Life seems to stack up the good with the bad, new life with sudden death, health with sickness…and so much more.  This week has been filled with all of that. 

Romans 12:15 commands us to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”  So, in obedience to God’s call to experience the whole spectrum of emotions right along with our brothers and sisters, allow me to share a few things that should move us to rejoice as well as one that will cause us to mourn.  First the difficult news.

Last night, little 5-year-old Jose Myers, whose been battling leg cancer for many months, walked with Jesus from this life into the next.  He’d been fighting a blood infection for several weeks after having endured the chemotherapy he was on.  Apparently, it was more than his little heart could handle.  Early Thursday evening, God called him home.  As we mourn with Donna, Horace and their family, please pray for them all and help carry this heavy burden with them in whatever ways God nudges you to do so. 

But yesterday also had some news that can make all of us rejoice:

• Pastor Jesse got a clean bill of health from his cancer scans earlier in the week, praise the Lord!
• Stacie & Daniel Repsold welcomed (early Tuesday morning) little Laney Hope (7lbs, 11oz) into their family after a night of labor on Monday. Welcome to the family, Laney!

Life and death, sorrow and joy, expected and unexpected…all of this forms the life we share in Jesus Christ today.  Thank you for embracing Jesus and one another in all of this.

A few reminders about important things coming up at Mosaic:

• Saturday morning, November 13^th: Women’s Brunch from 8:30-10:00 a.m. will feature amazing food, enriching fellowship and Joanna Hyatt addressing the issue of fear from God’s word…and her life experience.
• Saturday afternoon, Changing Lives from 5:00-7:30 p.m.: Besides the normally great fellowship, Jimmy Young will be sharing about how “God is With Us” from Jeremiah 29, John 15 and Ephesians 6.
• Sunday Worship, 8:30 & 11:00: The last chapter or Romans is all about what it takes to knit our hearts together in love as a church.  May God grow our capacity to experience the love of Jesus Christ together as we learn from what Paul shared in Romans 16.
• Operation Christmas Child: this will be the last week to pick up a shoe box before it’s due back Sunday, November 21^st. Thanks for touching the hearts of children around the world through your sacrificial love.
• November (Thanksgiving) Pot-luck: After 2^nd service on Sunday, November 21^st, we’ll be having a Thanksgiving Fellowship Pot-luck at noon.  Please sign up to bring something to share and join us for great food and fellowship in a couple of weeks. 

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Mourning & rejoicing,

Pastor John