Hello friends.  Just a heads up: on WEDNESDAY, I’ll be posting our most recent sermons and music, including the COMPLETE Christmas specials you heard this week from our Choirs/Orchestra and our Praise Band!  In fact, I’m working on converting the files as I type!

However, when I post this new media, I’ll also be clearing away some of last year’s files, including our 2008 Christmas specials.  Don’t worry; we’ll keep them archived.  BUT, it’s important to note that they will not be immediately available on our website after Wednesday!  That being said, if you are interested in downloading ANY of those 2008 files – you better do it sooner rather than later!

Thanks for your patience as we work to get things updated.  Let me know if you have any questions.  :-)

Kory Wilcox, Contemporary Music Leader

A quick search on biblegateway.com turns up 247 occurrences of the word “peace” in the New International Version of the Bible. The first one is in Genesis and the last one is in Revelation. “Peace” is in Torah, the historical books, the psalms, the prophets, the gospels, and Paul’s letters. It’s all over the place!

One of the numerous places the word appears is in this week’s Advent prophecy from Micah 5. The one who is promised, the shepherd/king who will come from Bethlehem, will be one of peace, says Micah.

Each week of this season, Campbell UMC’s prayer focus during worship has expanded outward. We began with prayers for our local community, then prayed across Missouri, and last week were in prayer for our nation. This week our focus extends to the entire world.

And it is a world where peace is very hard to come by. Iraq, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Northern Ireland – the list of places infected with violence seems to be endless. It is staggering to consider, and we might be tempted into apathy: “What good will our prayers do, after all?”

Well, what if our prayers for peace also submitting ourselves to be agents on behalf of God’s peace? What if our prayers also included offering ourselves to God on behalf of true shalom in this world? What if, rather than wring our hands, we offered them into God’s service?

Could we change the world … on earth as it is in heaven? That’s our prayer, isn’t it? “On earth as it is in heaven.” Pray for peace – then live the prayer.

After all, What ARE we waiting for?

Looking for some weekend fun?  Join Campbell’s youth group at 5:30 Saturday night for our annual Dinner Theater!  This year’s play will be a melodrama revolving around brocoli.  Interest piqued?  Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and only $60 for a table of eight!  What a deal!  All tickets include dinner, dessert, a drink, and a fantastic show starring our very own youth.  Come and support them as they raise money for youth group activities!  If you have other questions or would like to reserve tickets ahead of time, email Kris at kkeller@campbellumc.org.  See you there!