Whew!   You could really tell by the empty pews that many of our SAR family members were out of town this past Sunday visiting with family and friends. I know how it is!  Finding time to make that trip “home” is sometimes difficult to arrange.  With “his and hers, ours and theirs,” it takes planning, organization, and patience.  I hope that your Thanksgiving weekend was filled with family, friends, and a time of renewal filled with “thanksgiving” for every blessing. Our eldership has been prayerfully and carefully deliberating over the past few days preparing to challenge each of us,  as faithful  members  of the  St. Andrews Road Church of Christ  with spiritual, physical, and numerical goals for the 2007 year.  We have certainly experienced many changes in 2006.   We added three  new elders to the eldership.  Cindi, Ben, and I moved to Columbia in July.   We have experienced several new members being added to our spiritual family over the past few months.  We have mourned the  loss of  some of our  brothers and sisters  in Christ who fought the good fight and are now resting in Paradise. Some of our family members moved away.  Indeed, 2006 has been a year of many changes and challenges  —  and you know what?  We’ve almost made it through!  2007 is only a few days away, 32 days to be exact! What will the new year hold for us?  Only God knows the specific answer to that question!  One thing is for sure!  As a congregation of the Lord’s church here in the Columbia area, we will continue to hold up the   light of  the  gospel  of Christ for all to see.   We  will remain  steadfast in our commitment to teach, preach,  and practice  God’s word boldly  and  without compromise.   We  will  remain  steadfast in our commitment to worship God in spirit and in truth.  We will remain steadfast in our commitment to love one another as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her.  We will remain steadfast in our commitment to reach out to others with the gospel of Christ in every aspect of our ministry as we reach up to God for His provision and protection. Our brother in Christ,  the apostle Paul,  wrote in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound.  Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  In verse 19 he wrote, “And  my  God  shall  supply  all  your  need  according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”    What a        wonderful blessing it is to be a Christian!  What a wonderful blessing it is to be a  member of the church of Christ!   What a wonderful blessing  it is to be  a member  of the Lord’s church at St. Andrews Road!   Working  together  we  can  accomplish all that God would have us to accomplish in the coming year. I’ll do my part!  Will you? Take some time over the next few days to examine and evaluate your personal interest and investment as a Christian and member of the St. Andrews Road congregation.  Pledge yourself to be more faithful to the Lord in your   attendance, in your prayer life, in your personal study of God’s word, in your financial investment in the cause of Christ, and in your commitment to the Great Commission to reach out to others with the gospel of Christ.  Just as Paul said in the above Scripture text:  We can do all things through Christ!  God shall supply all our needs! On Sunday our lessons will focus on the question: “How can I get more done in less time?”  I will share the first two points on Sunday morning and the final two points on Sunday evening.  What a joy it is to meet together for    worship and fellowship in Christ!