WEBVTT 00:00:01.679 --> 00:00:03.439 Good morning, everybody. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:06.719 Just one sermon. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:12.000 That hadn't happened in four years almost. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:14.240 I'm excited. 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:24.480 When I was in high school, I worked one summer uh for a construction company. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:39.119 And uh because I played football, I had to, we had practice every afternoon at 3:30, and so I needed a job that was flexible enough to start early to allow me to get to practice on time. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:43.600 And so this particular job was well suited in terms of its schedule. 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:51.600 I would get there at 6 in the morning and be done by 3 in time to make it to the high school and get dressed to play football. 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.039 I worked at St. 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:54.799 Stephen's on the Green. 00:00:55.039 --> 00:01:01.920 Many of you know that uh uh facility, nursing home, and uh assisted living facility. 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:06.480 And if you go to the back of the facility, you will still see some of my handiwork there. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:08.879 Sidewalks poured with perfection. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:15.120 Even the roundabout I was involved in, well, just doing the labor for candidly. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:22.239 But my boss uh was by far and away what I will take most away from that summer. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:29.599 It wasn't the way that I learn how to pour sidewalks or or build roundabouts, but rather it was my boss. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:33.680 He was the most horrible man I've ever known. 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:48.879 I mean, truly, he was the most rude, vulgar, crass, demeaning, demoralizing person I have ever been around. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:58.719 And every day he took his uh time to make sure that you knew that you were the object of his eternal wrath. 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:05.840 Well, one day a company photographer was coming around taking pictures, I suppose, of all the superintendents. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:21.520 They were updating their website, and so took a picture of this particular superintendent, my boss, and uh and a few days later delivered a copy of the picture to him, and I saw him throw it in the trash. 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:23.759 Well, that was my opportunity. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:28.159 I went and got that picture out of the trash, and I kept it with me. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:41.599 In fact, I taped it to my desk in front of where I studied all through the rest of high school and college to remind myself that if I didn't work hard, I'd be working for that guy again. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:44.319 I still have the picture. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:48.000 It's important to remember, isn't it? 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:52.639 To look back and to reflect on uh on things. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.199 And memory is uh has is a powerful tool. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:02.080 Smells will do it, sounds will do it, sights will do it, all kinds of things call us to remember. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:16.960 Well, what I want to do this morning is I want us to remember God's faithfulness on the last Sunday of the year as we look back to God's faithfulness to us as a church family and in our community all through 2019. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:24.560 And I want to do it through the first seven verses of chapter 78 of the Psalms. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.840 Psalm 78, this is what God's Word says. 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:31.599 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:34.479 Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:43.199 I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:54.719 We will not hide them from their children, but tell them to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might, and the wonders that he has done. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:16.879 He had established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God. 00:04:17.439 --> 00:04:24.160 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful reminder of your faithfulness. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:35.199 And we pray as we reflect on your faithfulness to us as a church body over the past year and the next few moments that you would give us your Holy Spirit to do so. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:38.160 And we pray it in Jesus' name. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:39.680 Amen. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:59.519 The Christmas lights that dot the outline of roofs during holiday time will always take me back to a time when Kim and I were newly married, living in St. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:00.240 Louis. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:17.519 For a newly married couple, both in school, money, of course, was tight, trying to work different odd jobs to make ends meet, in addition to the part-time jobs that we also held. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:25.920 And there was one family in particular that I suppose cared for us in a really unique way. 00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:31.519 They recognized the financial stress that any young couple in our situation might experience. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:42.160 And so every Christmas, they paid us an extraordinary amount to put Christmas lights on the outline of their roof. 00:05:42.800 --> 00:05:45.360 Now, they did it really to help us. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:52.079 They could have put it on themselves, or they certainly could have paid someone much less than what they paid us. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:06:00.240 But they did us, they did it in order to help us make ends meet in what was an expensive time of the year. 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:12.399 And every time I see Christmas lights that outline the shapes of roofs, it takes me back to remember that family and their generosity as they demonstrated God's faithfulness to me. 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:28.319 Well, about a week ago, as we were headed home during the night, one of uh the members of our family in our car made a remark about how pretty one particular house was in its roof outlined with lights. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:40.160 And that gave us an opportunity to talk about how God was faithful to use this particular couple so many years ago to provide for us in a remarkable way. 