Merry Christmas! (well, almost:) After weeks of living in the anticipation, Celebrating Different as a church, loving and serving our neighbors, laughing together and singing in the season at Tree Lighting, we will finally get to celebrate the truth and the beauty of the season with one another this week! As we move towards Christmas together, I’m excited to share that Doug Fields will be with us this weekend, helping aim our hearts at Jesus and one another. Then, our Christmas Eve services happen on Monday, the 23rd and Tuesday, the 24th.

We have been praying, dreaming, and planning these experiences for quite some time and I can’t wait to experience them with you. It’s so easy to lose sight of the wonder and awe, to miss the power on display in Christmas, the coming of Jesus…the gift of God showing up in the flesh, bringing peace and hope. We need Christmas. Our family, friends, and neighbors need Christmas. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience and share Jesus this season.

One of the ways we can love and serve our community this year is by creating space for people at the most impacted service times. I want to invite you and your friends to join me at our services on Monday, December 23rd. They are the same experiences, and the best part is they create space for others in our community to hear and see the gift of Christmas. I can’t wait to celebrate Christmas with you all!

Peace…

kyle

The Christmas season and Celebrate Different are in full-swing here in OC through Mariners Church Irvine. This past weekend was amazing as we hosted a women’s brunch, a men’s breakfast, and a foster kids & families party; we served marines and their families down at Camp Pendleton; came together for some holiday fun at our annual Tree Lighting celebration; and, of course, we celebrated at our regular weekend experiences. The profound beauty is that all of these represent opportunities for God to speak and transform our hearts and lives.

One of my favorite conversations from Tree Lighting was with a gentleman who said, “I always knew God had to be fun, I had just never seen or experienced it until tonight.” I love that! It represents the perspective of thousands of people who know deep in their soul God must be real, He must be loving, and Christmas must be about more than just lights, presents and decorations. What a gift that we get to put the beauty, hope and joy of the Gospel on display for our friends and neighbors as we move through this season.

Join us this weekend as we continue celebrating all of who God is, and recalibrate our lives and souls around the truth of Christmas. I can’t wait to see you and meet your friends and neighbors who are looking for the hope and joy that only Jesus can give.

Peace…
Kyle

TREE LIGHTING! That’s right! Our annual tree lighting is back and better than ever this Friday night. God designed us for relationship with Him and others, and we’re taking that seriously as a church family as we look for ways to know and love our neighbors. Tree lighting is a great opportunity to invite friends and neighbors to see and experience the freedom and joy of the Gospel through one another as we laugh, sing, and ring in the Christmas season together.

This weekend will be amazing as we continue to hear God and respond together in this season of Celebrating Different. We need these weekend experiences now more then ever as we combat the gravity of materialism in this season, choosing to put on display the generosity that God has designed for each of us. Let’s continue to demonstrate the Church as the Hope of the world, allowing God to lead and fearlessly following Him into all He’s called and created us to be. I can’t wait to see and meet your friends and neighbors this weekend.

Peace…

Kyle