WeeklyUpdate

A weekly newsletter for the people of the Pocatello First United Methodist Church

http://pocatelloumc.org/

!From the Pastor's Heart\n<<<\n"When Elizabeth's son was born, her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad." (Luke 1:57-58)\n<<<\nThrough this season of Advent, I have encouraged you to read the first two chapters of Luke once a week. That meant that you are reading Luke 5 times, and each time you are reading it through with your sisters and brothers in the pews. I hope you have gotten new insight as you have read.\n\nAll through the month, we have been talking about miracles. We saw the power of God through the miracles of Jesus and John the Baptist's conception and birth. The scripture about the joy Elizabeth's neighbors struck me this morning. Elizabeth shared the miracle of her pregnancy and the source of it -- God's goodness. Everyone rejoiced with Elizabeth and celebrated the Lord's kindness.\n\nIf you share the miracles in your life with your neighbors, you invite them to know God and to share your joy. This is an easy way to introduce the Christian faith -- to do evangelism -- with your neighbors. It also works! It's not hard, as you get the mail, to say, "something good happened in our house!" to your neighbor. As you share you joy, you can also share its source.\n\nEvangelism, which is sharing the good news of Jesus, is not as hard as we make it out to be. Instead, it is a natural outgrowth of the goodness of God. When we experience God's miracles through Jesus Christ, share with others how God has done great things.\n\nSee you in worship -- Pastor Eric\n----\n!Prayer Requests\n\nPlease keep Nancy in your prayers\n\nPlease keep Ron in your prayers as he recovers from surgery.\n\nPlease join Claire and Brad as they celebrate their new baby -- Elizabeth Grace! \n\nPlease pray for the people who will come to our Christmas Eve Services. For some, this will be their first entry into a church. For others they only come once a year. Pray that they might start or deepen their relationship with Jesus. \n----\n!News in our Church\n\nThe senior high youth group is working hard to raise $14,000 to go to Honduras over Spring Break. Talk to Janelle Brouwer if you have ideas on how they might raise the money.\n\nThere will be three Christmas Eve Worship services. The 6pm service is a Children's service and will be held in the Chapel. The 8 and 11pm services are Candlelight Services and will be held in the Sanctuary. Invite your friends and neighbors to these beautiful services.\n\nOur newsletter, The Tower, will be published a week early due to the Christmas holiday. Please get your Tower information in by Monday, 12-22.

!From a Pastor's heart\n\nI experienced graced today. And I am thankful.\n\nI was out shoveling snow (something that I, from Oregon, where it just rains, have little practice doing) and had been at it for about 2 hours. The wind was blowing and it was most miserable, but I'd only done about 2/3 of the driveway. About that time, a guy came by on an ATV, pushing snow with his snowplow.\n\nThe good neighbor (his name is Mike) saw me toiling away and brought the ATV into my driveway. In about 5 minutes, he had finished cleaning the driveway. We chatted for a few minutes and then he was off. He took nothing for his trouble.\n\nI did nothing to deserve this driveway cleaning. I did not ask for it and I did not deserve it. Mike simply gave it to me, of his own free will. He asked nothing in return. He simply gave it to me.\n\nGod treats us in much the same way. God gives us grace, His love, even though we do nothing to deserve it. God gave us his son Jesus, even though we do nothing to deserve it. And every day, God showers us with gifts, even though we do not deserve them.\n\nI am thankful for God's grace. I'm going to work harder (through my prayers, my giving and my service) to let God know that I'm thankful.\n\nSee you in Worship.\n\nPastor Eric \n----\n!Announcements\n\nAn exchange student from Kenya is looking for a home. She is a 20-something woman from Kenya and will be arriving in time for Spring Semester. I know this is short notice. She is willing to pay for her room and board. She is a member of a United Methodist Church in Kenya. Please let me know if you are interested.\n\nDon't forget Sunday School. Sunday School for adults and for kids continues this Sunday. It's fun and mind-stretching for all ages.

!From the Pastor's Heart\n\n"God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on." 1 Peter 1:3\n\nThe new year is nearly upon us. It holds promise of all sorts of things, good and bad. There are going to be celebrations and disappointments. There are going to be days so good that you can't stop grinning, and nights so dark that you can't wait for the sun to come up. A new year is just around the corner.\n\nI suggest that, in preparation for the new year, you leave a few things behind. This old year holds all sorts of things that we are better leaving behind. There are hard words spoken in anger, let downs and people moving away. There are disagreements and misunderstandings. I suggest that you leave them behind as the new year begins.\n\nLet's leave all the weights behind us as we move to the new year. Let's forgive. As we do this, we experience the new life and hope that lives on, as promised by Peter. Choose what you will forgive and forget tonight, then let it go as the clock changes over. I'm going to try -- will you join me in trying?\n\nSee you in worship -- Eric \n----\n!Prayer Requests\n\nPlease pray for. . .\n\nThe people of Iran (see below).\n\nChildren with RSV. RSV is a children's respiratory illness that has struck a family in our church, and a member of my extended family. It's scary and often requires hospitalization.\n\nOur upcoming youth Honduras mission trip.\n\nJean Pettingill.\n----\n!News and Announcements\n\nThe earthquake in Iran has been front page news. Some 40,000 people have died. Tens of thousands are homeless. UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is on the ground in Iran already, working to bring help in the name of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in giving to assist this tragedy, please mark your offering next Sunday "IRAN." We'll get it to the right place. If you want to read more, check the UMCOR website, http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/emergency/iran/.\n\nOn New Year's Eve we will have a worship service in our Sanctuary. Starting at 11:30pm, Pastor Lee Baker will lead a service of Holy Communion for all who are interested. Come, make Communion your last action of 2003.\n\nAdministrative Council meets on Tuesday, January 6, at 7pm.

!From the Pastor's heart\n<<<\n"Peter said, 'Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters --'" Matthew 17:4\n<<<\nThis week, normal life has returned with a bang. For me, there have been meetings, stuff to do, people to see, and places to go. It seems like Sun