Crossbeams VOLUME 25 ISSUE 12 CROSS BEAMS PAGE 1 Volume 25 Issue 12 December 2009 Staff: Dr. James Larsen, Pastor Brad Fish, Office Manager Ministry Leaders: Michael Wing, Worship Helen Jane Slack, Adults Sandee McDaniel, Children From far beyond our view or imagina- I like telling this tale. Even if it was Elders: tion a universe-creator and star- but half true and happened in real life sprinkler becomes a planet-visitor. He and real time it would be the best news Gene Stringer Doyle Cornwell strips himself of the perks of his royal to hit the papers in recorded history. Michael Wing estate and clothes himself in the most But the story goes on. It is more than Inside this issue: simple attire, even choosing to invade a creator-god slipping into our popula- time and space at an inconvenient time tion and wearing common threads. He The Man and the Birds and place. No comfortable transporta- even takes those off and hangs naked Hanging of the Greens tion. Forget about electricity. Let‟s on an instrument of death. Mutinous not even speak of hygiene accoutre- men insist on his death. And he goes Oh, Those Men! ments. along with it. All of the weaponry of Potluck the other- Why this world re- Saints Alive journey to mains unex- Two Good Guys Baptized the dark plainably Christmas Caroling at Care side…the silent as his Centers human baili- life slips wick? Ah, away. Christmas Parties Anybody? that is the There is no Budget Time is Here Again mystery. protest. No There is friends call Emphasis on Prayer nothing here for leniency. Help Wanted that heaven And no last lacks. No minute Financial Peace University treasure flight of an- ALPHA trove to be gels to halt O Little Town of Bethlehem „The first Christmas‟ 39 Plus sacked. Ru- the travesty. mor has it Baker: Melisa Corcoran (November 2005) It seems to Birthdays that this be the great- Anniversaries condescension is simply and totally a est of all tragedies. For three days all matter of selfless love. See… of heaven holds its breath. His body, Calendar somebody should write a play or pub- wrapped in linen, grows cold. But… lish a book about this beyond-belief then came Sunday. rescue mission. But isn‟t it a bit over the top, a real stretch and out of sync This riches-to-rags-to-riches saga was with our every-man-for-himself meant to include us. He took us to mood? that horrid cross and we slept in the (Continued on page 2) PAGE 2 CROSS BEAMS VOLUME 25 ISSUE 12 (Continued from page 1) found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. death cave with him. We (praise God!) felt the life- They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate tremor surge through our veins and hearts. Our shad- search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large ows were exterminated by the flood of his light. We landscape window. believers of the Story and followers of the executed One received a life line from Out There. He placed Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and us in the never ending story. freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shel- The crèche of Christmas hardly gives an inkling of ter, if he could direct the birds to it. Quickly he put where the Story is going. But we gaze at this ink on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening drawing of a shivering baby, farm animals in atten- snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and dance, and see there the seed of a full color tale turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He worth hanging your stocking (and life) on. figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled Merry Christmas, them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow- Fellow Space Travelers lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and con- tinued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn. And then, he realized, that they were afraid of him. THE MAN AND THE BIRDS To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let Now the man to whom I'm going to introduce you them know that they can trust me. That I am not try- was not a scrooge, he was a kind, decent, mostly ing to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because good man. Generous to his family, upright in his any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all them. They just would not follow. They would not be that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at led or shooed because they feared him. "If only I Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't with them and speak their language. Then I could tell swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the as a man. "I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his way to safety ... to the safe warm barn. But I would wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this have to be one of them so they could see, and hear Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. and understand." That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they At that moment the church bells began to ring. The went to the midnight service. sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells - Adeste Fi- Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow delis - listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings began to fall. He went to the window to watch the of Christmas. And he sank to his knees in the snow. flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his news- -- Author Unknown -- paper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding (Shared by the late Paul Harvey on his radio show) sound. Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must be “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was throwing snowballs against his living room window. with God, and the Word was God .... The Word be- But when he went to the front door to investigate he came flesh and dwelt among us ....” (John 1:1, 14 KJV) VOLUME 25 ISSUE 12 CROSS BEAMS PAGE 3 HANGING OF THE GREENS our December Potluck on Sunday the 20th and Each year on the first Saturday of December we we‟ll let you know what we think. have a tradition of decorating the church for the Christmas Holiday season. Everyone is invited to Our monthly potlucks are a great opportunity to get help out. Our volunteer head decorators already to know others in the congregation and especially have the plans prepared so all you need to do is re- newcomers. port to the Fellowship Hall at about 10:30 a.m. Sat- urday the 5th of December following the Saints If your last name begins with A-K, please bring a Alive Breakfast in Phoenix. You will then be given main dish and a dessert. If your last name begins your assignments. About noon we will break for a with L-Z, please bring a main dish and a salad. Single folks just bring one item to share. light soup lunch. If you have questions or would like more information call Laurie Royer at 541-772 Remember the ovens are on for keeping food warm, -0689. so please bring your food already cooked. SAINTS ALIVE…AND LAUGHING OH, THOSE MEN! Ditties from the internet provide for much laughter Come to the oasis. Plenty of people stop by our on the first Saturday of each month. Saints Alive table these days to receive refreshment from our has been going on for many years now and is a joyous guys. We (Real Men) meet in the center of much anticipated by a bunch of our older folk. the restaurant and our behavior is there for all to These days younger people are getting in on the see. Our laughter gives pleasure to the ear. Our action, including families. Everyone is welcome. Bibles are open and our conversation sincere. We Join us at the Iron Skillet Restaurant at the Pear are a little illustration of Jesus‟ remarks about „light that cannot be hid‟. There is no fanfare or preachi- ness. We are just Real Men looking at Real Life through the lens of the scriptures. Come join us, guys. Your first visit is rewarded with free break- fast, thanks to one of our long-timers. The Old Farm House, Phoenix, 7:45 Monday mornings… pretty please. POTLUCK Have you been wanting to try a new recipe for that great family Christmas dinner, but you‟re not sure about it yet.