Dear Church Family,
 
When the angels announced the birth of Jesus, they proclaimed “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). I love that reminder that the hope we celebrate at Christmas was always intended to be shared. God sent His Son into the world so that people everywhere could know Him and experience the salvation that only He can provide.
 
With Christmas approaching, I want to encourage you to begin making plans to celebrate with us at CityRise! We have a wonderful season ahead, with opportunities across our campuses to worship, celebrate, and invite others to experience the joy of Christmas.
 
This year's Christmas series, The First Christmas Carols, will take us into Luke's Gospel to explore the songs of praise surrounding the birth of Jesus. Through the words of Zechariah, Mary, the angels, and Simeon, we'll be reminded of God's faithfulness and the hope we have because He kept His promise to send a Savior.
 
We've gathered information about our Christmas events, special services, and activities for the whole family at cityrise.org/christmas. I hope you'll take a few minutes to explore everything that's planned, mark your calendars, and consider who you might invite to join you. Christmas provides such a natural opportunity to reach out to a friend, neighbor, or family member who may be looking for a place to worship and belong.
 
And speaking of sharing the hope of Jesus, I have another encouraging story for you from our Global Missions Offering.
 
This week's video from the North American Mission Board introduces us to Fred and Casey Weymouth, who know firsthand the transforming power of the gospel. Both struggled with addiction before coming to faith in Christ. Today, they lead a recovery and discipleship ministry and have planted a church in Virginia called The Fix, helping others discover the same hope they found in Jesus.
 
Fred describes how their ministry began with a simple desire: “I want to tell them about Jesus.” What a wonderful picture of what God can do through a life changed by His grace!

I hope you'll watch their story and join me in praying for Fred, Casey, and the people they are reaching. Our Global Missions Offering helps us participate in gospel work through ministry partners like NAMB, and I'm grateful for the difference these partnerships are making.
 
Finally, I want to celebrate what a wonderful day we had this past Sunday at our West U Baptist campus for the Gallery Groundbreaking! It was an exciting milestone for our Pathways initiative, and I'm thankful for everyone who helped make the day possible. Seeing this project move forward reminds us of the generosity, prayer, and faithfulness of so many people in our church family. There are several photos from the celebration below. Please continue praying for the construction ahead and for the many opportunities for ministry these new spaces will provide.
 
Church family, we have so much to be thankful for and much to look forward to. I pray that in the weeks ahead, we will find opportunities to share the hope of Jesus with those around us.
 
 
Expecting Greater,
Pastor Roger