Page 12 Mc lm (' '_t-hMMIINITV - December 17, 2008
"CHRISTMAS comes but once a year", but not everyone realizes the
true and extraordinary story that lies behind it. We may have a vague impression in
the back of our minds of shepherds and angels and a star....like some
half-remembered fairy story of our childhood and with the passing of years, it has all-
become very beautiful and romantic.
Yet in reality, although it is a wonderful fact of history, it was not at the time particu-
larly beautiful. For when God decided to enter the stream of human history by becom-
ing a human baby, He did not choose to be born in a rich and privileged home. There
were no priorities or special advantages for Him. He chose, as His mother, a peasant
woman in humble circumstances, who gave birth to her son, Jesus. in a lowly manger
m a strange town. Bethlehem.
There was no publicity or fuss when He slipped into this world. It happened in a
small country over two thousand years ago, and very few people knew that was
happening.
Yet that is how God made His entrance. It is hard to imagine the contrast between
the splendors of heaven and the squalor of earth. We cannot help admiring and loving
someone who accepted no special advantages or defenses, who lived life on the same
terms as His creatures. That is the real story of Christmas: "that God is not an aloof
Invisible Power. but One who actually took the risk of entering His own world." "For
God so loved the word. that He gave his only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16).
Yet. He came....why? Matthew 1:21 tells us, "She shall bring forth a Son. and thou
shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins." In 1Timothy
1:15 we read. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acception, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners. "JESUS CHRIST came to bring salvation.
JESUS came to show us how to love and show concern for fellow man. JESUS came
to help, to heal. to love. to teach: to redeem. We are called to love JESUS as our
SAVIOR: to demonstrate concern for others: and to live lives that are pleasing in the
sight of God.
GOD BECAME ONE OF US. through His Son. Jesus Christ. that we might by His
Grace through the Power of His Word and Spirit become His blood-bought children -
and now as His children, out of love for Him. "give food to the hungry and drink to
the thirsty; clothe the naked and to visit the sick and the stranger: to SERVE OTHERS
as we would SERVE HIM. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
JOY to the world, the LORD is come! A BLESSED CHRISTMAS - FELIZ
NAVIDAD - GLEDEIG JUL - FROEHLICHE WEINHACHTEN.
May the Lord Bless you - Protect you - Be Gracious to you -
Show you His Favor - Give you PEACE. Numbers 6:24
Christmas .Service
December Z~, I0:~0 am
Bethel Lutheran Church - LCMS
2590 Long St.
Sweet Home, OR 97386
Bible Study 9:00 am
Sunday Worship 10:30 am
Office: (541) 367-4838
Rev. T.H. Vogel, Pastor Home: (541) 367-2600
Cell: (210) 213-0675
Well worth the drive from wherever you are.
Boy's balloon completes 6-month, 244-mile trek
Tanner Jewell is always busy,
his grandmother, Mary White, says.
When weather permits, he plays
outside. He collects bugs and slugs,
rides his bike, plays with his dog
and builds forts in the hay stack.
On May 10, 2008 he was
spending the day with White. It was
a nice day, and Tanner was playing
outside when he asked for a helium
balloon.
White illJed a balloon from the
helium tank she keeps on hand for
parties. With a string attached to
the balloon Tanner tied it to one of
his match book cars: then to some
daffodils.
When he accidently dropped
the string; he watched the balloon
float away.
Terry Lee was installing new
gutters on Mary's house, and they
watched the balloon disappear into
the eastern sky.
Tanner asked Lee. "How far
will that balloon go and where will
it land?"
Lee suggested that . Tanner
write a note asking the person that
finds theballoon to call him. Tanner
used a White's Electronics note
pad to write the note. They filled a
balloon, attached the string and the
note and let it go.
After a couple of months passed
and no one had called. White told
Tanner the balloon probably got
caught in the top of a tree or landed
where no one could find it. He didn't
forget about or quit asking about his
Tanner Jewell holds a helium-filled balloon like the one he released that
found its way to California.
balloon, the notepad and Tanner's phone
Sue Silva, a second-grade number.
teacher at Butte Elementary in She called to ask for more
Dorris. Calif.. called on Oct. 27. information. She said it was fun
A game warden working near for her second-grade class to learn
Macdoel. Calif., found Tanner's who sent the balloon and the long
balloon with the note attached. It distance it traveled to end up in
was tattered and in pieces, their classroom.
He placed it in a plastic bagTanner was thrilled. His note
and delivered it to Silva. She and and balloon traveled 244 miles over
her students carefully put thae mountains, desert, rivers and lakes
pieces of paper together. They could before it landed and someone found
read White's Electronics. Inc.. on it.
ir
"christmas begins with Christ"
Christmas Concert
featuring award-winning Vonda Beerman,
who travels all over the world sharing the message
of God's love through gospel music.
• No Charge (it's OUR gift to YOU) • Non-Doctrinal
Sponsored by Seventh Day Adventist Church
For more information contact Tawny Sportsman at 401-2521
in awhile? Join Us for a..
Eve Service
December 24th, 6 p.m.
For. more info:
367-6855
. Sweet
Home
•
ffa us : our Methodist
[ Church
Open Hearts,
"~'~ 1 Open Minds.
Open Doors
at
River of Life
Fellowship
1658 Long St. @
Wed.. bec 24th F ,e Meal-Every Fr/da:y 5 pm
IO 6th & Ironwood • 367-3073
Hillside
Fellowship Church
501 W. Nandino Street
367-5364 or 367-8410
Come ,Join Cki!
Sweet Home Evangelical Church
1347 Long Street • 367-4357
