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Pastor Tim's Blog

connecting faith with everyday life

Merry Christmas!

12/24/2019

 

Merry Christmas, OSLC Family!

We're about 2 hours away from welcoming services-full of people. It's my first OSLC Christmas and I couldn't be more excited to spend it with many of you! Before I join our Worship Team for our sound check and walk-through, I wanted to just drop a short note to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas.

So much has changed since we last sang these carols, lit the candles, and heard the story. Three different homes. Fewer loved ones to wish Merry Christmas. New babies to make "googely-eyes" at for the "perfect" picture. A whole new church family. A cross-country move. New friends to sing "Silent Night" with as we share good tidings of great joy in Jesus.

I think about how our community has changed, too. Just in the last month, we experienced the sudden tragic loss of Officer Cooper Dyson, church family members, and for some - scary medical and financial news, employment and relationships with family and friends.

With all of life's changes, I'm so glad that the Christmas message remains the same. I like how author Sally Lloyd-Jones puts it: And there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift. The baby that would change the world was born. His baby Son (Jesus Storybook Bible, p. 182).

And change the world He does. . . for the better. Sin is forgiven. Hope is restored. We can go through life with God and each other.

Wherever you find yourself tonight, my prayer for you tonight is that you would experience the joy, hope, love, and peace of Emmanuel - God with us in body, mind, and spirit.

Good and loving God, in the middle of life's changes, may we experience joy tonight as we celebrate Jesus' birth. You came as a human being to live among us and bring the riches of your healing grace to a broken world. Surround Officer Dyson's family and all those who are missing loved ones tonight with your song of hope and rescue. In our weakness, give us your strength to sing your song again. As you have given yourself to us, may we continually learn what it means to give ourselves to others. With all of the mountains and trees, the animals and all of heaven and earth, may we repeat the sounding joy because Jesus is here. Amen.

Merry Christmas. Love you more than you know.

Pastor Tim

Sing Choirs of Angels

12/5/2019

 
 AfterIf you have kids, you remember the excitement around their birth. You couldn’t wait to tell someone. You can’t keep good news quiet. I know that I can't...

The truth is that we live in a bad news world. And, in a bad news world, there isn't much to talk about, so we do keep quiet. We keep to ourselves. It gets cold. Dark. Restless. Anxious. Just turn on the news, open your newspaper, or log onto your news feed... it’s all around us.

But the Christmas story is great news... and the angels can’t keep quiet!

When I was a college student, I heard Tony Kadavil tell the story of three men who were nervously waiting in the father’s room at the hospital as their wives prepared to give birth to their first children. The men were too scared to go in. Soon the nurse arrived with good news from the birthing rooms. She said to the first father to be, “Sir, you are the father of twins!” 

“That’s great,” he said. “I’m a baseball player and I’m going to sign a contract with the Minnesota Twins. This will be good press.”

Soon, the nurse arrived and said to the second father to be, “Sir, you are the father of triplets.” “Fantastic,” he said, “because I work for the 3M company. This will be great press.”  

The third father got up and ran out of the room. He was moving so fast that he didn’t even bother to take the elevator. Finally, the nurse yelled out the window as the man entered the parking lot. “What’s wrong? Where are you going?” The poor father to be yelled out, “I’ve got to resign real fast. I am the Vice President of Seven up!”  

He felt a bit overwhelmed.

Maybe that's kind of how you feel today. Overwhelmed.

That’s why we need the good news of great joy that is for all people (that's you!). That's why we need this Jesus story in our lives. Jesus overcomes our being overwhelmed by giving us hope for a future with Him and his never-ending peace. After all, He is our Prince of Peace.

Bring your family and invite your neighbor or friend to join us this weekend as we align our hearts and assume a posture of praise - and like the angels, give glory to God for this good news of great joy! Details can be found at www.oslc.com/christmas. I can't wait to see you all there.

Love you more than you know.
    Connect with
    ​Pastor Tim

    Meet Pastor Tim

    Tim Bayer has served as Our Savior's Lead Pastor since September 2019. He also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Concordia University - Irvine, a National Leadership Facilitator and Resource, and with the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

    Tim studied sociology, psychology, and theology prior to earning his M.Div at Concordia Seminary - St. Louis. He also is a candidate for an Ed.D (ABD) in Transformational Leadership.

    He is married to Beth and they have three children. Together, they enjoy exploring the outdoors, experiencing culture, and pizza and movie nights.

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  • Home
  • Worship
    • Watch Live Online
    • Watch On Demand
  • Connect
    • Kids >
      • Sunday Kids Connect
    • Youth >
      • Confirmation
      • LCMS Youth Gathering
    • Adults >
      • Life Groups
      • Bible Studies
      • Men
      • Women
      • Young Adults
      • Young at Heart 55+
    • Find Care >
      • Prayer
      • Marriage
      • Parenting
      • Aging Well
      • Mental Wellness
      • Coaching
      • Justice
    • Get Baptized
    • Become a Member
    • Faith Milestones
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  • Serve
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  • Preschool
    • Registration
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    • Right Now Media
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    • Pastor Tim's Blog
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