Article in the Salem Gazette

So, we're in the paper again. The front page of the Salem Gazette has the above photo and an article which iss entitiled, "HERETIC OR HEALER?" Jeepers, who came up with that polarizing line - oh well, it is generally a good article, which is also followed by a short article about the person who challenges our way of doing things. He is fighting off police charges for causing a ruckus with his bullhorn over Halloween. Okay now that's a bit funny.

If you don't live in Salem, and don't get the Gazette, the story is here. If you want to respond you can write the editor at 72 Cherry Hill Drive, Beverly, MA 01915; or you can join the online discussion on the website. The online version does not have the print version title "HERETIC OR HEALER?" That was saved for the local people I guess.

Serving Free Hot Cocoa at Salem Bonfire

Last Night a group of us helped serve free hot cocoa, and provide the music behind the burning of the Christmas Trees at Dead Horse Beach in Salem. This is our fourth year of helping to make the event more fun.
My mom (Dorothy Jenkins) has been with us for a couple months, and is headed back home Monday. Here she is with Bev serving up Cocoa.
The line was good and long for about an hour and a half as the 5,000 trees on the Christmas tree pile created a wonderful winter/New Year experience. Mike Crockett, Jim Burrell, Carlos Ziesel, Jeff Gentry, Jeff Menasco, and Kevin Menasco also were on hand to make the event happen.
As we took down the tents the fire got a little smaller, and the crowd started going home, but as you can see 5,000 trees can take a long time to burn.

Left at the Cross

People brought items to place before the cross this week. These items were symbolic of a area of life which would be a point of surrender through this coming year. The picture shows some of the things which were placed at the cross. In the morning service there were shoes, and a dust pan as well.




Such things as matches, coins, a stick, and a pencil, as well as papers with something written on them are here. We will leave this as it is in the middle of the room for the month to remind ourselves each week of our point of surrender.

Bring Something Symbolic This Sunday

Tomorrow's service is the first of the New Year. We will be focusing on stewardship and sacrifice for part of this month, and as an point of surrender to our Lord Jesus I would like you to bring something which represents a new level of sacrifice which you feel you need to give to to God this year.

So, be ready to bring an item which represents something you want to give to God this year. i.e. If you felt like your heart was becoming hard, you might bring a small stone to represent how you want to give God your hardening heart, and allow Him to soften it this year. You might bring dollar bill or a coin to represent surrendering trusting Him for your finances this year, or you might bring blank piece of paper to represent allowing God to begin to use you artistically. You've got the idea I think - bring something which represents a new area of surrender/sacrifice to God. We will be placing these things in an altar pile leaving them in that pile symbolically, and giving them to God.