Pastor's Note | Saturday, January 11th

What are the chances!?

It was a mere couple of hours after we thought together about "Eating Together" last weekend that I saw it.

Since my wife, Cassie, was still up north visiting family with our two rambunctious kids, it was a quiet Sunday afternoon around our home. I was tidying up a bit, with some football on in the background. 

That's when it happened.

A commercial.

But not just any commercial. It was for that restaurant (which will remain nameless) with the great, inexpensive take-out options for families on the go, allowing them to sit down for a meal together.

But throughout the thirty second ad, both children sat in the living room, completely checked out. One wearing headphones and the other on a smartphone, both evaded eye contact and conversation. The parents even joked about how - unbelievably - they were able to coax their children from their rooms because of such a tasty meal.

Indeed, sitting down together for a meal is deeply countercultural. And, as I hope we saw together last week, deeply spiritual. It reminds us of God's providential care for us. It calls us to feast not only on food, but on the Word of God. It invites us to see the Spirit of God at work in one another.

I understand that following last week together, one of middle school students made sure his family sat down together to enjoy a meal. And I just recieved a text message from Werner Ramirez, our Student Ministries Director, stating that this student wants to be sure we record tomorrow's time of worship together, so he can watch it here on our website after he returns home from winter camp!

His excitement is not tied to the one giving the message, or who is leading us in song. This student's excitement is learning new spiritual practices like sitting together with his family around the table, trusting that Jesus meets each of us there. 

I hope you are excited like this student! Because as we join in worship each Sunday, we are not merely sitting in pews in a church building in Los Alamitos: We are sitting at the feet of the Risen Lord, asking that He would continue to lead and guide us into 2014.

Here's a study guide for our time together tomorrow.

See you soon,
Curtis