02 Jan Christmas at Anchor UB (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

At Coventry Meadows.

Pastor Tim Hallman of Anchor (right) and Dr. Crystal Bush, pastor of New Zion Tabernacle (left), with the combined worship team behind them.

Christmas presents for Anchor.

The Christmas season included three special events for Anchor Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

December 9. Anchor took its annual Christmas party to the Coventry Meadows nursing home–food, music, caroling down the halls, and pictures with Santa. (In 2011, Anchor held its Christmas party at the Charis House home for homeless women.) (See Facebook photo album.)

December 23, morning. Every year, a Christmas tree appears in the lobby with several hundred small ornaments, each bearing the name of an everyday item Anchor needs–cleaning supplies, lightbulbs, batteries, photocopier paper, kitchen items, coffee, etc. Attenders take an ornament or two, buy the items, wrap them up, and bring them back to Anchor. Then they are opened together. On December 23, after a short children’s program, the Anchor children passed out the gifts to adults in the congregation, who opened the gifts. This not only provides much-needed supplies for the church (and eases the budget), but gives even casual attenders a way to make a low-cost investment in the church. (See Facebook photo album.)

December 23, afternoon. Anchor held a joint Christmas service with New Zion Tabernacle, a predominantly African-American church located a couple blocks away. The two worship teams practiced together for three weeks prior to the afternoon service. Each team did a few songs separately, and then two songs together. The service was held at New Zion Tabernacle. (See Facebook photo album.)

29 Dec Christmas in McGuire Bend, Iowa

Holly Lundberg, McGuire Bend UB church (Dayton, Iowa)

Our Christmas program was held during the worship service on Sunday, December 9. We had a “super hero” Christmas. The children and one adult dressed up in super hero costumes. They gathered together to discuss the news that a new super hero was born that could save people. Being curious about this new super hero, they set off to find Him.

Meanwhile, the shepherds were watching their sheep in the fields and were vistited by an angel. The angel told them of the Savior’s birth. Then they too set off to find him.

The super heros and the shepherds found Mary and Joseph and the Child at the same time. They then understood that this Super Hero came to save the world in a much different way. He was the Savior.

During the skit the audience sang along with Christmas carols. It was a very wonderful and touching program.

Following the program, beefburgers were served along with side dishes. Candy bars were handed out to everyone, which is a long standing traditon at McGuire Bend.

27 Dec Dec 26 Update on Dan Paternoster

We’ve been keeping you up-to-date on Dan Paternoster, a member of the Executive Leadership Team was was struck by a car in August 2012 while riding his bike. Amidst his recovery, it was discovered that he had bladder cancer. And then his wife, Nancy, was found to have breast cancer, and underwent surgery in December. The Paternosters are from the UB church in Fowlerville, Mich.

On December 26, Nancy wrote:

“Good news! My pathology report came back saying the tissue that was taken had “clear margins” (that’s what surgeons like) and no other cancer was seen. We meet with doctors in January to see what further treatment is recommended at this point. Dan had his last chemo treatment for his bladder cancer before Christmas. His doctor will check mid-January and make sure all of his cancer is gone. We ask you to continue praying that both of us will be declared cancer-free in 2013.

“Dan has been enjoying a return of some of the peripheral vision in his left eye the past few days. May God continue to restore his sight.”

26 Dec Christmas in Alvordton, Ohio

Live nativity at Alvordton UB church.

Dan VanArsdalen (right), senior pastor, Alvordton UB church (Alvordton, Ohio)

This year we had an unreal turn-out for the “Live Nativity.” We added an extra stable and donkey, and the church handed out around 173 treats. We estimate roughly 300 people drove through and walk through this year. It was truly amazing.

Also, our church family helped nine families in the community enjoy a little nicer Christmas than perhaps their circumstances would allow. The joy and excitement we saw on all these faces was wonderful.

20 Dec Christmas at Salem UB (Chambersburg, Pa.)

Art Page (right), senior pastor, Salem UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.)

At Salem, we decided to do something new before Christmas this year. We called it “Christmas on the Road.” We reduced our normal Sunday morning schedule from three services to one service for everyone–it was crowded. We had a message on how we are God’s current generation of missionaries to bring blessings into the world, and then we bundled up and went out.

We had twelve teams with from 8-19 people each go out from our church for about two hours–into neighborhoods, into nursing homes, out to where shut-ins live–to bless people near and far with what we hoped to be the aroma of Christ. We delivered 130 plates of cookies that had been handmade and decorated by our women’s ministry, along with invitations to and information about our church family.

We then returned to the Salem Community Center to share in a banquet of hot Italian food (we are not Italian, but we like it anyway!). There was a lot of excitement and enthusiasm by our Salem folks, and we heard testimonies of lives who were very deeply touched by our outreach. One lady said she had been living on her street for 22 years, and this was the first time anyone had come to her door to sing Christmas carols or give her anything!