Posts Tagged “Christmas Eve”

Dec 23 2009

12-23-09

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags: ,

THANK YOU

Words fall short to describe the overwhelming feeling of gratitude and thanks for how the Compass Family of Volunteers, our unbelievable Staff, and so many Friends have literally picked us up and carried our family on their backs these past 4 years and especially this past week. Seriously – we would NEVER have made it without you and God working through you.

I’ve never seen the Compass Warehouse look so AWESOME, never heard so many comments from family and friends about how AMAZING the Compass Staff and Family were and how graciously every single guest was treated. It was truly a day for CELEBRATING an AMAZING Woman and a Life Well Lived.

Words fall short, but from the bottom of our hearts the Pridgen and Carpenter families say THANK YOU for loving, caring, serving, praying, encouraging, feeding, being Jesus with skin on and giving us the strength to go on!!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS EVE

Many of you have asked, “If you need ANYTHING, just ask!!” Ok, here’s the BEST Christmas Gift you could give your pastor and honor our family and Nancy’s legacy with – INVITE Everyone you know, DON’T come alone, and BEG God to change HUNDREDS of lives in our Christmas Eve Services tomorrow (Here’s the Link if you have not reserved your tickets yet).

Monday, I showed an interview Nancy did for our church a year ago for a series called “30 Days To Live.” Here’s a link to watch it. It says it all. It’s Worth the Watch!!!

This Christmas you and I have an opportunity to make an eternal difference in the lives of people we love. In a tough, cloudy, and foggy season for me and Lisa personally, we’ve PRAYED more than ever before for God to SPEAK Clearly, Powerfully, and Boldly words of HOPE through us and the Compass Church family this Christmas Eve. The most important gift any of us could give our family and friends this Christmas is NOT a great meal, a beautiful tree, or that perfect gift….it’s introducing them to JESUS – THAT ALONE will change their lives, marriage, situation, their future, or whatever they are facing!! In honor of my mother-in-law’s legacy the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ will BOLDLY be Presented and you and I will be giving all of the people we know in our lives who are far from God an opportunity to respond & place their faith in Christ – I CAN’T WAIT!!!!

LET’S DO IT – Nothing would celebrate my mother-in-law’s life and honor our family more than filling up the North Oconee High School Fine Arts Center and seeing Hundreds of Lives Changed on Christmas Eve.

PERSONAL PRAYER

Nancy’s brother, Glenn Cross, and his son/her nephew, Cody Cross, completed a successful son to father kidney transplant at Piedmont Hospital yesterday (yea, we’ve had a CRAZY week). God is Mighty, a Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, and THE GREAT PHYSICIAN. My Uncle called Jimmy personally this morning and said everything seemed to be working. Please pray for them and our family this week during this critical time of transition and healing.

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Dec 17 2009

THURSDAY SHOUT OUT!

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags:

SO MUCH Happening – wanted to get a Thursday  SHOUT OUT to everyone – 2 thoughts:


FIRST, THANK YOU!!!!
  • THANK YOU for all your prayers for our family. Yes, it’s tough, it’s not easy, and we don’t like it…BUT, God is real, He’s there, and I’m so PROUD of Lisa, my father-in-law, and brother-in-law for how they’ve led our family through this life changing “Dip.”
  • Psalm 34:18 says “If your heart is broken, you’ll find God RIGHT THERE; if you’re kicked in the gut, He’ll help you catch your breath.“
  • I’m so thankful that God is PRESENT in the midst of our deepest hurts!!!!
  • I’m also reminded that just because we are Christ Followers, we are not exempt from pain & suffering…
  • …and yes, we have questions, doubts, and fears too…
  • ….BUT we also have a HOPE in Jesus that goes BEYOND the grave and a PEACE that passes understanding!
  • Compass Church – we could not ask for a better staff and group of passionate servant leaders who have surrounded our family to provide MORE than we could ever ask for – you guys are AWESOME – thank you for being JESUS WITH SKIN!!
  • Yesterday, the church staff asked if they could lay hands on and PRAY over me – POWERFUL & ANOINTED!!

