Adventures In Faith Ministries, Inc.

04/14/2024

Blessed Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of all mankind, we ask you for special blessings and healing for all who are affected by the hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, deadly wildfires, wars all over world and human inflicted horrors. We know You are concerned about each person and that You are the source for strength and courage. We remember also all who are helping those in distress during this time of extreme challenge. Challenge us not to forget that the pain and suffering continue long after it ceases to be a daily news item. We thank God for the ways the news of today can be learned so we are able to pray as one for each other knowing what is going on. In the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

04/12/2023

04/12/2023

Easter Sunday Mini-Worship Service April 9, 2023
By Rev. Richard Derreth

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Love Letters to the Scattered Body of Christ
Adventures in Faith Church on the Internet and Personal Service

Call to Worship: Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” Praise be to God!

Collect: Almighty God, who through your only Son overcame death, and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: grant that we who celebrate our Lord’s resurrection may by the renewing of your Spirit arise from the death of sin to the life of righteousness; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer of Confession: Lord, so often we come to you in prayer and then turn away because we do not recognize your voice speaking to us. Open our hearts to your Spirit help us to hear you speak your words of hope, comfort, and challenge. Amen.

Hymn: Listen to one of your favorite hymns or songs of praise!

Theme: CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

Sunday Lesson: John 20:1-18 NAS

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. And so she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the tomb. And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.
Simon Peter therefore also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he beheld the linen wrappings lying there; and the face-cloth, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.
So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
And they said to her, “Woman why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you sweeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene came announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Sermon: LEARNING THE TRUTH

Perhaps the first witness to the resurrection was Mary Magdalene. Why, she was not even an apostle. Nothing about her qualified her especially for being a witness. Like other disciples, she was simply one whom the Lord had helped, a changed and grateful person.

Mary’s very human devotion to a very human Jesus made it possible for her to come to know Him in a way in which she had not known Him before. Human gratitude and affection took her to the place where something wonderful was about to happen.

When Mary arrived at the tomb, she discovered that the stone covering the entrance had been taken away. This meant one thing: She figured that someone had come and stolen Jesus’ body. This was a human act of desecration. Jesus’ enemies had got what they asked for. Jesus was dead. Was that not enough?

Mary was mistaken. Jesus’ body was indeed gone. But it did not mean that Jesus’ enemies had stolen it. This was no human act, but an act of God. The worst had happened to Jesus when He died on the cross; she believed the worst had happened again. But Jesus had been raised from the dead. How quickly we misread the meaning of events!

When we make hasty judgments of God and the events that transpire about us, we may miss the truth. Whoever thinks of Jesus’ life ending on the cross has definitely missed the truth.
Through blinding tears Mary saw Jesus standing near the tomb but thought He was the gardener. We live every day of our lives on “resurrection ground but nothing seems different to us. Why are we so slow to believe? Why are we so slow to take into our lives the meaning of God’s mighty and gracious acts?

God is not obligated to explain anything He has done in the world, miraculous or otherwise. Amazingly, God permits us to explain away his most wonderful works. He leaves us free to believe or not to believe, for God will not force our faith. Sometimes even good people may become enchanted with scientific explanations for everything and miss the religious dimension altogether. Mary Magdalene had to be blown over with the truth before she would believe anything but that someone had taken the body of Jesus.

She discovered that the person she believed to be the gardener was none other than her risen Lord. So thankful was she that she would not let Him go.

What she needed was not proof that Jesus had risen – though she was given such proof. She needed a deep experience of the meaning of her Lord’s resurrection. We can surrender the physical body of Jesus in order that we may know his glorified presence among us and within us.

It is clear that Mary accepted and acted on the word of Jesus. When He spoke her name, everything fell into place. Truth so wonderful has to be shared. It changes everything! When we realize that God has raised Jesus from the dead, we have the assurance that no situation is too difficult for God and that the living Christ will never leave or forsake us. We may dare to take up the cross and follow after Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Mary announced the good news that she had seen the risen Lord. Today we have the privilege of telling the good news – “The most wonderful thing has happened!” Jesus Christ is alive! Share the Good News!

