FEBRUARY 2010

      “ I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praises to my God as long as I live.”     (Psalm 146:2)

DEAR FELLOW GALILEANS,

Wow!  Time sure is moving quickly.  As of this month, Sherry and I will be in our home for two years.  Zachary, our youngest grandson, is six months old!  And I am now in my twenty-first year as your Pastor at Galilee.

Just barely a month past Christmas, we’ve read stories about Jesus when he was twelve  (his parents found him in the temple) and when he was baptized and performed his first miracle at Cana at age thirty.  And this month we begin the season of Lent as we as we follow Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, knowing full well what awaited him there.  Our Sunday Morning Worship Services will recount many of the stories about him.  And we have scheduled several Special Services as well (please note that there will be three evening Lenten Services this year).

                   ASH WEDNESDAY:   February 17 at 7:30 PM  (preceded by a             Soup and Sandwich Supper  at 6:45; the Service will include the imposition of ashes.)

                    PALM SUNDAY:  March 28 at 9:00 AM (palm branches will be distributed)

                     MAUNDY THURSDAY:  April 1 at 7:30 PM (the Passover Seder       Meal will conclude, as did the “Last Supper”, with Holy Communion.

                    GOOD FRIDAY:  April 2 at 7:30 PM (the Service of reading of our Lord’s Passion ending in darkness)

                    EASTER SUNDAY:  April 4 at 9:00 AM (the  Festive Service with Holy Communion, followed by the Easter Brunch)

I believe that we need to hear that story.  And so I hope and pray that you and your family will make a concerted  effort to worship with us at every opportunity.  Knowing what happened is important.  Believing that it happened FOR US is vital!!  And offering our praise to God is as life-giving and faith-sustaining as breathing.  We need both.  And we offer it as a way to grow in God’s love and in our love for one another.

As always, be assured of my thoughts and prayers for each of you, and for all of us at Galilee (as I am sure may family and I are in yours).  May his Holy Spirit continue to bless us, guide us, and use us in his service.

PASTOR CHUCK

“A Healthy, Caring Community in Christ, Reaching Out with the Gospel to Those Around Us” 

DECEMBER 2009

"This will be a sign to you, ..." (Luke 2:12)

DEAR FELLOW-GALILEANS,

Have you ever wondered about significance of the decorations that we always see at Christmas? What do they mean? Why are they used in our homes and at church (and yes, even in the stores—usually before Thanksgiving). What is the symbolism behind the Christmas tree? Angels? Stars? Even lights?

As you perhaps know, the Christian Church has used symbols since its very beginning to demonstrate the faith and to identify (sometimes secretly) those who have the same faith. And many of those symbols have become so commonplace that we often see them used outside the church, too.

I suppose it all began with the angel's message to the shepherds on that first Christmas—that they would find the Savior—"Christ the Lord"—"wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And that's exactly what they saw when they hurried off to Bethlehem: "Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger."

Our series of Wednesday evening Advent Services this year is going to take a look at many of the symbols that have come to be associated with Christmas. In so doing, we hope to gain a greater understanding and appreciation of the real meaning and purpose of this holiday, and help to make our celebration of it all the more joyful for ourselves and our families.

I hope you will join us for these special worship opportunities on December 2, 9 and 16 at 7:30 PM. As has been our tradition for many years, each Service will be preceded by a Soup and Sandwich Supper at 6:45. The series will actually carry over to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on Thursday, December 24 (at 7:00 PM!).

Of course, we also have our regular Sunday Morning Worship Services each Sunday at 9:00 AM. Hopefully you've taken part in the survey to determine if we should start at 10:00, but if that is to happen it won't be until after the New Year. Sunday, December 20 will include an afternoon Pot-Luck Dinner combined with the annual Christmas  Pageant at 2:00 (the Women's Guild will provide the ham for the meal).

So it looks like the month of December, as busy as it usually is, also promises to be a time of preparation and celebration. I hope and pray you and your family will be a part of the activities—and the blessings. As always, be assured of my thoughts and prayers for each of you, and for all of us at Galilee (as I'm sure my family and I are in yours). May the Holy Spirit continue to bless us, guide us, and use us in his service.

Pastor Chuck

"A Healthy, Caring Community in Christ, Reaching Out with Gospel to Those Around Us."