Counting your blessings

Dear Sisters in Christ,
 It is the week before Thanksgiving and I can hardly believe that the year has gone by so fast and the holidays are upon us. This is my favorite time of year. I love to come together with family and friends and to share in the blessings that have been poured out on us. If you have never experienced the Wednesday night service before Thanksgiving then you have missed a beautiful worship experience. This is a time where families share publicly in the many ways that God has worked and blessed them.

One of the great blessings for me during this year has been the time I have spent with the women of Riveroaks.  There is a wealth of richness here.  The testimonies shared at the woman to woman evenings have blessed me, studying the word of God with each other, working on committees and watching women come together bound by a love for Jesus, celebrating together the formation of new families and the joy of childbirth, supporting each other in times of great suffering or grief while resting in the sovereign love of God. This is the reason that Christ came to earth. This is the Church that Christ gave His life for. This is God at work in and through his people. What a blessing to witness this. What a greater blessing to know that God continues to build his kingdom and that we are allowed to be a part of it. Glory to God!

As we head into the Christmas season I hope we can come together and share a brief time with each other in celebration of this blessing. A Christmas brunch is planned for Saturday December 4th at the home of Sandy Smith.  I hope that each of you will plan on being there. We will have an ornment exchange.Please bring one ornament, it can be old,new, handmade or whatever you would like.  These ornaments will serve as a physical reminder of the great gift that we have been given in Christ and in His church.

Blessed beyond measure,
Nancy