A note from the Director

Good afternoon Tim,

Most of the activities and programs of our churches at this time of year focus on the beautiful and bright truths that we read about and remember from the Christmas story: The angels singing to the shepherds in the heavens; the star that guided the Magi across to a foreign land; the baby wrapped in “swaddling clothes” and even the lovely gifts presented to the Christ child after his birth. We light candles and call them hope, joy, peace and love and then we sing beautiful carols like Silent Night in darkened auditoriums with a beautiful acapella chorus. What we easily forget is that the Christmas story also includes many images of suffering and hardship and even death. We don’t sing songs about the planned infanticide that followed the visit of the Magi, or the practical hardships of making a 100 mile trip on foot while being “great with child!” Even the motive of the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was an onerous tax and census that the government was imposing on the citizenry without consideration of how this disruption would cause hardship and loss. But it was precisely THIS KIND OF WORLD into which God chose to enter in the form of a baby. God comes to us in the middle of our suffering and hardships, not into a magical bubble of soothing music. ... 

We have the 2023 pocket calendars at our office if anyone would like a few!

Local Christmas Events

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Columbus Avenue Baptist Church

Saturday, December 10 & Sunday, December 11

6:00 - 9:00 PM

1300 Columbus Avenue

Join us Saturday, December 10th  or Sunday, December 11th, from 6:00pm - 9:00pm to experience the wonder of the Christmas Story in a Drive thru Nativity. Stay in your car and follow along with the story. Then stop to enjoy our Christmas Market filled with local vendors, bounce houses, Priceless Events Christmas photo booth, food trucks and more. This is a free, community event. The Christmas story narration will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese and ASL. 

Narration is available in English, Spanish, Chinese and ASL.

Meadowbrook Baptist Church:

First Drive Through Living Nativity!

Experience the story of the birth of Jesus from the comfort of your own car. Meadowbrook Baptist Church located across the street from the University High School athletic fields is hosting a narrated drive through living nativity complete with animals and people dressed in biblical wardrobes. The event is open and free to the public as our gift to our community.  Join us from 6 pm - 8 pm on one of the following nights:

• Thursday, December 17th
• Friday, December 18th
• Saturday, December 19th

To help with traffic, please turn onto North Old Robinson Rd from Garden/New Road Drive. The line will begin in the University High School parking lot on North Old Robinson Rd. We will have people there to welcome and help you line up to experience the story of the birth of Jesus.

FBC Lorena will be having a Christmas Worship Night on Dec 11th at 5:00pm