This is Christmas week and also the week for our last challenge!! Wow 4 weeks went by fast!

Growing up in a beautiful small town in Germany made me value the special Christmas Eve service. Every year we would go on Christmas Eve and every person would get a candle. During the service the Christmas story was read and we sang Christmas Carols. Before the last song was sang a few people went to the front of the church and lit the candle they got on the candle on the Altar, but not for themselves, but to use it to light up the candles of everybody else in the church. It’s a beautiful picture of community. People that sometimes don’t even know each other share that flame with each other. It’s a beautiful picture and also the challenge for our last week.

Like we share the light of the candle with each other, let us share the good news of Jesus with the people you prayed for by inviting them to our Christmas church service. Yes it can be hard sometime to invite someone to church, but in the same way Christmas is a great opportunity to do that. Make sure that you go together and sit together at church so they have you on their side. Also introduce them to others at the church. When you do that you give them a sense of belonging and show them the love of God through the love we have for each other!

We wish you a merry and blessed Christmas!! Enjoy this German Christmas song that is played at the end of most Christmas eve services when the candles are lit!

Hey our friend

Wow Christmas is almost here or might be here depending when you read this blog! We had a wonderful week here in San Francisco with Christmas carol singing in our local park and after that praying for the local businesses. It was a wonderful time. We also celebrated Christmas with the North beach staff and also our game night group. Both were wonderful !! This week will be a bit slower , but we want to spend extra time to pray for people in our community that don’t have family and might be isolated to find community. Please join us in this for the people here as well as the people in your area!! Also don’t forget your person that you plan to have over for Christmas. Pray for them this week that they would feel the love of God through celebrating Christmas with you!!

Remember this week Emmanuel God came to us and He is with us.

Have a wonderful blessed week

Markus and Jen