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:45.279 And it's important, isn't it, to remind ourselves and each other of God's faithfulness. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:48.319 It's important because we forget it. 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:56.000 We forget it when times are difficult or when things are busy or when we're frustrated or when life is going well. 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:04.079 It's important to remind ourselves and also each other to stir each other up by way of reminder of God's faithfulness. 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:05.360 And that's what I want to do today. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:11.040 I just simply want to say from Psalm 78, God is faithful. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:16.319 I wonder if you remember uh the story. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:21.680 I've told it before because it's so impactful to me of my first sermon in seminary. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:35.360 I had gotten worked up into uh theological lather, and at one point I had exclaimed with great uh fervor, if you'll be faithful to God, he'll be faithful to you. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:41.920 And then I sat down after I finished my sermon, and the professor stood up and said, Well, that's not true. 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:47.439 Uh sheepishly or nervously, I said, Which part? 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:52.879 And he said, Well, the part where you said, if you'll be faithful to God, he'll be faithful to you. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:54.240 It's not true. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.560 God is faithful, period, full stop. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:04.000 In fact, God is faithful in spite of and because of your faithlessness. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:16.399 And that was a turning point in my uh journey as a believer, as I began to see God's faithfulness expressed to me and to his people, regardless of my faithfulness. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:19.360 And so that's what Psalm 78 says. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:25.759 God is faithful, period, full stop, despite our faithlessness. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:27.600 So, what does that mean for us? 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:28.639 Two things. 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:32.480 The first one, remember to remind yourself. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:36.720 Remember to remind yourself of God's faithfulness. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:39.440 Listen to what the psalmist says. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:43.600 I will open my mouth in a parable, verse two. 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:51.600 I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known that our fathers have told us, and verse 5. 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:59.440 He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commands our fathers to teach their children. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:06.480 These phrases that seem strange and, well, even dark, the word dark is used. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:12.080 Utter dark sayings from of old sounds cryptic, but it's not. 00:09:12.240 --> 00:09:12.639 Why? 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:19.519 Because it's it's things that we know, verse 3, things that we have heard and things that we have known that our fathers have told us. 00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:21.200 What's the psalmist saying? 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.919 He's saying, remember to remind yourself. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:28.399 Remember to remind yourself of God's faithfulness to you in the past. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:34.559 Remember to remind yourself to God's faithfulness to you and to the people that have come before you in the past. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:36.720 What might those things be? 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:40.480 Verse 5: a testimony in Jacob, a law in Israel. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:43.279 That's two ways of saying the same thing. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:50.480 And the the verses that follow, the next, well, Psalm 78 is 72 verses, 72 verses long. 00:09:50.559 --> 00:09:58.639 So for the next however many verses, the psalmist will recount instance of after instance of God's faithfulness to God's people. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:03.440 He'll say, Remember the time that he brought you out of Egypt with a strong and mighty hand. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:06.799 Remember when he parted the Red Sea. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:10.000 Remember when you whined in the desert and God provided manna. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:11.840 Remember, remember, remember. 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:16.399 It's important to remember to remind ourselves of God's faithfulness. 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:49.200 Um, and I recognize that we're not um, for the most part, we we aren't um physical descendants of Israel, but we are spiritual descendants of Israel, and we serve the same God, the same God who drove uh the uh Pharaoh's army into the Red Sea and covered them over again, the same God who provided for the people manna from sky, quail that filled the ground, water from the rock, his testimony written in stone by the very finger of God. 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:50.240 Remember. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:53.279 Remember to remind yourself. 00:10:54.399 --> 00:11:02.399 And as you get in the habit of remembering something daily, especially things that you're fond of, it becomes fun to do. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:07.440 I uh I have a phone, I wonder if it would pop up on my phone right now. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:09.759 It does, it has a reminder there, right there. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:15.840 I have a reminder that was sent by one of my children that comes on my phone every morning at 8 a.m. 00:11:16.080 --> 00:11:19.200 that says, I am the best parent in the world. 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:22.159 So there you have it. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:29.039 And I frankly I need that reminder because mostly I don't feel like the best parent in the world. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.159 In fact, I feel like the worst parent most of the time. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:40.240 And it's a really useful way of remembering something that one of my children wants me to remember. 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:49.360 I wonder what creative way that you can do in your life to remember to remind yourself of God's faithfulness. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:12:00.080 But not only remember to remind yourself of God's faithfulness, that's the first thing, but the second thing is this remember to remind others of God's faithfulness. