Quiet Strength - Last Minute Gift Idea

Looking for that last minute gift idea for that hard to buy for dad, grandfather or uncle? I recommend a book titled Quiet Strength. The book is about the head football coach of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Dungy and his faith journey. If you don't recall the Colts had just won Super Bowl XLI and as Coach Dungy accepted the Vince Lombardy Trophy he chose that moment to confirm his faith in Christ in front of millions of viewers around the world. Check out Coach Dungy's website for more information.

The book is a story of a faith journey. Yes, there are football stories but the book consistently explains how a man's faith guides his life. The book has become a popular choice for men's bible studies and presently is on the New York Times best seller list.

Do you have any last minute shopping ideas or a book you recommend? Post a comment and share it with the readers. Hope this helps your last minute shopping. Well, I am off to shop.

Merry Christmas!

Glimpses

Many times we don’t truly get to see what lies beyond our own daily lives. Many of us simply get out of bed each morning and move through our daily routines doing all the right (and sometimes wrong) things before climbing back into to bed each night. If we are lucky, we find a place within our community where we move beyond this daily routine and become part of a larger group. For many of us, that connector is Good News UMC.

During this season of advent, each of us at Good News have been preparing and waiting for the celebration of our savior’s birth. For the youth of our congregation, the emphasis this month has been on serving our community. We entitled our efforts for December, Christmas of Community. Many of you know that the youth decked out the Holy Ground house with a chrismon tree and decorations to bring this special season into our church space for groups that meet there each week. Last week, the youth served our community by assisting in the Christmas Family Festival catching glimpses of families sharing time together while learning about traditions from around the world. Our final activity this week was collecting and delivering food to a family in our community who was in need.

For many of our youth, this glimpse into another family’s life was an eye-opening experience. As we discussed this week in youth group, many of us come from similar types of families, households, incomes and lives. But everyone in our community is not as fortunate as us. As we caroled and delivered food to this grandmother and her handicapped grandchild, each youth received a hug of thanks from the grandmother through tears of relief. The youth of Good News got a glimpse into what it is like to be able to pay your bills, have an apartment, yet, not have enough to provide enough food for the table. The grandmother emphasized to the group what a difference the food we brought would make in their life. I think each youth left with a feeling of accomplishment, a feeling of service that made a difference and filled a bit with the spirit of Christmas. The key for each of us is to hold onto that feeling throughout the year and follow in the footsteps of our Father, serving those around us.

The youth would like to thank all those who gave to our food drive for our family in need either with money or actual food to fill their pantry. As you can see from the picture above, we were able to fully stock the pantry of the family plus we gave them two HEB gift cards to make a special Christmas dinner.

For more about Good News Youth, visit http://goodnewsyouth.wordpress.com/

Grace and peace,
Lavenda, Tim, Randy and Pastor Bob

Navidad Aledrdor el Mundial(Christmas Around the World)

Another year, another way to celebrate Christmas from countries around the world. As the families entered the cafeteria, each child was given a passport with information about how Christmas is celebrated in five different countries: USA, Brazil, Australia, China, and Poland. After having a family picture taken, the children moved around the cafeteria, stopping at each country to get their passport stamped and create a craft to remind them of how Christians in other countries celebrate Christmas. In the USA they created stockings, in Brazil a candy cane nativity, in Australia a cross shell necklace and visor, in China a paper lantern, and in Poland a place mat. After a trip around the world, the families headed over to the refreshment table for some delicious cookies and hot chocolate.

It was incredible to see all of the children that attended the event, the smiles on their faces as they moved around the room, and the excitement they showed while creating their crafts (check out the "Family Festival" section of the website for pictures). A huge thank you goes out to all who participated in making this event possible. Among those are Curtis (family pictures), Pat and Steve (USA), Beth (Brazil), Nancy and David (Australia), Dana (China), and Marty and Bill (Brazil).

Thank you to all of the youth who participated, Pastor Rainey for an excellent job greeting the people, all of the women who baked and brought cookies, and anybody else that helped out during the Festival. It was a huge success thanks to the efforts of many and we can't wait to do it again next year!

Heather and Michelle

Brian Keith Marak

BK we hardly knew ya. That was the feeling I came away with most after the visitation and service. BK sounded like one heck of guy. We knew him as Brian. Family and friends described him as dependable and trustworthy. Someone who they leaned on. Someone they counted on. We were just beginning to get to know BK. He was member of the Building for Mission team, he worked tirelessly on the Holy Ground workdays and he was my 'Second Sunday of the month' setup partner. We had second Sundays down pat. He pulled the big trailer and I had the small one. He unloaded and setup the chairs and put up the signs and I unloaded the boxes for the nursery and Sunday School and setup the alter and banners. I will miss him on second Sundays the most.

