We would like to thank all of the ladies who helped to make this such a wonderful and joyous event.  A big thank you goes out to Neva Thornton who opened up her home to us. 

Dear Sisters:

 Doesn’t the Christmas season seem to come earlier and get busier every year?  These days, Christmas trees appear in the stores in mid-October and before we know it, there are cookie exchanges and school programs and neighborhood get-togethers that threaten to swallow us whole.  During this hectic time, it is good to take a spiritual breath and spend time thinking about the one Gift that really matters…the Lord Jesus Christ.

 As you make your Christmas plans, I hope that you will plan to join me at the Christmas Brunch for the women of Crossroads.  The theme this year is “Joy to the world” and it is a time for us to celebrate that “the Lord is come!”  It is also a time for us to practice “love of strangers” as we invite others to join us for a deep spiritual breath of refreshment, encouragement and joy. 

 In preparation for this time of fellowship and outreach, will you also join me in praying for the day? First, we can all begin praying now for those women we will invite to share this time with us.  We can pray for a welcoming spirit for ourselves and an open heart for our guests.  More than that, we can pray that each woman will feel welcomed as a dearly loved family member.

As we each consider who to invite, let’s remember that we have more people in our circle of relationships than we realize.  Some of us are blessed to have family who live close enough to invite.  Some of us have co-workers or women with whom we share a hobby or common interest.  We all have friends and neighbors we might invite and we should not overlook those who serve us like the hairdresser, grocery clerk or the waitress in our favorite restaurant.

Just extending an invitation may give us the opportunity to share something of the gospel with others.  And, we should not be discouraged if the invitation is declined.  This may be just the beginning of many conversations about Christ as we welcome others into our hearts, into our lives, into our homes and eventually into the family of God.

In inviting guests, it’s important for us to be honest about the Brunch as an event involving the women of our church, and that there will be a short devotional.  Also, let’s remember to emphasize that the Brunch will begin at 9:30a.m. and end at 12:00 noon at Neva Thornton’s home.  Christmas is a busy time and this limited schedule will allow our guests to get on with other commitments. 

To keep our invitations personal, we’ll write our own contact information on the enclosed cards and personally give them to the women we are inviting.  Then, we’ll RSVP for ourselves and our guests to Sarah Kiihne (LookinToTheCross@hotmail.com) by December 6. 

 Last, please remember that this is an event for the women of Crossroads.  With or without a guest, you are welcome and needed.  So, please plan to come and share in the fellowship and fun and to practice hospitality together.

 Joy To The World…And To You!