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:26.320 Remember to remind yourself, and remember to remind others, verse four, we will not hide them from their children, but tell the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and his might and the wonders that he has done, verse six, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God. 00:12:28.080 --> 00:12:29.679 What's the psalmist saying? 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:33.120 He's saying, remember to remind others. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:40.159 Not just remember to remind yourself, but remember to remind others. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:13:00.639 Years ago, Covenant Presbyterian Church, which is the church that I grew up uh uh worshiping in in Homewood, uh, had a capital campaign for building a children's building, and this was their theme verse from uh chapter 78 that the next generation might tell the next generation the glorious deeds of the Lord. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:11.600 And the whole message throughout the campaign was one of we're building a building to build a tool to teach the next generation the glorious deeds of the Lord. 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:12.960 Why is that? 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:16.799 Because we recognize something that the psalmist is saying. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:25.759 The psalmist is saying it's just because you know something doesn't mean your children know it in their heart. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:31.519 Just because you know something doesn't mean your neighbor knows something in his or her heart. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:33.840 It's not automatic, you see. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:46.159 It's something that they need to be reminded of, and then not only reminded of, but to internalize to see that the saving grace of Jesus Christ is something that is available to every single person. 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:53.120 If they would confess Jesus as Lord with their mouth and believe in their hearts that God raised him from the dead, they shall be what? 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.480 Saved. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.440 And it takes a village to do it, doesn't it? 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:37.279 I I one of the most moving uh funeral services I have ever attended was just a handful of years ago, as uh one of uh, well, it was a it was a man with a young family, a few young girls who died in a plane crash, and one of his best friends got up in the service to share, and he got up and he was holding the book of church order, the pres the PCA book of church order, and I thought, well, this is gonna be odd. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:59.840 And he opened to the baptismal vow page, and he read that baptismal vow that you asked the congregation, do you, as a congregation, promise to undertake the responsibility of the care and nurture of this covenant child? 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:10.559 He says, remember, all of you who raised your hands, these are your children now to raise to, now that their father is in heaven. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:16.799 And I want to say to you, Lord forbid that. 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:20.480 But that's our job as a covenant family. 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:32.720 So not only remember to remind yourself, but remember to remind others of the glorious deeds of the Lord so that they might set their hope in God. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:56.080 Uh, one exercise that I did towards the end of the year, this year, was write a reflection, it was really just a self-reflection for my own benefit of God's faithfulness in 2019 to us as a church on a month-by-month basis. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:06.159 And I just went back to January and I wrote all the things that I could remember, the thing, the ways that God was at work in Cahapa Park Church. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.440 And then I went to February and on down the line. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:14.879 And and um, so what we're gonna do today is something that we've never done before. 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:24.559 I've actually asked uh children from 12 different families to come and read a reflection, that reflection. 00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:30.559 Now I've tweaked it a little bit so it's not just a personal reflection, it's a it's a corporate reflection reflection. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:38.240 And each reflection ends with the phrase, thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:49.919 And so after each child reads that phrase at the end of their paragraph, we as a congregation will responsively say the same thing. 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:54.080 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithful faithfulness to us. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:59.039 So uh if you're one of my readers, will you come up and line up according to your month? 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:14.079 Okay, David, you're off. 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:14.960 You're in January. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:15.920 Come on, buddy. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:25.039 2019 began with a season of rejoicing. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:29.680 Just one month earlier, our church was facing a large financial deficit. 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:36.559 God stirred in his people to give generously and sacrificially, not equal gifts, but people made equal sacrifices. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:42.160 And we collected the largest amount in December on record, over$390,000. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:48.160 And so we began the year of rejoicing in the way God had provided in ways who cannot be believed. 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:50.799 We also saw God raise up new leaders. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:18:01.359 We ordained and installed new elders and deacons, a key indicator of church health and the willingness of the congregation to nominate and elect new qualified and trained officers. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:04.880 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in January. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:09.440 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in January. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:23.440 In February, our church hosted eight church planters from all over the United States in our seventh year of church planter training ministry called Cohort. 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:28.319 Our church's kitchen was used by some of the ladies in our church to provide fantastic meals. 00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:31.759 Members provided housing, and some gave the use of their cards. 