Let Us Pray For Each Other:
A Prayer for those Suffering from the effects of, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, deadly wildfires, and human inflicted horrors. (Please remember the suffering doesn’t go away just because we don’t hear about it in the news.)
Blessed Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of all mankind, we ask you for special blessings and healing for all who are affected by the hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, deadly wildfires, and human inflicted horrors. We know You are concerned about each person and that You are the source for strength and courage. We remember also all who are helping those in distress during this time of extreme challenge. Challenge us not to forget that the pain and suffering continue long after it ceases to be a daily news item. We thank God for the ways the news of today can be learned so we are able to pray as one for each other knowing what is going on. In the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
THE LORD'S PRAYER: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen​

And now, the blessings of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with and remain in you now and forever. Amen

Peace, love, and wholeness,
Rev. Richard and Evelyn Derreth, Adventures in Faith
242 HWY 70 E
Smyrna, NC 28579
252-646-3697 Richard or 252-646-3805 Evelyn

PS: PASS IT ON!

03/05/2023

March 5, 2023 Mini-Worship Service, 2nd. Sunday in Lent by Rev. Richard Derreth

Love Letters to the Scattered Body of Christ
Adventures in Faith on the Internet and Personal Service

​Call to Worship: Come let us worship, for here we proclaim Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Collect:​ Almighty and Everlasting God, often we have looked for miracles to show us your power, and we have turned to those the world calls wise to discover your wisdom. This morning we worship you through Jesus Christ our Lord who has shown us your true power and wisdom. Praise be to you. O God. Amen.
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Prayer of Confession: We know, Lord that you accept us as we are despite our foolish ways. We know, too, that we more readily follow the ways of the world than we follow your ways. Forgive our shortcomings, Lord, and help us so that we may learn to value your wisdom over the wisdom of the world. Amen.
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A Prayer for those Suffering from the effects of, brutal cold, ice and snow storm, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and human inflicted horrors. (Please remember the suffering doesn’t go away just because we don’t hear about it in the news.)
Blessed Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of all mankind, we ask you for special blessings and healing for all who are affected by the brutal cold, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, train wrecks, wars and human inflicted horrors. Dear Lord, as this Coronavirus began a rapid spread in the World, we pray for all the elderly and the people with underlying health conditions. This virus has made each of us look at how we live. We as your children asking you, Lord Jesus, to hold our hand, as we are all like little children not knowing what comes next. We have lived through years of Coronavirus. We have cried for the deaths of our family and friends. Lord this list of needs seem to grow as war has come to the country Ukraine in front of our eyes. Heal your world and let us see the light of your love for us as your children.
We know You are concerned about each person and that You are the source for strength and courage. We remember also all who are helping those in distress during this time of extreme challenge. Challenge us to not forget that the pain and suffering continue long after it ceases to be a daily news item. Thank you Lord for the peace we feel when we know our world is in your hands and we are your children.
Hear Our Prayer, O Lord. Amen. In the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Hymns: Listen to one of your songs of praise

Theme: Christ The Power And Wisdom Of God

The Lesson from: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 CEB
Brothers and sisters, I want you to be sure of the fact that our ancestors were all under the cloud and they all went through the sea. All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. However, God was unhappy with most of them and they were struck down in the wilderness. These things were examples for us, so we won't crave evil things like they did. Don't worship false gods like some of them did, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and they got up to play. Let's not practice sexual immorality, like some of them did, and twenty-three thousand died in one day. Let's not test Christ, like some of them did, and were killed by the snakes. Let's not grumble, like some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example and were written as a warning for us to whom the end of time has come. So those who think they are standing need to watch out or else they may fall. No temptation has seized you that isn't common for people. But God is faithful. He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.

