2 Reasons to Attend “Christmas at Johns Creek” This Weekend

This weekend will mark the 22^nd annual celebration of Christmas At Johns Creek.

Our choir and orchestra, along with pianist, Glenn Sloan and organist, Bob Cash, have been working extremely hard for many months, under the direction of our worship pastor Glenn Crosthwait, to prepare for a production that lifts our hearts and glorifies our Lord.

I want to offer two reasons you need to be at Christmas at Johns Creek this weekend.

First: It is a call to worship!

All who attend Christmas at Johns Creek have their favorite part. For the kids, it may be fun opening numbers including Santa and the Toy Soldiers. For others, it may be the congregational singing of familiar hymns. Some may love the reflective anthems that stir hearts and bring tears to eyes. And of course, for many it is the final number which draws shepherds and magi to gather around the scene of the manger, as Joseph lifts the new born baby high into the starlight, in one grand crescendo of energy and love.

Whatever your favorite part may be, the whole thing is a call to worship. It is a call to remember and rehearse the glorious narrative of Christ’s coming into the world. Every anthem, every movement, every lighting cue, every note is arranged to call those in attendance into wonder and awe at the enfleshing of Divine love. First and foremost, Christmas at Johns Creek is a call to worship our Lord!

Second: It is a call to host and embrace!

It is no surprise that our campus will be teeming with individuals and families from around our immediate “neighborhood.” Pews will be packed and parking spaces, hard to find. While it could be tempting to think of ourselves as simply “part of the crowd,” let me strongly urge us all to think of ourselves differently.

If we think of ourselves as simply part of the crowd, we will be prone to “compete” for parking, or “contend” for the best seats in the house. You would be surprised how easy it is to be absorbed into the energy of the crowd, and forget why we are here in the first place (see first point).

We can see the swell of the crowd–and only see a crowd.

But I want you to see more. If you are a member of JCBC, I want you to see more than a crowd.
I want you to see individuals. Individuals with stories. Each uniquely designed human being, created in the image of God, with the same hungers and thirsts, hurts and hopes, as you.

This weekend is a God-given opportunity to host and embrace our neighbors with Christly love.

If you are attending Christmas at Johns Creek this weekend, I want to challenge every member to take the opportunity to actually/really/literally connect with another attendee whom you do not know by name.

• Introduce yourself.
• Welcome them to YOUR church.
• Ask about THEM—about who may be with them, and if there is anything they need.
• Ask them if they attend church anywhere in the area.
• Then, tell them we would love to have them with us at JCBC!

This weekend is a God-given opportunity! Our neighbors are actually coming onto our turf!
We have the golden opportunity to host and embrace them with the love of God.

Our choir and orchestra will bring their A game. You know they will.  They always do.
You be YOU. God will be God. And it will be enough!

Have I told you lately how much I love being your pastor?
Well, I do.
Shaun

Dr. Shaun King
Senior Pastor
Johns Creek Baptist Church