All of the staff here at Bethany: John David and Charlotte, Teresa, Deanna, Jerry, Mary, Alma and Jackie and myself want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May this Christmas be a blessing for you and your loved ones.

I also wanted to let you know that we have exceeded our goal for foreign missions. Our total giving towards the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering now stands at $1,160! Yeaaaaa!

If you still haven’t had a chance to give towards our foreign missions goal this Sunday will be the last Sunday. Also it’s not too late to sign up for our mission trip to Nicaragua.

One more thing: Please be in prayer for which affinity group you will commit to pray, give, and go too. What’s an affinity group? The International Mission board has divided up the globe into 9 sections: American Peoples, Central Asian Peoples, East Asian Peoples, European Peoples, Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples, South Asian Peoples, Southeast Asian Peoples, Deaf Peoples, and the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. This year alone we have reached four of the nine affinity groups. Who has the Lord called you to go to specifically? We know that we are commanded to go to our Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria – but let us not forget the ends of the world. Be in prayer about who you are to be on mission too and may we not forget our neighbors.

Christmas is a reminder that Jesus came on a “mission trip” to our world leaving a perfect Heaven in order to raise up other missionaries like Himself. Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year! We love you all!