Pastor Jim's Blog

December 22, 2016

The world has gone mad after Christmas. Snow is here, the malls are decorated, and Facebook is full of Christmas meme.  If we have heard it once, we have heard it a hundred times, “true meaning of Christmas.” Everybody seems to know the “true meaning” of Christmas. It can range from being home for Christmas to drinking spiked eggnog on the top of a mountain sitting on your sled. There is no other time of year when we feel as much pressure to have the “feeling” of what the commercialization of a holiday has given us.

 The Christmas feeling may be an elusive dream for some. In my close circle of friends I can count four separate family groups who are experiencing grief this Christmas due to the loss of a loved one.

I also know many who are out of work, experiencing financial shortage, or going through a relational break up; for these, Christmas can be a very challenging time. The expectations are so high at this time of the year, I think the only way we can meet them will be to buy a new TV.

Christmas is when we receive most of our financial donations. Each day we have people asking to volunteer for our Christmas Eve dinner. This is great. We couldn’t put it on without the financial contributions or the volunteers that cook turkeys, make all the trimmings, clean up the dirty dishes, set up the church etc. for this event.  But the reality is that we provide a meal five days a week, 52 weeks a year. We need volunteers after Christmas too. We need them long after the tree is in the dump and the credit cards are due.

All this speaks to me about something that is often forgotten.  The coming of Jesus was without fanfare, he was born in obscurity, had a manger for a crib, and had he not received the gifts of the Magi, his family would have been destitute.  From his humble beginnings Jesus grew up and became the hope and salvation for a broken world. The gift, a cup of good cheer, or the decorated dead tree in the corner, cannot heal a broken heart, restore a broken marriage, or fix a broken career.  Jesus can. It may not happen on Christmas Eve, or even on Christmas Day, but it will and can happen incrementally, when we give our hearts and lives to him day by day.  Trust Jesus; not lifeless things, not what the commercials tell you, not even what your feelings want. Jesus came in the world to heal our heart, not to give us a gift we will re-gift next year.

This Sunday is Christmas, why not come and celebrate Jesus with us. We will have hot chocolate, cookies, and most importantly, we will be praying for healing,hope and heaven to be real for us all.  If you can’t make it in to our church, find a church that is open on Christmas day and enjoy Jesus, AFTER ALL HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

So with heartfelt sincerity, I say Merry Christmas and may God bless you all.

NEW – Growth Groups!

Growth Groups will be starting at KCF in the New Year! 

  • Grow in God
  • Grow in Relationships
  • Sermon-based
  • 90 minutes/week
  • Home setting

Interested in knowing more or signing up?  Contact the KCF Office 250.352.1722 or office@kcfoffice.com.

Opportunities to Pray Together

Prayer is the life and breath or the church. You can join us at 10am on Sunday morning at KCF in the Sunday School Room and/or start your day out on the right foot and join us Wednesday mornings, 7am at KCF.  Come and experience God moving.

International Tasting Faire

We are partnering with Rotary to host the International Tasting Faire. Tickets are available at KCF at $50/person.  The money raised for this event will go towards our teacher in Haiti and towards food security, namely Our Daily Bread.  What we need are auction items for the silent or twoonie auction. Do you have a service you could provide, or have a friend or favorite business you could ask to provide a gift certificate? Please reply to this email if you have something you would like to donate.

Calendar of Events

  • Christmas Eve Turkey Dinner at KCF, Saturday, December 24 at 5pm
  • Sunday celebration at KCF on Christmas day – 10:30 till Noon
  • Sunday celebration at KCF on New Year’s day – 10:30 till Noon
  • International Tasting Faire, Thursday, Feb 9th , 5:30pm at Mary Hall

 Visit our website at http://www.kootenaychristianfellowship.com for all the news, sermons, and places to donate.

 Looking forward to seeing you this Sunday.

 Pastor Jim

Celebration: Sunday: 10:30am - 12pm In Person Church or Facebook

Kootenay Christian Fellowship
520 Falls Street (1/2 Block up from Baker Street)
Nelson, BC  V1L 6B5 

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