Truth be told I had major truck envy when Brian showed up with his new full size Toyota Tundra. That is a sweet ride. When we decided to enter a float in this year's Leander Christmas Parade, I immediately thought of Brian and that beautiful white truck pulling the Peanuts gang through downtown Leander. I did not have to ask twice or follow up and come 3:00 on December 1st Brian pulled up ready to go. Thank you, Brian!

But what we knew of Brian was only the tip of the iceberg. He was owner of a successful business in Austin called Dent Busters and the star of local short film titled "Dents-R-Us". The short film's subjects transformed a story about paintless dent repair to a story of lifelong friendship and love. The story of Brian, the film and his death was the subject of this week's Jim Swift story on KXAN.

The service today was wonderful. Bob Rainey and Fred Winslow officiated. It was nice to hear Fred preach again. His personal connection with Brian, Angie and the kids and his ability to blend stories and scripture was a fitting conclusion to the service.

Shannon and I left the reception with hug and a word for Angie. Her church family will be there for her however and whenever she needs us. What we can offer now is our prayers for grace and peace during this sad and difficult time.

Rest in peace Brian.

Visit this memorial site for Brian.

Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

On Dec 1st in Leander Texas the 5th Annual Leander Christmas Parade was held presented by the Leander Community Club. The event is held each year on the first Saturday of December with local business, churches, clubs and the Leander Police and Fire Departments participating with floats, cars, trucks and more. The beneficiary of the event is Project Blue Santa which collects toys and gifts for deserving kids and families in community. An estimated 2000 people watched and participated in the year’s event. In addition to the parade there was a tree lighting ceremony, carolers, a nativity scene, a reading of the Christmas Story, Santa and an Elvis impersonator?!?! Nothing says Merry Christmas like Elvis.

Good News United Methodist Church entered a spirited and whimsical float with a theme of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Forty to fifty entrants presented a float or marched in the parade. This was our first year to enter a float and with a good idea (thanks Pastor Bob!) and three weeks preparation our entry took 3rd place in the Best Float contest! As I rode through the parade and I saw the smiles and laughter of the crowd I am convinced it was the Peanuts characters and positive message of our float that won the hearts and minds of the judges. Our float entry consisted of a Good News UMC banner leading the way, a beautiful white truck pulling a Snoopy’s dog house, Charlie Brown’s tree, Lucy’s psychiatric booth, signs reading Luke 2:10 and of course the adorable Peanuts gang. Pastor Bob Rainey also read the Christmas Story from the festival stage. While it was disappointing that the reading was the last event of night and the vast majority of the crowd had gone home for the night, the Word was still read and received by those still there to hear it.

Special Thanks! --- to Elizabeth Hollingsworth for making the banner, Brian Marak for pulling the trailer, Warren Waterman for the use of his trailer, Lewis and Lavenda Elmer for making the signs, the many members that walked with the float and passed out candy and of course the Peanuts gang; Richard(Charlie Brown), Ryanne(Linus), Austin(Snoopy), Addison(Lucy), Ashley(Sally), Reagan(Peppermint Patty), Jason(Pig Pen) and Camryn(Woodstock).

As you may recall the story of Charlie Brown’s Christmas begins with him saddened by the growing commercialism of Christmas. Things get worse for him as his friends tease him as he tries to direct them in the school Christmas parade. It seems Charlie Brown can’t do anything right. Frustrated with the play Charlie Brown’s screams "doesn’t anyone know what Christmas is all about?" Then the story’s hero(Linus) steps to the center of the stage and recites Luke 2:8-14

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Lifted by Linus’ message Charlie Brown heads home with a smile on his face. Soon the whole gang meets at Snoopy’s doghouse to shout MERRY CHRISTMAS CHARLIE BROWN and sing Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

GNUMC entry into the parade carried that same message to the people of Leander. In a world filled with mistletoe and ‘ho ho ho’, we shared the birth of Jesus Christ with the city of Leander.

...and that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.

p.s. A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired in 1965. Did you know that Charles Schultz had to stand his ground and pursued TV executives to keep Linus reciting from the bible? TV execs did not agree with a children’s program on prime time TV reading directly from the King James Version. God Bless your soul Charles Schultz. Thank you from the generations to generations that love Peanuts.