00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:36.400 And all of us contributed toward their travel, making the only cost of the church planters time. 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:47.279 Two of our daughter churches, Cross Creek Church in Rossbridge, and Christ Church in Trustwell, also participated in the training of the church planters along with a number of lay leaders within our church. 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:50.319 The end of February was sweet in its sadness too. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:57.680 It was sweet seeing six families respond to the call God had placed on their lives to join the new Homewood Church Plant, and it was sad seeing them go. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:04.160 In all these things, we remain committed to the belief that church planting is the most effective way people come to Christ. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.079 And so by the grace of God, we will continue to plant churches in the years to come. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:11.519 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in February. 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:16.079 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in February. 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:34.319 The angels in heaven rejoiced when 14 of our covenant children professed their faith in Jesus Christ and we were received into church membership. 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:38.319 If this were all that happened in 2019, it would be enough. 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:41.279 Fourteen new people will populate heaven. 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:46.720 We began preparing our hearts for Easter with the distribution of our lived and devotionals. 00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:53.039 What a blessing to study God's word together as we awaited the celebration of our risen Lord. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:57.039 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in March. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:01.440 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in March. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:03.200 Great job, reading. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.319 The celebration of Jesus Christ. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:22.640 It's the foundation of being a Christian. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:25.279 Without the resurrection, we are lost. 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:29.200 We celebrated Easter through worship on Good Fridays. 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:30.720 And Easter Sunday. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:36.480 The corner release is this album and perfect times for Good Fridays. 00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:38.640 We worship a new word. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.039 It's remarkable. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:51.519 Missionaries from countries around the world. 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:54.559 Worship with music from the corner room. 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:57.200 We even got an order from Australia. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.759 We celebrated the arrival of spring with a church workday. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:06.799 An also married dinner with a woman spring works there. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:11.119 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for his faithfulness to us in April. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:15.599 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in April. 00:21:20.559 --> 00:21:24.799 Nothing says bay at Cahaba Park like Barbecue and Cornhole. 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:29.920 God blessed our spring picnic with beautiful weather, great food, and a lot of fun. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:35.599 We had our largest Sunday school class ever as we learned about technology and parenting. 00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:39.599 Most of our parents were left scared to death, which drove us to pray. 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:47.759 We also took an important step in furthering the protection of our youngest members, the implementation of a new job protection policy. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:52.160 Many people worked very hard to create it, and we are grateful. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:59.680 May concluded with many of our people taking a much needed vacation, including our college. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:09.440 It was great seeing our college students return and celebrate all that God was doing in their lives with a Taco Mama catered lunch. 00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:13.839 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in May. 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:18.240 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in May. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:27.759 If spring, picnics define May, then Vacation Bible School owns June. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:34.720 We have the largest number of VBS kids we have ever had, including over 80 volunteers. 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:44.960 We sing of the Lord's faithfulness, we memorize scripture, we ate good food, we learned about the Moana Refuge, we played games, made crafts, and learned of the goodness of God. 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:48.400 And best of all, Pastor Murray got to preach on stage with a lion. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:55.599 We also sent a team to Costa Rica for the second year in a row. 00:22:55.759 --> 00:23:01.759 It seems God is building a beautiful partnership between the missionaries and locals in Costa Rica and our people. 00:23:01.920 --> 00:23:05.440 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in June. 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:09.759 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in June. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:20.559 The church planning cohort year came guys came back for their third and final trip. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:25.839 We pray as they go back to their churches that God would use them to raise up generations of believers. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:32.240 Daddies and daughters date and dance the night away as people from our own congregation act as servers for the people. 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:54.319 Children from our own church and those in the community learned about God's creativity in Studio C, an arts camp celebrating the visual, musical, and culinary arts. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:59.519 A team from CPC also traveled to Ireland for 10 years of continued partnership. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:06.799 By God's grace, Graystands Presbyterian Church in Ireland is sending a team in the summer of 2020 to help us with our VBS. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:10.240 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for our faithfulness to us in July. