"NATIVITY" MEANS WHAT?

The word "Nativity" means the occasion of one's birth. It primarily refers to the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem two-thousand years ago. This obscure birth impacted the world then as lowly shepherds witnessed it and distant kings followed a star to see it. God chose these messengers to spread the news near and far.

Like millions, I was impacted by the birth also as I learned of what Christ came to do and as a teen I saw my need for a Savior from sin and was born again by faith as He taught in John 3.  

Discovery Baptist has been blessed with the opportunity to tell the story of this miraculous Nativity in our unique setting since 1998.  We began with two dozen people doing just one scene as a handful came to see it.  This year we have 213 in costume plus 20 more non-costumed, for a total of 233. About 40% are from other churches in the area helping us bring to life what it might have been like in Bethlehem the night Christ was born. Some of our scenes will be improved again this year;  I think you'll be amazed at changes in the angel scene. Our message is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the thousands who will come. 

Dress warm and join us Dec. 2 & 3 from 5-8PM as the village of Bethlehem comes to life.  Guests park across the street at Harbor Covenant Church. But, first listen to this moving song about the meaning of the nativity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYSJj-EHAAk

ATTENTION NATIVITY CAST/WORKERS   

• Friday is LN final set up from 1PM on.  
• Workers please park at Harbor Life Church up the hill and use the shuttle to get to church. Do not park at Harbor Covenant since that is exclusively for our guests.  2:30 - Shuttle van service begins from Harbor Life.   3:45 - Be on set in costume to set up scenes, 
• 4:00 cast meeting at front of the church to give final instructions and prayer. 
• If you want a nice photo in costume on the set note Nehemiah Suko will be available for a quick one prior to starting.  Come early.
• Pray for the event. Weather is not likely to stop us.  Watch the website for details.  

A PILGRIM'S REFLECTION

One of the my most valued books is Of Plymouth Plantation. It is William Bradford’s record of the Pilgrim’s trip from England to set up a colony on our shores. He was the principle leader for over thirty years. He described their perilous voyage, trials upon landing, the first Thanksgiving, and the difficult years that followed. It is priceless history and is like reading the Bible since Bradford quoted Scripture often.

The actual book had 270 leaves. He even recorded his Hebrew language exercises in it. He studied Hebrew so he could read the Scripture in the original languages. “…I am refreshed to have seen some glimpse hereof, as Moses saw the land of Canaan afar off. My aim and desire is to see how the words and phrases lie in the holy text, and to discern some-what of the same, for my own content.” He loved God’s Word.

Front page of the Bradford journal.   -Widapedia

The book was passed down and eventually kept in the tower of the Old South Church and was likely lost as loot about 1776 to a British soldier and sold in London. It ended up in the Fulham Palace library where an English pastor found it and proposed it be returned to America. That took forty years of wrangling and red tape to accomplish.  Senator George Hoar of Massachusetts was successful in 1897. After reading the manuscript he said it was “the most precious on earth,” with the possible exception of the Gospels. Later he told Queen Victoria, there was nothing like the Bradford History “in human annals since the Story of Bethlehem.”  It was returned and today resides in Boston.

Reading the manuscript made me much more thankful for God’s unseen hand in the establishment of our country. Too often we know only the surface details of history. Let us give thanks, as the Scriptures exhort us, for all the blessings He has brought up this country and pray for it deeply as we celebrate.

Nancy and I wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving.  Psa. 9:1

Saturday 9 to 11AM Nativity Setup - Clearing, setting up buildings etc. as we draw near.  Screw guns, bits, knives, rakes, shovels and muscles needed. 

Sunday Nov. 26 & Dec. 3 no Sunday School due to holiday events.

VETERAN'S DAY INSIGHTS

I awoke this morning thankful for God allowing me to be an American. Having served in the military and having also been to many places in the world makes me  realize the uniqueness of America and the blessing it is to live here.  

God chose a Roman soldier for Peter to introduce the Gospel to the  Gentiles to. Cornelius became a key figure in divine history. Act 10:22 says, "Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you."

The Apostle Peter went to him and both Cornelius and an entire group of friends and relatives were saved and thus the door was opened to take the Gospel to Gentiles.  Amazingly God still uses our military as a vehicle to get the Gospel to others in distant lands as we have seen through the De Roo Fund.

Sgt. De Roo with our US troops in front of one of Saddam Hussein's palaces.

So Happy Veteran’s Day to you and thanks for your service.  If you were married at the time then Happy V Day to you too.  Spouses often endured much, long separations and unusual living conditions. Today Nancy will make SOS for lunch for us…our favorite way to remember. The family is also going to attend a V Day ceremony up the hill from our house at the Artondale Cemetery.  Hope you all have a blessed day as well and don’t forget to thank God for the freedoms we have.

Saturday  9 to 11AM Nativity Setup - Workers needed for clearing paths, setting up a cross, building the entrance booth, setting up path rails etc etc.  Screw guns, bits, knives, rakes, shovels and muscles needed.  Each Saturday until LN we'll be setting up. 

Our Nativity also needs a life sized infant doll in swaddling cloth.  #2 a  metal chiminea to use during the Event.   SaturdayS from 9-11 through Dec. 2 men are needed to help erect Nativity structures.  Thanks for helping.