December 9, 2012 WELCOME! WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE We are a group of believers who simply try to follow the Bible as a guide for all we do. Everything done in our worship service is something for which we have a Bible basis. You are welcome to participate as much or as little as you wish. We will sing hymns together and we will observe the Lord's Supper or Communion together. We will also have an opportunity to give to the work of God in this area. This collection is for the members here, and if you are visiting you should not feel and pressure to give. Our lesson time will be divided into two groups. The young children will go to our classroom area in the basement where they will be taught the Bible at a level they can understand. The adults will stay in the auditorium for a lesson at an adult level. We do try to serve the community, and if you have some needs that we can help you with, mention it to one of the members.

FAMILY NEWS

PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT INSTALLED — If you have not noticed, the playground equipment has been installed inside the fenced in area. The quality of this equipment is very high, and our thanks go out to Samantha Wheeler and everyone who worked with her to get this done. The neighbors have noticed and we now have a safe place for our kids when worship and classes are not going on — please see the back of this bulletin.

THANKS — I am writing this on Thursday night so I do not know what the weather will be like on Friday, but we want to thank the Gibsons who got the hay wagon and lights, and to everyone who rode the float and sang during the annual Dowagiac Christmas parade. It is important to be a part of the community, and we appreciate everyone who participated.

XMAS DINNER AT NILES — Next Sunday we are all invited to a potluck Christmas dinner at the Niles congregation. We will leave after our services and join the brethren there for a carry-in dinner. Plan to join us, and let one of us know if you need a ride or directions. It is good for us to be with sister congregations in the area.

TODAY'S LESSON

THE PROMISE, PATIENCE, AND PURPOSE OF GOD

2 Peter 3:9

THE BACK PAGE

DREAMING OUT LOUD

THERE IS NOTHING OFFICIAL IN WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ — JUST ONE PERSON'S OPINION. We are at a cross roads as a congregation. We either continue as we are and become an aging group of God's people, working to function in the community, or we become an active front running visible group that radically impacts the community. What do we want to be?

The opening of a casino across the street from our property makes us the closest church to the casino, and the only service organization anywhere near the casino. The dynamics of this area are about to change radically. The casino will bring a flood of workers and a large increase in traffic. The odds are that a variety of “sin businesses” will open around us — liquor establishments, vice of all kinds (whether legal or illegal), and probably some new sales stores and food establishments. If you look at what has happened at New Buffalo you can have some idea of what the future holds.

Our fenced in play area for the children has sent a message to the neighborhood that has been noticed. We have even been asked if we are going to open a day care on our property. My answer to that question is “why not?” We have the land which is not being used and has all the necessary utilities. There is an established need, and when the casino opens there will be new contacts and new demand.

Having a day care that says up front “we will care for your child and teach your child both secular educational material and the Word of God,” is an incredible tool. The opportunities to reach young families and impact the community would be massive. There is a lot of leg work that would need to be done. Joanna Winters, the wife of Jay Winters — the evangelist in Mishawaka, was the director of such a program in South Bend. Maybe we ought to get her here to meet with us and get us started in talking about what we could do, and whether we want to do it.

 — John Clayton, editor