Give it up (from Douglas Poole)

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

When I was young I loved Christmas for the gifts I would get...now I love Christmas for the gifts I get to give.

That said, can I quickly tell of three really cool gifts I am a part of giving this season that are true WOW things?

First, I simply can’t wait to give the Cypress family the gift of a Christmas concert this weekend by renowned recording artist Sara Groves. Sara has a heart over-flowing with the grace of Jesus, lyrics that will stir your heard and a voice that could be making mega bucks somewhere in Nashville or L.A. Of all you do this Christmas, this concert will probably the one thing you talk the most about over the holidays. By the way the Saturday and Sunday night concerts are full with waiting lists for tickets. We still have approximately 50 to 60 seats available on Sunday morning...it would be a shame for them to be left empty...so who do you know that could use a beautiful gift of grace that will touch their soul? It’s not too late, really...invite but do so without delay. (If you have any tickets that you will not be using for the weekend...please turn them in at cypresschristmas@gmail.com so those waiting can attend. Thanks.)

The second gift I can’t wait to give is the candle light Christmas Eve services. This will be an evening enchanted with heavenly grace...A Cappella voices singing to us, carols we will join in on and a teaching from scripture all in the ambiance of the flickering light of candles. I can’t think of a better way to enter into the Christmas experience: “Today...a Savior has been born to you...He is Christ the Lord.” (Identical services at 5:00 and 6:30...no tickets required.) Whatever you do...don’t miss this Holy Night. These will be our only services for the whole of Christmas weekend...No Saturday or Sunday services.

And the third gift I want to tell you about was handed out yesterday. For a number of reasons I wanted to do something crazy nice for the Cypress staff this year that would totally catch them off guard and leave them buried under a great big Wow! And I think I pulled it off. After a little asking on my part, a way was made available for me to give each of our staff members a gift that knocked them off their feet...an ipad! I wish I had somehow filmed the deal...it was like one of those “Ophra Show final season” moments: “Everybody gets and ipad!” Blew them away...agape mouths, wide-eyes and a lot of “wow oh wow’s” being muttered. It felt so wonderful, really really double wonderful. What is there about giving to people you care about deeply that blesses you so deeply? Anyway if you see Cypress staff walking around smiling and hugging an ipad...you now know what is going on. Oh and just in case you think I’ve gone all soft...I told everybody enjoy the moment because come December 26...I’m back to being scrooge.

Blessings,

Douglas

Jesus and Sheikra [from Douglas Poole]

Dear Cypress Family and Friends,

One of the things I love about the Christmas season is the way the message of God’s grace through His son Jesus shows up in some of the most unexpected places.

I spent two days this week engaged in strategic planning for next year’s weekend services while sitting around tables at Busch Gardens (Yes, I know...Busch Gardens?...Really?...I was told the creative environment would make us more creative. Did it work?...You’ll have to show up to services next year to find out.) Anyway, at one point as we were sitting around a table in the sun creating away I had to lean in close to hear because our conversation was being drowned out by the sound of vocalists at a nearby show singing at about 10,000 decibels. My initial annoyance over having to strain to hear the person seated right next to me was quickly overcome when I heard the vocalists belting out the words...“Christ, the Savior, is born”. Suddenly I was a bit awed to hear the message of God’s grace being sung loud and clear at a place I hadn’t expected...a theme park. Sheikra, Montu and Jesus...what a delightful combination. Who’d have thought. Jesus shows up at some of the most unexpected places this time of year doesn’t He? Places like malls, motel lobbies, school concerts, country radio stations and theme parks. So I silently breathed a prayer that ears would listen and that hearts would be open to this message of good news...a Savior has been born.

As much as anytime of the year, people are open to this message. So leverage the opportunity and invite others to join you at the Sara Groves Christmas concerts next weekend at Cypress, as well as, the Christmas Eve services on the 24^th. Both the Saturday and Sunday night concerts were maxed so we found a way to squeeze in 40 more seats for each service. There is still plenty of room in the Sunday AM concert, so if you could help us out by switching your attendance to Sunday morning just go on line and swap out your tickets. Thanks.

See you either Saturday night or Sunday morning as we continue with part four of the unexpected Christmas series...who knows...Jesus might just show up at church too, this time of year...heard He is a 10-10 kind of guy.

Blessings,

Douglas