Advent Begins Tomorrow

Dear Valley Vineyard family and friends,
 
I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving.  My family and I had a great Thanksgiving Day as we gathered with over 50 other people from our church body in the Fellowship Hall.  It was so touching to see people who couldn’t be with family or didn’t have a place to go come together and have a great time filled with laughter, connection, and gratitude.

I want to thank Susan Abelar, our Hospitality Coordinator, who organize the event by coordinating with those who signed up and making sure all the Thanksgiving dinner trimmings were covered.  She expressed how she was filled with joy as she was shopping and preparing thinking of all who could come together.

I also want to thank some people who did not make it to the event but sent food.  That was really thoughtful.  We had a great amount and diversity of amazing food.  Yes, food is my love language!

I would like to turn our attention to a very important season that we launches tomorrow; Advent begins this Sunday, November 27.  The four weeks before Christmas Day are set apart to prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus coming to earth and also ponder his return.

I want to invite us into a time of remembering the birth of Jesus, recognizing His presence with us today, and rejoicing over his second coming with deep hope and trust.

We will start a new sermon series tomorrow titled, The Light Shines in the Darkness: An Advent Series, where we will look at how hope, peace, joy, and love continue to shine today.

We will also begin an Advent devotional that Vineyard USA created.  I am excited to do this together with others in our church and with other Vineyard churches throughout the country and world.  You can pick up a printed copy at the Connect table tomorrow or you can download it yourself or access a digital copy online at vvinfo.org/advent.

Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  

I pray that the light of Jesus would shine in our lives this Advent season and that He would help us overcome the darkness that surrounds us and the darkness we encounter within our souls.

With deep anticipation and excitement for this significant season together,
 
Jimmy Reyes
Lead Pastor