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Spirituality
Dec. 19 - Jan. 8, 2016
Operation Christmas Child worthwhile project BY NORM NOBLE
Twenty years ago, Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, and a number of his friends sent several boxes of toys to Bosnian children for Christmas. Thus began a project which is now known as Operation Christmas Child. Since its beginning, Operation Christmas Child has sent several billion boxes to children all over the world. Sun Lakes Baptist Church members are primarily retirees and snowbirds/ rainbirds. Five years ago when the church members started their Operation Christmas Child project, they figured that if they were able to send 20 or 25 boxes the first year, their project would be a success. Helen Maxwell who heads the project said, “We collected and sent 42 boxes. Each year since, our collection has grown with our highest number last year of 238.” Operation Christmas Child is an outgrowth of Samaritan’s Purse—a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world. Since 1970, Samaritan’s Purse has helped meet needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. The organization serves
the church worldwide to promote the Gospel. Each year, millions of shoeboxes are collected during National Collection Week, but before these precious gifts can bring hope and joy to a child, each one has to be carefully inspected and made ready for overseas shipment by volunteers. Next, they travel by plane, truck or ship to more than 100 countries and territories where local churches distribute the boxes to children in need. As they are given out, the Gospel is shared through an evangelistic booklet called “The Greatest Gift,” available in 65 languages. As teams work in crisis areas of the world, people often ask, “Why did you come?” The answer is always the same: “Our ministry is all about Jesus—first, last and always. As the Apostle Paul said, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.’” “We are excited by our small part in Operation Christmas Child,” Maxwell said. “It’s wonderful to think that somewhere in the world, children who otherwise would receive nothing for Christmas will open presents that we collected just for them.” For more information about the church, located at 3405 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, call (480) 963-3439.
You’ve Filled the Car, Now Fill Your Soul
Surprise!
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Spiritual Reflections
40 years of traveling around in the desert (to name a few). But, of course, the story Until my wife and I moved to Arizona doesn’t end there. five years ago, I don’t think I had ever In the New Testament, Jesus tells heard of the town Surprise. Recently, the story of people playing while the I learned that it was boss was away. But then founded in 1938 by a the boss came back. woman who named it Surprise! We are also Surprise because she told that Jesus Himself “would be surprised will return like a thief if the town ever in the night. Those not amounted to much.” ready will be surprised— Well, it certainly but not pleasantly! On has! The town was the other hand, those incorporated into a who know Him will have city in 1960 and has joy inexpressible at His experienced much coming. Yes, Scripture is growth over the years. full of surprises. When you think A beloved German about it, you realize pastor used to say to his that the Bible is full of congregation, “We live surprises. Big surprises! by God’s surprises.” Now, Like the one when God Marc Drake. Submitted photo interestingly, he spoke said to Noah, “Build an those words—not from a ark, I’m going to flood quaint little church in some picturesque, the world.” Or when Joseph’s brothers, alpine setting—but rather standing in during a time of famine, went down to his half bombed-out church building in Egypt just to buy food. While there they World War II Germany, not knowing when encountered a man who turned out to the next wave of Allied bombs might fall. be not only the prime minister of the Civilizations clash. Ideologies clash. nation, but their long-lost brother as But God has His “surprises” and perfectly well. Talk about a surprise! But God had fulfills His purposes, no matter how His purposes in all of this (See Genesis difficult the times or great the upheaval. 50:20)—purposes that would result in the That’s certainly encouraging to remember formation of a new nation (Israel) and here at the beginning of the New Year. ultimately in the arrival of the Messiah on God’s track record of faithfulness is this Earth. Isn’t that amazing? And Joseph’s perfect. As the Bible says, “Not one of brothers thought they were headed to the good promises which the Lord had Egypt just to buy food. Surprise! made to the house of Israel failed; all The story of Moses certainly has came to pass” (Joshua 21:45). God is the its share of surprises. Suddenly, he is same today. Just as He has provided confronted with a burning bush out in for His children in the past, so will He the desert. This, of course, leads to more continue to do so. And that, my friend, is surprises: plagues, millions of frogs, and no surprise.
BY MARC DRAKE, SENIOR PASTOR, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF SUN LAKES
Spiritual Reflections Share your spiritual reflections The spiritual leaders of SanTan Sunarea churches, temples, mosques and other religious and spiritual gathering places are invited to contribute their Spiritual Reflections in essay format by sending their thoughts, enlightening insights and other writings of a spiritual nature to news@ santansun.com.
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Interfaith Council to celebrate love, diversity Wrap Up Your Holidays With Us! Christmas Eve Worship Services
4:30 pm — Family Christmas Service 9:00 pm — Traditional Candle Light Service
www.EpiphanyChandler.org 800 West Ray Road, Chandler 480-963-6105
Sharing Christ, Changing Lives!
The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council will celebrate “Love in Diversity,” a tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18, at All Faiths Chapel, 9240 Sun Lakes Blvd. King was a man of nonviolence whose integrity and strength of spirit brought incredible change. His legacy of peaceful means for social change continues to be an example to us all. The gathering honors the diversity in world faiths and the universal power of peace that exists in every human heart. The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council is hosting this event in response to cross-cultural tensions. In the spirit of King’s dream of peace in our time this interfaith service features the voice of reason in the presence of love to foster renewed hope.
The Greater Sun Lakes Interfaith Council has invited the Arizona Interfaith Movement, Islamic Speakers Bureau, Arizona Christian Speakers bureau, Hindu Speakers Bureau, Arizona Sikh community, the Arizona Intertribal Council and others. It is the Interfaith Council’s intention to facilitate opportunities to further peaceful solutions by holding peace supporting events for the community. This initial event honors King and those who continue to create conversations that support the Season of Nonviolence. The event will be held monthly through April. For more information, call the Rev. Debbie Brown of Unity of Sun Lakes at (602) 309-1818 or the Rev. Vernon Meyer, Sun Lakes United Church of Christ, at (480) 895-6317.