This is most likely my last article to be written for the Encourager. It has been an honor to communicate with you, the Eastmont family, for the last 18 months. Bro. Frank will be writing beginning in the next Encourager as this space is for the senior pastor. He and his family are actually in the process of moving from Tennessee to their home here in Montgomery as I write these words. He will be here Saturday for the “Happy Birthday Jesus” children’s event in the Fellowship Hall where he will be reading the Christmas story from Luke 2. He will be preaching this Sunday as well.
We will be having a formal reception for the Bowlings sometime later, after the first of the year, but we would like to welcome them this Sunday.
We will have Bro. Frank, Gina, and their children, Emma, Eliza, and Joseph in the connecting hallway after each service for you to welcome them from a safe distance. If you would like to write a card or letter of welcome please bring those with you to be given to them on Sunday.
By the time you read this article the week of prayer for international missions will be more than halfway completed, but we should pray for our missionaries daily. Our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering has also begun and our Hallelujah goal is $45,000. One hundred percent of this offering goes directly to our international missionaries. Since Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth, then He should be at the very top of our Christmas giving list. What better gift than in helping spread the gospel through our Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Cathy Stevens and many volunteers, including the Blackwell/Skipper LifeGroup, decorated the connecting hallway, foyer, and worship center for Christmas. Thank you to everyone who participated. The large tree in the connecting hallway is the Memory Tree. You can place the name of your loved one on a tag provided on the table next to the tree and put it in the basket and someone will place it on the tree for you.
A Night of Christmas Worship entitled “The Word Became Flesh” is December 13th and our Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship is December 24th, both of which begin at 5:00 pm.
It has been a joy to share with you in writing this last year and a half. I hope and pray you all have a blessed and joyful Christmas season!