Greetings dear churches! The past, 2020 year, was an unexpected year for many of us. However, what is unexpected for us is always known by our great God. He has purposes that he fulfills in ways that are beyond our understanding, but that is why he is God and we are mere humans. David reminds us that we are dust (Psalm 103:14), yet God is still, “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” He works justice, but he also does not keep his anger forever (103:6, 9). In many ways Mission Boulevard Baptist Church has seen God's mercy and grace and loyal love toward us in this past month and more so in the past year.
December was a month of celebration. We as a church were studying through 1st Corinthians 13, and looking at how Jesus embodied love in the Gospels— how he was patient and kind; how he did not insist on his own way; how he bore all things and endured all things. He was singularly focused on a mission—to redeem humanity, and therefore selfless love was at the core of his ministry. We saw his compassionate love toward the needy, his patient love with his disciples, and his enduring love on the way to the cross. This was the constant question every Sunday of December—if we are wed to Christ, and Christ is characterized by love, then how much are the qualities of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 part of our life?
Our Sunday school kids Christmas program looked different this year but still very enjoyable. Various stations were set up around the church and the children were divided into groups where they then met shepherds by the fire, Herod in his palace, and the wise men on their journey. It was a wonderful evening of recounting the story of the birth of Christ.
Christmas day we did a seven-part reading from various passages of the Old and New Testament on the topic of “Jesus is King.” We began in 2 Samuel 7:14 where God promised a king who will rule forever and then moved into the birth of the king, the worship of the king and also the king’s victory on the cross. It was an eventful time as we read, prayed, sang and remembered that Jesus came primarily to rule and reign in our hearts for his glory and our joy.
Overall, December had its challenges with meeting and certain restrictions, but with the Lord’s help we were able to gather, worship him, and remember this miracle of Emmanuel—God with us.
Grace and peace,
Denis Gerasimov
