Dear Church Family,
I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. I know that I tried to be more thankful for everything that I have. I am realized especially how blessed I am to have a wonderful wife, an adorable son, and an amazing church. I hope that you have been able to look at all the blessings you have been bestowed and be thankful as well. This past month, I received an unexpected honor that I would like share with you. The Milton Union National Honor Society inducted me in as an honorary member for my service in the community. I was very surprised to have been honored in this way, and I am thankful to be in such a great community.
Believe it or not, Christmas is THIS month. Of course, we have several opportunities for you at Hoffman. Our Christmas party will be on December 1st, featuring the Milton Union Show Choir as our guests. On December 9th at 12:30, the Future Seekers class will be hosting a Pasta Luncheon with a dessert/gift auction to raise money for Helping Hands. We will also be having two services on Christmas Eve. Our 7 o’clock service provides the opportunity for families with children to worship and be home early. This year, our 7 o’clock service will also feature our Praise Team from the Open Door Service. Our 10 o’clock candlelight service is a traditional service with the choir providing a musical Christmas celebration.
Chanda, Wesley, and I would also like to invite you stop by the parsonage (141 S. Main St.) on Sunday, December 16th for a Christmas Open House. This is an opportunity for you to visit us in the parsonage and have a time of food, fun, and fellowship as we celebrate Christmas.
Our Advent series this year is entitled “Christ-mess: Clearing the Way for Jesus.” In the midst of all the busyness of the season, this happy time can begin to be quite a mess. Decorations are everywhere waiting to be hung up. Presents are waiting to be wrapped. Wrapping paper, scissors, and tape are scattered all over. Too much money is spent. I think you are beginning to see what I am talking about. We are going to talk about how we need to clear the way for Jesus in our lives. I hope you will join us for the four Sundays in Advent as we look at this together.
Now, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself, but we have a very exciting series planned for January. We are going to be having some of our staff and several guests share their God stories with us. They will include: an orphan who overcame many trials and founded the American Orphan Association; a man who was saved from a life of addiction; a woman who was a true pioneer, entering into ministry when the church wasn’t sure what to do with those “women pastors”; and a young man who has had his life changed by answering a call from God to be a missionary. I hope you will join us for this exciting series. Be sure to invite your friends as well. These services are sure to be encouraging and inspiring.
Christmas is a time of giving to others. It is a time when we can serve one another and help those in need in our community. We will have several opportunities for you to serve and give this Christmas season. Our church has signed up to ring the Salvation Army Bell at Mr. Deals on December 15. If you would like to help, see Les Trittschuch. You also have the opportunity to participate in Helping Hands this year. You can help financially by attending the Dessert/Gift Auction. You can also help setup, sort, pack, or load boxes. This is a great ministry that reaches out to those in need at Christmas time. I hope you will find an opportunity to serve others and share God’s love this Christmas!
Yours in Christ’s Service,
Pastor Justin
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