Greetings Everyone!

Praise the Lord for an amazing Christmas Advent and New Year Season. Our family was very busy with both church and family related transitions. But we're very thankful to have been able to experience this past season with all of you as your newly appointed leadership family!

I'm excited about all that the Lord may have in mind for us in this coming year. I anticipate that all of us will have a good deal to work through in the coming weeks and months as we begin to 'follow Jesus' together under our new leadership. Thank you for your patience, graciousness, and generosity to us as a family so far. We've been blessed by many of you personally and specifically and have been warmly received by all on a weekly basis!

I would like to invite all of you to join me in fasting and praying for our Coastside Leadership Retreat - scheduled for January 20 & 21 - as we all consider our part in asking the Lord together, "Who are we and what are we doing here?"

I spoke briefly, this last weekend about the uniquess of our identity as Christians - we are people who have been created in the image of the Triune God. As His people, we are meant to have relationships with one another that consist of LOVE, COMMUNICATION, and MORALITY. We have difficulty doing so because we are 'fallen' and have sinned, both against God and one another. Thankfully, the Completed Work of Jesus Christ on the Cross has made payment for our rebellion and sin so that we might have an eternal life of worship with our Personal and Infinite God.

This week I will speak about our identity as the Church - we are the Body of Christ. We exist because Jesus has made us alive to God through his own blood. We are called to Connect with God in Worship, Grow - in spiritual maturity - with friends in groups, and Serve - practically, publicly, and regularly - others in teams. We must do these things TOGETHER. If we try to do any or all of them alone, we isolate ourselves (as an amputated limb) from the blessing of sharing our lives together - as Christ's tangible 'hands and feet' on earth - and the opportunity to be 'led together' by Jesus Christ - our Living Head.

I hope you'll feel welcome to join us this next week! Our worship gatherings happen each Sunday (unless specially announced differently) at 9am and 10:45am. Come join us and bring your own family (if you've got one). It's my hope that you'll experience the Presence and Peace of Jesus - our Rescuer - as you gather with us to learn more about Who He is and What He desires from our lives!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Troy Jacobson