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:24.000 The first faith and work forum event was kicked off as we heard how one of the local teachers sees himself as a part of God's big story. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:35.839 It was so encouraging to hear how God is using him to live his life as a mission to redeem Birmingham for the glory of God and the good of the city. 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:47.359 Our church members hosted three different community gatherings in different parts of our city where people live, work, and play. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:58.319 God is beginning to use these gatherings to teach us all how to interact with and love our neighbors well. 00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:00.960 K groups also began in August. 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:12.400 For some, this meant to return to similar faces and others a fresh group as we made room for the new people among us. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:18.720 The start of a fall routine was delayed as much as possible with Super Sunday. 00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:25.680 The water might have been a little higher that month, but we had a blast. 00:25:25.839 --> 00:25:30.160 Thank you, Lord, for that your faithfulness to us in August. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:33.680 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in August. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:35.119 Great job. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.759 September. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:17.359 It's going to be exciting to see what God does with these men over the next year. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:21.680 Your generosity is so gracious to these church planters, thank you. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:25.440 We heard from our second faith and work forum speaker. 00:26:25.599 --> 00:26:35.599 She's a local professor and counselor, and shared how she sees how her particular gifts are used to build God's kingdom. 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:39.200 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in September. 00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:43.440 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in September. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:53.680 Welcome to our newest staff member. 00:26:53.920 --> 00:27:00.000 God provided a new female director, and we are all excited to see what God will do through Kelly Selberg. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:03.519 In Cahaba Kids, we played, made crafts, and sang. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:06.000 We even sang during Christmas at home. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:08.960 Our church widefall festival was a blast. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:17.759 We had a number of people come for elder prayer for healing of various illnesses as the Bible tells us to do in James 5. 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:24.880 God worked in all of them, but in two specific instances, God cured the person of cancer. 00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:28.400 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in October. 00:27:28.720 --> 00:27:32.720 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in October. 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:46.720 It was a beautiful time of worship. 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:55.119 And our and our pastor Mary, who got to sneak in and sit on the back row, said this was the most moving experience of 2019 for him. 00:27:55.279 --> 00:28:00.960 We celebrated Thanksgiving with family and friends and collected the largest angel tree we've ever had. 00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:04.480 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in November. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:08.640 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in November. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.839 December began with a wonderful time celebrating Christmas at home. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:27.839 It doesn't get any better than chicken fingers and desserts followed by Christmas carols and hymns. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:34.000 We also learned from another faith and work event, this time as a Sunda school. 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:38.160 Our church staff had an ugly sweater-themed Christmas party. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:41.519 If you wanted pictures, ask me and I'll show you. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:29:02.640 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in December. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:06.720 Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your faithfulness to us in December. 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:07.359 Thank you. 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.759 Y'all can go have a seat. 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:46.480 Grandmother's Prayer Group, Women's Ministry, Leaders Meeting and Praying, Golden Girls, Bible Studies, Discipleship, Life is Mission, Sunday School, Community Gathering, Supper Club 7, Missionaries, Mornings of Prayer, Foundations, Fridays, New Members joining, members sent out to church plants, new jobs and businesses started, prayer for occupations, faith and work, men's regional lunches, youth Sunday night fellowship, births, marriages. 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:50.720 But it all wasn't easy, was it? 00:29:52.880 --> 00:30:01.599 We had challenges too, people leaving for different reasons, budget concerns, sickness, serious sickness, relational struggles. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:04.319 But in all of it, all of it. 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:25.759 Or even if you don't remember that. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:30.400 When you forget that God is still faithful. 00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:55.519 So as we close 2019, and as we look towards God's faithfulness to us, whatever that might mean in 2020, remember, friends, to remind yourselves of the faithfulness of God, and remember to remind others too, that the coming generation might proclaim the glories of God. 00:30:58.559 --> 00:31:04.160 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithfulness to us in 2019. 00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:14.000 And were we to be here all of 2020 recounting deed after deed, it wouldn't be enough time. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:22.880 And so, in our simple minds and forgetful hearts, we just simply say thank you. 00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:31.440 Words that couldn't even begin to describe our gratefulness, we still say thank you. 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:36.240 And we pray that you would remind us of your faithfulness to us in Jesus Christ. 00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:38.319 And we pray it in Jesus' name. 00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:39.279 Amen.