SECOND, A BIG ASK!!!!
  • INVITE every single person you know to this year’s Christmas Eve Services and PRAY with me for God to ROCK their worlds!!
  • There is a God breathed reignited URGENCY in my spirit for this community to KNOW JESUS IS REAL, BIG, and POWERFUL THIS CHRISTMAS!!
  • Every day we cross paths with people who wonder – Is GOD Real…Is He Really Going to Show Up in my life?
  • There’s an excitement inside of us for God to do something Great – to SHOW UP and SHOW OFF in our lives.
  • There’s also a part of us, that when we sense He is, that’s gets real scared and we’re not sure we want Him to come into our lives.
  • That’s what Christmas is ALL ABOUT – it’s a season where the window of our heart is open to the possibility of a divine miracle like never before.
  • We desperately want and need the Christmas Story to be real and God to Show Up and Show Off in our lives.
  • I believe with all my heart that if you will make the BOLDEST INVITATIONS you ever have to this year’s Christmas Eve services you will be able to look at your friends as you are walking out (you might not say this one out loud) but DEEP INSIDE the words will be echoing “SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WAS REAL.”
  • Christmas @ Compass is simple this year – a POWERFUL presentation of the Gospel lifting high the name of Jesus.
  • I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW GOD IS GOING TO ROCK your world, your friends and family’s worlds, and this community’s world like NEVER BEFORE this Christmas Eve!
  • I believe once again God is preparing Compass to see something Unexplainable yet Undeniable.
  • Ticket Reservations are going well. GET YOUR FREE TICKETS HERE – No one will be turned away, BUT this is a HUGE HELP for planning.
  • Let’s PRAY together for the next 7 days for the biggest day of life change we’ve ever experienced as a church!!
  • FYI -NO SERVICES on December 27 – wanted to give our volunteers and staff a much deserved and needed Holiday break with their families!!
  • THIS SUNDAY would be a GREAT SUNDAY to invite people – God is going to Show Up and Show Off in a Big way and we’ll be able to look at each other and say, “SEE, I TOLD YOU HE WAS REAL!”


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Dec 14 2009

SUNDAY POST GAME

Posted by: jcarpenter in General, tags:
Special thanks to Miles Welch from 12 Stone Church spoke today – it was AWESOME, really really really AWESOME!!

He spoke on the topic of the NOISE in our lives that keeps us from hearing God’s Voice….some of my personal notes –
  • Whatever you are tuned into, THAT’s what you are going to hear – golden!!
  • The question is not, “Is God Speaking?…rather, “AM I LISTENING?”
  • Tune out the Noise of the world…TUNE IN the Voice of God – simple but LIFE CHANGING!!
  • No one can CHOOSE for you what you tune into…No one can HELP if you are tuned into the wrong thing!!
  • I GET TO CHOOSE what I tune into in life.
  • All I have to do to tune into the ‘Noise of the World” is NOTHING.
  • There is WORK required to tune into the Voice of God.
  • Miles is sticking to his story that his mom REALLY DID paint a green Christmas Tree on their wall!!
  • The Song “Word of God Speak” ROCKED my world!!
  • It was good to have David Dalton leading worship at the OC today – he’s finishing up a six month worship internship with Aaron Keyes, a good friend and incredible worship pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Snellville, GA!!

TICKETS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES
  • Matt just told me our CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE’s are going to be the MOST AWESOME services we’ve EVER HAD at Compass – he also said that about the Night of Worship…AND, IT WAS TRUE!!
  • We are asking everyone again this year to get tickets for the service they are planning on attending.  This will help us to better accommodate the crowds that are coming…and give you something that you can give to a friend as a tool for inviting them.
  • GET YOUR TICKETS HERE – there are two service times to choose from – 3:00 and 5:00pm. You can also grab them this Sunday at church!!
  • THANK YOU for your Flexibility, Patience, Passion, and Willingness to do whatever it takes to connect people to Jesus – even changing times!!
  • I CAN’T WAIT - Lives WILL BE changed! The Gospel will be BOLDLY Presented. And, JESUS will be LIFTED HIGH!…and people will be texting their friends between services to change their plans and get to the 5:00 pm service.
  • YES, I’m a little a LOT EXCITED about Christmas!!
  • THE TICKETS ARE FREE (and no one will be refused admission)….BUT we are asking that everyone PLEASE get tickets to help us better serve every single person who will show up!
  • Compass Kids (0-5th) will be open…so yes, your kids and their friends will have a ROCKIN time too!

CHRISTMAS GIFT OFFERING
  • I’m PRAYING big time for all who are asking God what generous gift He’s asking you to bring for our 2009 CHRISTMAS GIFT OFFERING (Dec 20).
  • SERIOUSLY –  The best ROI you will find anywhere is investing in the local church and this next generation.
  • If each of us will pray, be obedient and respond courageously to WHATEVER God asks, we will see and experience God do things and lives changed in this community that have NEVER happened before.
  • I don’t want there to be a gap in this community’s history in our generation on our watch where people did not acknowledge God or know about the great things He wants to do (Judges 2:10).

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