What a week this has been! Our neighborhood looks like a war zone with power lines in the street, trees blocking the road and other trees on homes. It’s really unfathomable. From talking to many people, I know that my neighborhood is not the only one with this reality. It’s been predicted that days and even weeks might go by before we get power back. We got to see neighbors jump into action to help each other in ways we’ve never seen in our years of living in our home. At one point, six different people were actively seeking to cut a huge oak tree into manageable pieces just so we could all get out of our neighborhood. One obvious blessing was we were out in the street talking and sharing in ways we’ve never done in our neighborhood as we were in our common experience together. 

This makes me think of our church community. We get to do life together, and sometimes it’s just not easy as we face things like relational struggles and breakdowns, health issues, financial deficits, career confusion, and all the other challenges. We get to be together in these circumstances in ways that draw us closer. And I’ve heard stories of how many of you have jumped in to help your friends and neighbors weather this storm.

We’re talking about community here. We talk about that a lot around Twin Cities as we share life together. This is why we have Life Groups. As we talk about HABITS – small steps with big changes, we get to appreciate the habit of being part of a group. If you’re not yet part of a Life Group, let me encourage you as we begin 2022, that you will do the work it takes to find your way into a group! Believe me, it will enhance your life in every way.

Our teams are working to make sure we’re ready to have church on Sunday, January 2, even though we’ve been snowed out all week. I so appreciate the staff we have, and their commitment to the spiritual growth and connection with God we develop when we meet together. 

Let me throw this out there. We’ve had many people offer their generators or even homes with power for those who are without power. Kimberly and I were able to find such an arrangement which has blessed us beyond measure since our son, Ryan, and his wife, Tessa, and our granddaughter, Elsie, arrived on Tuesday. We couldn’t even get to the airport to pick them up, and even though we don’t have power at our home, we are able to stay in a home with power and even internet for as long as the power is out. I pray you will let others serve you in this way. If you have a need, please contact the church office, and we’ll see what we can do. Also, if you have resources that might help someone, please contact the office so you can be an avenue of blessing.

I also want to say a huge THANK YOU to our teams who made our Christmas Eve services so meaningful and impactful. I’ve heard from many of you that it was not only a highlight of your Christmas experience, but that it also added lots of opportunity for discussion about the idea that we are to LOVE EVERYONE ALWAYS. But I guess what I loved hearing most is that many people were drawn to the love God has for them and how Christmas is all about that. 

I am so thankful for your encouragement as I continue to recover from my cancer treatments, surgery, and procedures. Please continue to pray because as much as I believed I would be “recovered” by now, I am still in a low place both physically and emotionally. As Kim said in her message on December 19, “This is hard.” Well, it’s still hard, and the storm added to the hard we had been feeling. Let’s agree to pray for one another as we look for God’s goodness in the land of the living. I see His goodness today.

Happy New Year! 

Here are some upcoming opportunities to SHARE LIFE and SPREAD HOPE to our family and community. 

It’s YEAR-END GIFT time and I want to encourage you to give a special gift to our church as an act of worship and appreciation to God for how He has used TCC in your life over the past year. The beauty of this giving opportunity is that it allows us to serve even more people throughout the year generously. You can get more information on our website. 

Today, December 31, is the last day to give to Twin Cities and have it count for your tax deduction in 2021. The best way to do this is to give online. You can also take it to the post office to get it postmarked today. Please note that the church office is closed for the holiday.

FAMILY SNOW DAY – Saturday, January 8. A few weeks ago, it didn’t look like this even could happen because of a lack of snow. Well, now after our snowpocalypse, we have an abundance. Join our families for a fun day.

THRIVE UNLEASHED – January 14-16. This is an amazing winter retreat for junior high and high school students. See the website to register.

THIS SUNDAY, we begin our new series HABITS: Small Steps, Big Change. Folks, I’m excited to walk through this series with you as we seek to become all God has for us. He doesn’t expect us to be super-human. Instead, He asks us to engage with Him as He works out our salvation and sanctification as we become more like Jesus. Sunday’s message is all about the power of Bible Engagement. 

Here are the links you’ll need to prepare for Sunday’s Service: 

• Message Notes and Study Guide
• Weekly Spotify Playlist
• Children's Ministry
• Student Ministry 

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

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