By Bill Hall, GCI National Director, Canada
It has been my custom as Canadian Director to send a year-end card to Canadian donors thanking them for their financial support over the past year. As it is also the Christmas season, the image I select for this card features some rendering of the nativity scene. This year is no exception.
In addition to my usual greeting and word of thanks, I decided to add a quote from Isaiah which is part of the chorus in that well-known Christmas favorite, Handel’s Messiah:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6... Read the article
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The 12 days of Christmas is a good time to remind ourselves of the story of Jesus.
December 25 — Luke 1:26-56
December 26 — Luke 2:1-21
December 27 — Luke 2:22-38
December 28 — Luke 2:41-52
December 29— Isaiah 7:10-17; Isaiah 9:2-7
December 30 — John 1:1-18
December 31 — Matthew 2:1-12
January 1 — Mark 1:1-11
January 2 — Luke 3:1-22
January 3 — John 1:19-34
January 4 — Matthew 3:1-17
January 5 — Luke 4:1-13 Read the article
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By Cara Garrity,
GCI Development Coordinator
It seems Christmas sneaks up on me almost every year. Maybe it’s the busyness of the year-end or the daily routines that obscure meaningful passing of time. Maybe it’s overwhelming preparations or inattentiveness and distractibility. Whatever the cause, I wonder if you are like me and find yourself unprepared to be present to the sacred meaning of the Christmas season.
The GCI worship calendar is designed to help orient us to Jesus as the center of the center. The liturgical calendar— through intentional and formational rhythms of worship— seeks to center and organize the lives of Christians around Jesus.
Unfortunately, we often find ourselves manipulating or ignoring the... Read the article
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The birth of a child is not only exciting, it changes everything.
I’ll never forget the excitement that filled our home as we anticipated the birth of our daughter. We decorated her room, we bought furniture, a car seat, clothes and all the items needed to take care of a newborn. We talked and talked about what it would be like to have her in our life. We celebrated her birth with great fanfare. Friends and family came over to share in our joy. We were now a family of three and we knew everything was going to change. And then a few days after her birth, we put everything away and waited for the next year to celebrate.
Wait! What?
OK, the last sentence was completely fictitious. Kayla is now 32 years of age and we are still enjoying... Read the article
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