Non-Profi t Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDGrand Prairie, TXPermit No. 4474601 Matthew Road

Grand Prairie, TX 75052

Preteen Retreat 2008 - Mt. Lebanon 24 boys + 16 girls + hayride, bonfire, marshmallow gun wars & a zip-line “The best day of my whole life”-Jacob Moser, age 8

decemberRegular Events:Sunday 8:30am & 11am - Worship Service

9:30am - Sunday School6:00pm - Discipleship6:00pm - Children’s Choir6:00pm - Proclamation

Monday 9:00am - P.A.W.

Tuesday 9:30am - Young @ Heart

Wednesday 9:00am - P.A.W.6:30pm - Fusion - Youth Discipleship6:30pm - AWANA club6:30pm - Discipleship6:45pm - Adult Choir Practice

Friday 10:00am - Homeschool Group

Saturday 8:30am - Men’s Coff ee @ Good Day Cafe, 830 Mayfi eld Rd G.P.

Special EventsDecember 4 (Th urs) Y@H Breakfast,

9am Fellowship Hall

December 5-6 (Fri-Sat) T&T Boys -laser tag & sleep over

December 6 (Sat) Widows Banquet

December 7 (Sun) Christmas Carol Sing, 6pm

December 12 (Fri) Youth Christmas Party, 6pm, SMAC

December 14 (Sun) Family Christmas Celebration, 6pm

December 15 (Mon) staff planning meeting/church offi ce closed

December 21 (Sun) No PM Service/Activities

December 24 (Wed) Candlelight Service 5:30pm and 7:00pm

December 25 (Th urs) Christmas

December 24 - Jan. 2nd Church Offi ce Closed

December 28 (Sun) No PM Service/Activities

December 31 (Wed) New Years Eve Game Night

“4But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. 6Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” Galatians 4:4-7

We are heirs with Christ and through Christ; Heirs to eternal life; Heirs to the everlasting presence of the Father and the Son. Heirs who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, and as such, we are bearing the fruit of that reality both now and yet to come.

The incomprehensibility of immortality is beyond the bounds of frustration. The fi nite mind cannot quite stretch enough to embrace it. It is as if the sweetest taste is just beyond the tip of the tongue, the smell and heat of it engulfi ng the mind, yet not overtaking it to the point of comprehension. We inherently fear what we cannot understand. Thus, we are bound by the fear of our own immortality.

We seek the mundane, that which is familiar. We seek the mundane, that which brings a false sense of power. We are afraid to embrace the truth because of its

incomprehensibility. We are afraid to embrace that which will bring penultimate power as a conqueror in Christ. Ah, to lay aside this frailty of fear, this inane pride of life, with little consequence and to embrace the all-powerful, all-consuming person of Christ. We fail to embrace the absolute truth of the eternal presence with the Father, begetting our immortality, which Christ brought about through His brief mortality crowned with self-

sacrifi ce.Self-sacrifi ce is the

laying aside of one’s will. Self-sacrifi ce is the laying aside of self, for the good of another. This is the truest expression

of love. And God is love. This self-sacrifi ce becomes the very expression of divine love, the expression of the mind of the One True God. It is His very nature; He could not but sacrifi ce Himself for the one He adores. And the one He adores cannot help but respond with absolute adoration in return.

Oh, God! Your magnifi cent love and self-sacrifi ce has begotten my immortality in Christ. I cannot hold sway with any disloyalty toward You. As You speak, let it be in my life.

By Kimberly Sweet

His Incredible GiftDecember 2008 Volume 2 Issue 12 www.matthewroad.org Design and Layout by Robin Moser

They are trying to steal Christmas

Have you noticed in the last few years how many Christmas cards you received that said, “Happy Holidays” and said nothing about Christmas or the baby Jesus. There is a movement in this world meant to steal Christmas from Christians and to take Christ out of Christmas.

Stealing Christmas is nothing new. King Herod the Great tried to steal Christmas by having the newborn King killed. In 17th century England, Oliver Cromwell and other reformers like him had Christmas outlawed in England. In 1659, a Massachusetts law imposed a fi ne of fi ve shillings on anyone caught celebrating Christmas. Other New England states had similar laws. In 1917, the Communist Party outlawed religious holidays and

Christmas was banned.

