A Word from Pastor Randy - Dec 1

Missions Conference this weekend!   We are set to host our first Missions Weekend this Friday-Sunday, December 2-4, and I can assure you, throughout the church family, there is a growing anticipation and excitement as we get ready to begin. 
 
The weekend gets under way with our Friday evening activities for children and youth (Olympians and Youth Nite).  Parents, you are encouraged to come with your children.  Then, on Saturday morning, following the regular monthly prayer meeting at 6:00, we will convene as a church family at 8:00 for a snack breakfast followed by the Mission Conference sessions, and finish by noon.  On Sunday morning, we will gather at 9:00 for Sunday School for all ages, and Worship at 10:00.  The finale of the weekend is our Cayman Thanksgiving Dinner beginning with the covered-dish dinner at 4:30pm featuring a variety of local Caymanian delicacies and fresh juices, followed by the Thanksgiving Service and final Missions Weekend service at 6:30.  Don't forget to bring your canned and other non-perishable food items which will be distributed to needy families through the CAYS Foundation - a wonderful way to express our thanks to God for His merciful protection through the 2011 hurricane season. 
 
Our guest mission speaker for the Weekend is Dr. Paul Borthwick.  Dr. Borthwick serves on the staff of Development Associates International, a training group focused on the development of leaders in the "under-resourced world."   He is also teaches missions at Gordon College and serves as an Urbana/Missions Associate with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.   He is the author of several dynamic books on missions, including How to Be a World-Class Christian and Six Dangerous Questions to Transform Your View of the World.  This will be a rare opportunity for our congregation to hear someone so highly respected and used of our Lord in the field of missions. 
 
In addition to our speaker, we have other special guests from our partnership church in Cuba-the Iglesia Bautista Mn Mcall of Santa Suarez.  They are Luis Navarro Barthelemy, his wife, Zulema Vega, and Yosvany Padron-all are studying for ministry at the Western Baptist Theological Seminary in Havana and are active in leadership in their church and in missions.  Please take time to meet our Cuban brothers and sister and welcome them to Cayman! 
 
Please note that there will be no baptismal service or observance of the Lord's Supper this Sunday.  We will look forward to a very special first Sunday in the New Year - January 1.  On that day, we will gather in a Sacred Assembly to the Lord, beginning with the early morning Baptism at Smith's Cove and including the Lord's Supper Observance in the morning worship.
 
After we pass through the coming weekend when the focus of our hearts will be on the world missions challenge, we will step into the Christmas season.  And, how appropriate that sequence is when we consider that the first Christmas - the birth of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ - was God's own mission initiative.  What do I mean?  Think about it--Jesus left His home in glory, and coming to us in our darkness and need, He proclaimed the Good News of God's Kingdom!  He gave His life for us that we might experience the forgiveness of sin and receive the gift of eternal life!   Don't you see?  Christmas and missions go together. 
 
As we begin our Christmas celebrations, let us not forget that "the reason for the season" is Jesus and His Gospel, a Good News message that is meant to be shared with the whole world!  So, share your Christmas greetings as a witness of His love; give your gifts as pointers to the greatest gift ever given; touch someone in need with a kind word or a few dollars for food and let them meet Jesus, and pray for a lost world that needs to experience Christmas in the heart!  We must never forget at Christmas and throughout the year to share what the Angel proclaimed two thousand years ago, "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."  You see it, don't you?  Christmas is all about missions; it's all about Jesus!
  
 All about Him, 
 Pastor Randy