will return to bring complete fulfillment to God's plans. Already...but not yet.  That's where we live.  I'm so excited for Christmas. My sisters are coming. My son and daughter-in-law will be here. We are celebrating our first Christmas together as New Springs Community. We have worked so hard. I'm feeling joy, enthusiasm, camaraderie, purpose, and hope.  Already.  I'm working my tail off. I've taken a couple of extra responsibilities on for the denomination, and these require my "free" time. I'm under the pressure of a deadline. I'm trying to stay healthy and not miss out on sleep, good food, and exercise.  Not yet.  We are seeing God move in amazing ways. People are taking steps of faith towards Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit does show up at our worship services, because of God's greatness, and not because of us. Some new faces are joining us.  Already.  People are hurting. Some families are broken. Some bad decisions have been made. Some problems aren't going away. Some addictions aren't easily shaken. Some are alone, and lonely. We have said goodbye to cherished loved ones, and Christmas isn't the same without them.  Not yet.  I find myself drifting back to a youth group in my childhood, to a camp, to kids being silly while at the same time singing timeless truth:  Love him in the morning when you see the sun a-rising,  Love him in the evening 'cause he took you through the day,  And in the in-between time when you feel the pressure coming,  Remember that he loves you and he promises to stay.  When you think you've got to worry,  'Cause it seems the thing to do,  Remember he's not in a hurry,  He's always got time for you and me, so....  Christmas is about so much, but the heart of the message of Christmas is this: God came into our world, into all of our world, into every part of our world and every experience of our world. God-in-flesh, Jesus Christ, lived among us as the full and complete expression of God's greatness, glory, and love.  And because he loves, we can love him, and others. In the morning. In the evening. In the in-between time. When we worry. When it feels so good it must already be here. When it hurts so much we know it's not yet.   In Christ's Love,  Pastor Dave