Wishing you a BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

We held our Christmas dinner yesterday and it was a very special time of celebration, connection and fellowship. Our service was held downstairs which was a great idea because generally whoever does the organizing of the food misses out on the message and music.

Nathan and Miles led us in song and chose a meaningful set which put our eyes on Jesus.

We were treated to beautiful decorations provided by Melanie Olsen who brought so many of her lovely items from her home collection. The tables were set complete at each place with full silver and even Christmas Crackers - something new to some of our congregation, like Julie and family who have only come to Canada from Jamaica last year!

And we were treated to delicious little boxed chocolates by some delightful little girls!

I was touched to have my Sister in Law arrive to join us for our dinner - all the way from Kamloops (a wonderful SURPRISE!) We had a full house, every single seat was filled. It was wonderful to see Helen's daughter and husband join in and I was treated to a surprise visit from our Sister in Law, niece and a friend who travelled all the way in from Kamloops. She drove all this way, shared dinner with us and turned around and headed back. How wonderful!

Almost all the entire Johnson family were here - thanks for all your help with the sound, food etc!

You can see all this and more by viewing this video I cobbled together.

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We look with great anticipation to the arrival of Pastor Jussi and wife Leena in the coming New Year. In the meantime they have prepared a word for us:

We want to wish everyone a joyful Christmas and a blessed New Year!

We are so thankful to our Heavenly Father for sending His Son Jesus Christ to be

The light of the world, that the glorious gospel would shine into the darkened

hearts of humanity, and that He would be revealed as Savior and Lord to the world.

The scripture for coming New Year is Deuteronomy 11: 13-14

13. And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my Commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord Your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

14. That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

This is a wonderful conditional promise in the Word of God for us to lay a hold of. The promise is that there would be rain in the land, resulting in

Corn, which speaks to us of the blessing of the Word of God

Wine, which represents the joy of the Lord

Oil, which is the anointing of the Holy Spirit

The church in the book of Acts experienced these promises as told in Acts

6:7, that the Word of God increased and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly. Later, in the book of Acts chapter 8:8, we are told that when

Philip went to Samaria and preached Christ under the anointing of

The Holy Spirit, the result was that there was great joy in the city.

This would be our heart felt prayer for the coming year that we would experience these blessings at Osoyoos Christian Centre.

Blessings!

Jussi

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ThI asked Kaye to share with us as well - for those of you who might not know Kaye she has been at our church for 33 years, has seen and heard it all and remains faithful. I thought it appropriate to see what wisdom she would share with us. I apologise for my little "hello hello hello" at the end of this clip, I did not have time to "trim" the audio.

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

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An especial Merry Christmas going out to some of our Church Family who are away or in new homes. We miss you and love you!

Jim and Elaine - Congrats on your new grand-baby & glad all is well with you. We still feel your grace and goodness at home here.

Ralph and Krista - You ARE here with us, just not in body yet. We long to see your return. You are missed.

Dale and Florence - Thinking of you in the nice warm desert & lifting you up in your ministries there!

Ken and Marg - You are always in our thoughts and prayers.

Matt and Lillian - Across the miles - we love and miss you and wish you and your young family a special Christmas. (BIG hugs for you)

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I will be posting after the first week in the New Year. Thank you for all who have supported this blog, this meeting place and for your encouragement and comments.

This is a time of endings,

But of new beginnings too,

God sends us another year

And maketh all things new,

Another hope, another chance,

Another road to take,

Another star to follow,

And another start to make.

New beginnings, new adventures,

New heights to attain,

Golden opportunities

To work and build again.

New and higher aspirations,

For the future days,

Seeking, dreaming, moving on

Down bright and better ways.

~ Patience Strong

God Bless you all with good health and happiness in the year to come.

Barb Derksen

behalf Osoyoos Christian Centre