SERMON: Be wise, trust in the Faithfulness of God alone
​For Paul, the exodus of the Israelites was a good place to look for advice to the Corinthian churches regarding their walk with the Lord. Paul saw that God was in Christ revealing Himself to the world. He could easily see that those in the exodus from Egypt were in effect walking through the sea of baptism as they crossed the Red Sea and were having Holy Communion when they were eating the manna from heaven and drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them in the wilderness. The pre-incarnate Christ was the spiritual rock that followed the Israelites during all their years of wandering.
During the exodus and the years of wandering the people of Israel disappointed and displeased God as they worshipped false idols, committed other sins against God, and complained and caused divisiveness through their rebellion. Many died as a result of their sins and rebellion.
Paul would remind the churches that if God did not spare the children of Israel from the effects of their sinning, then it would only make common sense that God would call the Corinthian Christians to answer for their sins. They, like their ancestors, who were led out of Egypt, had become overconfident in their relationship with God. Many of the Corinthian Christians believed that the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion would magically protect them from punishment for sin. It is one thing to be confident in the strength of the Lord and trust in his grace and forgiveness and another to presume that we can continue to sin and not be called to account. God’s grace is sufficient for all the things that may happen to us. And He freely forgives us our sins through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is in all of this a call to at least be a work in progress, rather than someone depending on magical protection from some outward expression of trust.
It was a good time for the young Corinthian Christians to learn from their ancestors, whom Paul concluded that we were joined with as a new shoot off the same living people of God. One lesson to be learned was not that God visited temptation and difficult times upon his people, but that they came as a result of the fallen nature of humankind. And that in every temptation or difficult time that may happen in our lives, God will be with us to help us around, over or through the times of difficulty. Christians can depend on God. As a matter of fact, the enduring point of this passage from Paul is that God is always faithful, and the divine presence makes it possible for us to live through all of life’s experiences.
This is all a reminder to each of us that God can be trusted to be faithful, and Christ will never leave or forsake us even when we fall into a difficult time of hardship, trouble, or temptation. Just be sure that you are standing on solid ground, and that you have not fooled yourself into a false confidence due to anything other than the grace, goodness, forgiveness, and redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said it well in the closing verse of this part of his letter: “No temptation has seized you that isn’t common for people. But God is faithful. He won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that you will be able to endure it.” You can trust God. So, enjoy your present adventure in faith.
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Let us pray: THE LORD'S PRAYER Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.​

​​And now, the blessings of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with and remain in you now and forever. Amen.

Peace, love, and wholeness,
Rev. Richard and Evelyn Derreth, Adventures in Faith
242 HWY 70 E
Smyrna, NC 28579
252-646-3697 Richard or 252-646-3805 Evelyn

PS: PASS IT ON!

02/26/2023

February, 26, 2023 Mini-Worship Service—First Sunday in Lent by Rev. Richard Derreth

Love Letters to the scattered Body of Christ

Collect: O God, who sent your Son into the world that everyone might be reconciled to you. Renew our spirits and give us both guidance and strength for the living of our days. Like our Lord, long age, we have faced our temptations. Help us now to put on that newness of life which you offer to us in Jesus, that we may live alive in the spirit of his love. Amen.

Prayer of Confession: God and Father of us all, we were created by you to live in harmony with you, with one another, with the world around us, and with ourselves. By our own choices we have so often lived in discord, confusion, and weakness. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, you have come to us with outstretched arms of love, calling for us to live once again in harmonious relationships. We come now to receive your never-failing love and forgiveness. Amen.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Amen.

Rejoice in Your Music:

A Prayer for those Suffering from the effects of, brutal cold, ice and snow storm, earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, and human inflicted horrors. (Please remember the suffering doesn’t go away just because we don’t hear about it in the news.)
Blessed Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of all mankind, we ask you for special blessings and healing for all who are affected by the brutal cold, hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, train wrecks, wars and human inflicted horrors. Dear Lord, as this Coronavirus began a rapid spread in the World, we pray for all the elderly and the people with underlying health conditions. This virus has made each of us look at how we live. We as your children asking you, Lord Jesus, to hold our hand, as we are all like little children not knowing what comes next. We have lived through years of Coronavirus. We have cried for the deaths of our family and friends. Lord this list of needs seem to grow as war has come to the country Ukraine in front of our eyes. Heal your world and let us see the light of your love for us as your children.
We know You are concerned about each person and that You are the source for strength and courage. We remember also all who are helping those in distress during this time of extreme challenge. Challenge us to not forget that the pain and suffering continue long after it ceases to be a daily news item. Thank you Lord for the peace we feel when we know our world is in your hands and we are your children.
Hear Our Prayer, O Lord. Amen. In the precious Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

