Looking ahead...

to the new year is a tradition at year's end. We plan, we ponder, we predict, and sometimes we even manage to get it right.

What do we want out of 2009? I think we all want our national economy to show some signs of real recovery. We all want our military efforts in the war on terror to be successful. Regardless of how we voted in November, we want the new President and Congress to succeed. We want our families and friends to be safe and happy.

What does our church want? Despite what it may seem money is not our main concern. What we really want is to carry out our mission-to bring people into a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. If we do that, the money will happen. We want to develop people who are serious about glorifying God and telling the world about their relationship with Him through Jesus. We want to help people understand they must become less dependent on the world, and more dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit. We want to grow a close, loving community within our Argyle family.

Hal Hunter

The 2008 Tree...

is now history. We had a great turnout. More than 2,000 people braved the cold to enjoy the 14th anniversary production.

We sometimes wonder if it's worth the effort and expense. After all, over a hundred people have been working, some since August, to put this puppy together. Is this effort paying off?

I think so. On each night we heard from people about their impressions. Some were veterans, and attending the Tree is a family tradition. Some were newbies, and they were, without exception, blown away. Everyone we talked to agreed this is an important ministry to our community.

The Saturday before we began, I spoke to a friend who is Choir Director of a United Methodist Church in Arlington. When I told him about our Tree, with 70 voices, 15 musicians, new music every year, done outdoors for four nights, he was flabbergasted. Understanding the challenges, it is something he can't imagine attempting.

I believe God blesses audacious things done to promote His glory and the Gospel. Done in our own power, I think the Tree would fizzle; done in His Name and in His power, it becomes a powerful way to reach people in our community.

Hal Hunter

Weather Watching...

It's not just farmers and fishermen who watch the weather. People who put on major outdoor events involving hundreds of people and a lot of electronic equipment and musical instruments also ponder the sky.

Each year we present an Outdoor Singing Christmas Tree. 2008 is the 14th year. Our Tree has become something of a tradition in our community. (After all, it can be heard a mile or more away on a still evening!) The singers and musicians started rehearsing in August. Over 80 people have spent months learning music and practicing.

Last week we built and decorated the Tree structure. This morning we set up the mixing console (48 total channels for the techies), powered speakers, sub-woofers, amplifiers, signal processors, lights, spotlights, computers, projectors and flat-screens, drum kit, two keyboards, and what seems like a bazillion music stands and a couple miles of wire.


Now comes the weather watching part: predictions say we should expect rain Thursday. Not just rain, but the "possibility of severe thunderstorms." There have been a couple times over the years when we had had to cancel a single performance for weather, but we hope that Thursday is not one of them. The hour-by-hour predictions say the storms should be over by late afternoon, with clearing by 6:00 pm. If those predictions are accurate, we are good to go with performing at 8:00 pm.

Join us in praying for good weather later in the day Thursday. Since God encourages us to bring all our cares to him, let's get specific: rain ending by 4:00 pm, followed by quick clearing; conditions at 8:00 pm- clear, dry, still and 58 degrees.

We invite everyone to attend. It's free, with plenty of parking and seating. We even provide hot chocolate and coffee. This may be the only time this Christmas season some of the people attending the Tree will hear the Gospel and hear the real Christmas story. That's one of the main reasons we do it, and one of the main reasons you should join us in praying for the weather.

Hal Hunter

Electronic giving is now happening at Argyle...

We have been researching electronic giving options for months. After all the looking we have found a company that offers the right mix of cost and features coupled with safety and integrity.

We are now using eGive to allow members of the Argyle family to automate their giving. We took a survey several months ago, and most of the people who responded said they would prefer to do their giving using an electronic method.

It's safe, secure, costs nothing to the giver, is reasonably priced to the church, and simplifies bookkeeping for everyone involved.

Want to check it out? Click here to visit our Online Giving FAQ page or call us in the office (777-1238) during regular hours.

Hal Hunter
Administrator

Tree time rolls around again...

I swear it seems like we just finished the Tree, but it's time for another one.

For the fourteenth time, we are presenting our Argyle Outdoor Singing Christmas Tree to the community. Each year, over a period of four nights, as many as 3,000 people come to experience the music and the message. People all over our area know about the Tree, and for some, it is the only time they will hear the Gospel.

It is entirely free to our guests, but certainly not free to produce. We have to buy the music, buy the promotional material, buy the coffee and hot chocolate and the cups to serve them in, rent the chairs and scaffolding, and buy all the odds and ends of things needed to to produce the show.

In years past, we have had sufficient money in our regular budget to carry the cost of producing the Tree. This year, because of the budget shortfall, we are taking a special offering on Sunday, December 7, to subsidize the costs.

If you believe the Tree is an important outreach to the people around us, please join us in supporting this very public ministry.

Hal Hunter