Now, in our day and time, they are trying to steal Christmas via commercialism. They want us to celebrate Christmas as a winter holiday and are taking the birth of our Lord Jesus out of the season. They use the “don’t offend anyone” tactic, among others. How often have you heard the clerk at the store say “Happy Holidays”? Once is too many times. This Christmas, when a clerk or someone else says that to us, let us respond with a smile and a loving heart, “Merry Christmas”. Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family. - Sid Wheat

Young@HeartSenior Ministry

Fall Festival 2008

MU S I C What is your fi rst priority around Christmas? As a child, my fi rst priority was to fi gure out what my parents had purchased for me. My mother wrote out her shopping list in short-hand and none of us knew how to read it. This often meant clandestine (and usually failed) attempts to unwrap gifts while mom and dad were in another room.

The wise men in Matthew 2 had a different priority. In verse 2, they say, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Their priority was to seek Jesus and worship him.

It is the staff ’s hope that this is in all of our hearts as we think about and approach Christmas this year. To this end, we have planned and are preparing several opportunities to seek out Jesus as a church and worship him together. Here are a few critical dates:

December 7th, 6:00 pmChristmas Carol Service:

an opportunity to sing new and familiar carols together and think about their theological roots.

December 14th, 6:00 pm Family Christmas Celebration:

we’ll read passages relating to the coming and birth of Jesus, hear from our Children’s Choirs, Proclamation (youth), and Adult Choir as well as respond in congregational song.

December 24th, 5:30, 7:00 pm Christmas Eve Candlelight

Services: an annual tradition with live music, a word from our pastor, a time to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and a tangible way for our church to remember that Jesus is the light of the world who has overcome the darkness.

Want a free Christmas CD? The fi rst three people to tell Aaron or email aaron@matthewroad.org their favorite line from a Christmas carol will receive a free cd. - Aaron Campbell

What does your preschooler understand about God?

As we approach the Christmas season, have you ever wondered what your preschooler truly understands about God and Jesus? The chart at right shows what the average preschooler’s spiritual characteristics are about God and Jesus, broken down by age groups. Information was obtained through Teaching in

Church Weekday Education.

Birth – 8 months Responds to loving care.•

Is learning to trust.•

9 – 16 monthsEnjoys simple songs about Jesus.•

May• recognize that the Bible is a special book.

May• recognize the names of God and Jesus.

17 – 24 monthsShows interest in simple Bible truths • in songs, stories, pictures, and books.

Can• recognize the Bible as a special book.

Can• respond with pleasure to the names of God and Jesus.

2 year oldsStart to understand that the Bible is • not just a special book but, that it is a special book about God and Jesus.

3 year oldsUnderstands that God loves him/her.•

Becomes aware that people can talk • to God.

Develops awareness that God made • earth, sky, plants, and animals.

Learns that God wants people to love • one another.

Can• understand that Jesus was born and grew.

Learns that Jesus had a family.•

Begins to understand that Jesus • wants people to love Him.

Develops awareness that Jesus loves • him/her.

4 & 5 year oldsAsk questions about God.•

Enjoy Bible-verse games.•

Can• retell some of the Bible stories.

Forms concepts about God from rela-• tionships with significant adults.

May• know that God loves him/her.

Expresses love for God and Jesus.•

Can• begin to apply Bible verses to their own life.

Can• sing songs about Jesus.

Have you noticed? - Can you feel it?December is here! WOW! Where does the time go? It seems like spring was just here. Weren’t we heading off to go fi shing yesterday? Now look what has happened. We see Christmas decorations emerge in department stores. Our families are hustling and bustling to make holiday plans, and we are trying to fi gure out, “Who’s going to cook the Christmas Dinner?” Crazy, huh!?! But can I let you in on a little secret? I LOVE IT! My most favorite time of the year is the Christmas Season! Here are my reasons:

LOVED ONES1. - Families can have a good time, no matter how crazy they are. (AND TRUST ME! I should know. My family is nuttier than a truck load of fruit cakes!)

The FOOD2. - Praise the Lord that I come from a Baptist Heritage. My Grandmas, mom, mom-in-law, wife, aunts, and sister-in-law know something when it comes to holiday cookin! (Yeah, I know. But that’s what a diet is for. Right!?!)

GIFTS3. – No, I’m not taking about receiving gifts! I love the GIVING of gifts. However, my mind cannot forget the most precious gift that has ever been given, Baby Jesus! How much does God love us, right!?! Can you picture His little hands or even hear His little baby giggle? Glory to God in the highest! Emmanuel has come!

Happy Birthday Jesus!Merry Christmas from Student Ministries!

J.D. Humber, II