Merry Christmas
Can you believe that December is already here? This year has gone by so quickly that, despite our intention to savor each moment, it feels like too many days were lost in the busyness of life! Our prayer for each of you is that you experience the fullness of God throughout this holiday season.
For some of you, pain may be at the forefront of your experience. Many have lost loved ones, and the holidays can intensify that sense of loss. Others may be struggling with health issues or facing very difficult relational situations. It would be amazing if you could have a first-ever Christmas shepherd experience, where angels lit up your night sky and announced that your Savior has come near to you!
On the other hand, some of you may find yourselves on an emotional high, spending your days reveling in the goodness and faithfulness of God. For you, gratitude comes easily, and memories of recent events bring a smile to your face and heart. If you had that same first-ever Christmas shepherd experience, you might find yourself singing your loudest along with the angels!
Regardless of how you feel, one truth remains: God brought heaven to earth to join us in our lives. He is always present, weeping with us in our sorrow and rejoicing with us in our joy. No moment or challenge exists where He is not Emanuel—God with us. This Christmas, whether your heart is full or heavy, take a moment each day to remember that He is here. Thank Him for His presence and invite Him into your struggles and celebrations, for He truly is with us.
Wishing you multiplied blessings this season. We deeply appreciate all of you.
And the Winner is…
FORTIFY MINISTRY
Thank you to everyone who cast their vote to help choose the name of our ministry! The competition was very close, but in the end, "Fortify Ministry" emerged as the winner. We are currently in the process of creating our logo and website, and we hope to complete them before Christmas.
Funding Update:
First of all, we want to express our gratitude to each of you who have prayerfully decided to support us financially. It has been quite a journey of learning as we navigate the process of raising support. While we have not reached the goals we had hoped to achieve by the end of 2024, we are thankful for our current progress and for all the lessons we have learned along the way.
Our plan is to establish a monthly salary base along with a three-month salary emergency fund. As of the end of November, we have raised just over 10% of our monthly salary goal and 11% of our three-month salary emergency target. It has proven to be true that support raising IS ministry! Our hearts are full! We love and appreciate you all.
We are hoping to increase these numbers by end of year giving gifts. If you or someone you know would like to give towards this you can do so either by using the QR code at the bottom of this newsletter or by using the following link: Standing Stone Ministry Shepherd Donation
Random Christmas Facts:
🎄 Your live Christmas tree takes and average of 15 years to grow to its full form. 🎄 In Japan, it is tradition for people to have Kentucky Fried Chicken for Christmas. Ordering in advance to secure their Christmas dinner. 🎄 Rudolph the red nosed reindeer was almost Rollo or Reginald. 🎄 The candy cane was originally given to children by a German choirmaster to keep them quiet during the Living Creche tradition on Christmas Eve all the way back in the 1600's. 🎄 Lastly, Jingle Bells was the first song played in space. December 16, 1965 the song was broadcast during NASA’s Gemini 6A space flight.
