Impact Report - December

You know it’s coming! You know it’s coming and there’s nothing you can do about it. On Christmas morning, the kids will drag you out of bed at that way-too-early-hour, ‘It’s Christmas! Get up!’ And they can’t believe you’re not as excited as they are to wake up at 6:00 a.m. on a holiday. Or, perhaps you don’t have young children at home, but the dog next door, your aged bladder or something else will wake you up! So much for sleeping in!

But when Christmas morning comes, what would you most like to find under the tree with your name on it?

When I was young, there was one gift I wanted more than anything else, a moped. I used to dream of riding my moped around the streets of my neighborhood. It would be sleek. Fast. My friends would be so jealous. All the girls would swoon. I’m still waiting on that moped.

The catch with pursuing that one perfect gift for ourselves is that Christmas is not our birthday, it’s Jesus’ birthday.

We all know this on some level. No one believes that the trees, lights and carols are for us. But on a practical level -- we sometimes forget --because we give and receive gifts as if it was our birthday.

So instead of wishing for material things for ourselves, ask yourself: What does Jesus most want for his birthday? If he showed up at your house Christmas morning to open presents, what would he like to find under the tree with his name on it?

Jesus says in Matthew 25 that whatever we do for our brothers or sisters in need, we have done it for him. In that spirit, you are invited to give a gift to Jesus this Christmas.

Once again, this year, we will receive our Christmas Eve miracle offering and 100 percent of your gift will bless people in need. During Advent, we’ve been highlighting some of our wonderful Timberlake missions, like The Fillin’ Station food pantry, the Isaiah 117 House, Hope for Appalachia, and our partnership with the veterans at Valor Farm.

This year your gift can make all the difference. So please join me in giving a sacrificial gift to Jesus for HIS birthday.

Happy birthday Jesus!

Pastor Brad

Tidings of comfort and joy is the feeling I have going into this Christmas Season! Your church council concluded our monthly business meetings with our final formal attendance on November 15 (we take December off to celebrate with our family, church family and friends). Much has been accomplished in the life of Timberlake! Completing our pavilion, strategic hires and improvements to security on our grounds are just a few. Most recently, there has been much progress in The Mill, our student ministry room (formerly known as The Zone), which has been completely redesigned and upgraded. Stop by and take a look when you get an opportunity! Please be assured that our volunteer servants on the various committees take ownership and pride in being good stewards of the funds from you, our parishioners.

We are excited by the growth of new members and the excitement of our children and students as they serve. I believe that young families are the strength and future of the church. Our seniors also play an essential role as spiritual mentors and guides for this to be accomplished. We all have a say and part in the success of our ministry.

The church council has set our meeting calendar for 2023, and we look forward to acting on your recent disaffiliation vote. We trust and pray that all these things are by God’s leading and directing us for His glory, not ours. May God bless you and your family this Christmas and the New Year ahead.

In His service,

Dean Nuckles

The mission of our Timberlake’s 'Christmas Blessings' initiative was born from the desire to provide Christmas for children that are in need. We recognize that there are more children in our community who don’t have the basic necessities, like food and warm clothing, to function as others do. The opportunity to bless these children and their families with gifts for Christmas is not something we take lightly as a church!

This year, Timberlake sponsored 342 children from Leesville Road Elementary, Tomahawk Elementary, Brookville Middle, Brookville High, New London Academy, Forest Elementary, Sandusky Elementary, Bass Elementary and RS Payne Elementary. Thank you, Timberlake, for being the hands and feet of Jesus by demonstrating your love to children in our community!

Each year, we commit as a church to collect a generous offering on Christmas Eve that supports a specific mission of our church. In the past we have contributed to our feeding mission, to Puerto Rico hurricane relief, to community COVID financial relief and a litany of others. This year, we are excited to collect this offering that will support ALL missions of Timberlake, and not just one.

Here are four that are making an impact locally and globally.

Each of these missions are dear to our hearts as we, the Timberlake Family, want to see the impact that the Gospel has for every person Timberlake’s ministries support. Here are a few highlights of the full scale of the missions your generosity will impact. Please bring your financial gift on Christmas Eve, December 24, to any of our three worship services (3, 5 and 11 p.m.) and let’s see what God will do with our collective offering of sacrifice!

The Child Development Center was excited to partner with The Fillin’ Station by collecting food items to be distributed during the weeks before Christmas to our neighbors. What a wonderful opportunity to teach our children the joys of generous giving and to be grateful for our many blessings.

Our Preschool Age Christmas program was held in the Sanctuary on Thursday, Dec. 8 with two performances. Our school-aged children collected items enough to fill for four shoeboxes in support of the Operation Christmas Child mission. They are counting down to their Christmas break from school, and our CDC will host an all-day Fun Day Care for the week leading up to the holiday. Our children will visit the Summit to sing Christmas carols for their residents, will enjoy a fieldtrip to Amazement Square and participate in other fun activities on site.

We have approximately 50 staff members that work for the Child Development Center and we will be having some fun together during our Annual Staff Christmas party on the evening of December 15. If you would like to help bless a teacher, we are collecting $5 local gift cards for giveaways during the event. Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our staff, families and children.

A Church in Lynchburg, VA