First Baptist Church of Muncie, Indiana

I hope this new year finds you well. I am exited about all that lies ahead in 2009 at First Baptist. First of all, I would like to introduce you to Chris and Michelle Bade.

Christmas is a great time of year. People seem more generous, families get together, and everyone gives gifts. However, too often we focus on the sentimental and forget the momentous.

As some of you may have noticed, we are going to be talking about Mary this week in worship. Her story is a story of trust. She is facing a difficult situation to say the least.

We are going to be talking about Mary this week in worship. What a story! A young teen girl who is biding time until her marriage. An angel shows up, tells her that she is going to have a child.

A few weeks ago, I was teaching a class at Taylor University on prayer. When I concluded the class, Heather came up to me and asked if I had ever read anything from E.M. Bounds. I had not.

Here is a recent story from Sally Jones that I would like to post here. Sally has recently been hospitalized with heart issues.

This week, we are going to be talking about the Angels in worship (really the ones that have to do with the Christmas story).

I find it fascinating that this week’s story takes up so much space in Luke’s account of Jesus’ childhood. At the same time, the Christmas story occupies only a slice of the Gospel of Luke.

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is here. Over the next several weeks, the nations attention will move toward Christmas.

With snowflakes falling today, it is beginning to look a lot like the holidays.