The Word of God: Mark 1:9-13 CEB
About that time, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. While he was coming up out of the water, Jesus saw heaven splitting open and the Spirit, like a dove, coming down on him. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”
At once the Spirit forced Jesus out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

Sermon Title: LET’S TAKE OUR LENTEN JOURNEY WITH CHRIST

Jesus came from Nazareth…and was baptized by John. While this was a short journey in terms of miles, it was momentous. It marked Jesus’ acceptance of vocation as a preacher of the kingdom of God. He was called out of a village where his childhood and early manhood had been spent. He left the occupation which had engaged his mind and strength, out of the family group, and all the dear experiences and entered a larger world of the purposes of God. It was a mountaintop experience. And it was a unique experience. The divine Sonship of Jesus was wholly supernatural. The heavens splitting open and the dove descending from heaven and the voice saying, “You are my Son, whom I dearly love…” Though we may feel the excitement of baptism and calling of God in our life, this experience of Jesus is something which cannot be reproduced in the disciple of Jesus.

Yet we are all able to take the journey of acceptance into the great purposes of God which allow us to follow our Lord Jesus Christ, and may be well assured that the Spirit will equip us for this journey. Our journey will reflect the light of Christ as a prism reflects the rays of sunlight, if we allow the Spirit to drive us out of our own selves and selfish interests into a needy, but scary world.

The mountaintop experience of Jesus was followed by a period of confrontation with Satan. Mark’s gospel tells this story in brief form – just the facts. You may find the content of the temptations in Matthew and Luke (Matt 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). But the clipped version here does picture a universal experience. A time of dedication, of acceptance of purpose, of setting out on a great quest, is inevitably followed by a time of testing. After the mountaintop then the valley. A time of doubt and wonder. We may ask, “Is this really the right path after all? “Am I missing out on so many things by pursuing this path? “Things don’t work out as well as you expected, do they?” Temptation or Satan speak a language we understand, and there really are wild beasts in the wilderness. We all know them. And when we are attacked, it is not always from the front.

Jesus was prepared for his attacks and so too can we be. One way to be prepared is to expect the attacks. We see from the temptation stories in the gospels that Jesus did not meet them with an empty mind. His mind was full of the Words of God as an answer to the temptations of Satan. And that’s a good place for us to prepare; that is, by reading, studying, and meditating on the word of God. We will find help in our time of need through our prayer relationship with God; and will experience the re-creative power of the Holy Spirit. We can better tackle the tests and temptations of life when we walk as closely to Jesus as possible. We are not assured of roses along the pathway, but we are assured of His promise to never leave us. And, truth be known, that is enough. We can keep on keeping on the journey. “And I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now…”

Let us pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

And now, the blessings of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore. Amen.

Peace, love, and wholeness,
Rev. Richard and Evelyn Derreth
Adventures in Faith
242 HWY 70 E
Smyrna, NC 28579
252-646-3697 Richard or 252-646-3805 Evelyn

PS: PASS IT ON!

12/11/2022

Last night: Saturday December 10th, we had a Christmas Party at Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church for all of us. We are a blest small church that have about 25-30 people each Sunday. We gave a Christmas Party for our families and friends.

IT WAS A BLESSING TO SEE OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY COME OUT, HAVE DINNER, FELLOWSHIP AND A STORY READ BY PASTOR RICHARD.

Love Letters to the scattered Body of Christ
Mini-Worship Service For December 11, 2022

Merry Christmas to all of you from Evelyn and Rev. Richard!

Christmas Eve Miracle Story! Heart

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew --- Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to
himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anything," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?" I would like to say, Why Not ~

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can' take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George --- it's My birthday. Merry Christmas!"

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card.

Let us pray: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

And now, the blessings of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be with and remain in you now and forever. Amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESSING!

Peace, love, and wholeness,
Rev. Richard and Evelyn Derreth,
242 HWY 70 E
Smyrna, NC 28579
252-646-3697 Richard or 252-646-3805 Evelyn

PS: PASS IT ON!