So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town,

for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there.

He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.

She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger,

because there was no room in the hostel.

Luke 2:5-7

Last Week’s Update…stay connected!

Hey Family (from Bryan)

What a wonderful day downtown today on the 2nd weekend of Advent. Notes below.

Logistics

Served: ~85
Last week's leaders: Geoff, Bryan
Next week's leaders: Everyone who shows up!

Gifts

Last week’s: Underwear and blessing bags from a life group at Valley Brook
Next week's: Christmas gifts (shhhhhh)

Looking Ahead

Christmas party is this week! Come, let us adore Him together!

Service

A new family member joins the party!

Geoff and I started the day off at storage. It was an easy load with the mid-week prep. I spend a few hours each week at storage, condensing bins, taking inventory, packing lunches. It is my sanity, actually. I think about you all and the folks downtown, pray, complain to God, minister to folks who have storage units, minister to the staff. It’s good for me to lift boxes… Geoff and I sat on coolers and talked and prayed. I had a pretty heavy heart and mind. We do that in the leadership family. We are committed to Jesus and each other. We are not a service provider. We are a very unique church.

Geoff and I got downtown at a good time. There were not too many folks around, it was a cold day, but as always there were more than enough to do what we do because we are simply living out the yes to Jesus.

Nothing more, nothing less.

We went around the circle and got names and prayed and “Big Ed” (my new name for him) took the lead on tent set up, my wife and girls along with Malaree stepped into coffee, Kenny and his girlfriend showed up along with his parents who were visiting from out of town…. always good to see them!… so the set up was fast and easy.

I continued our theme preaching through Advent, addressing the light not being overcome by the darkness and gave the invitation for anyone to come to Jesus and surrender their will. I waited, smiling. It feels awkward at times but we let the Holy Spirit take his time, and a man quietly walked through the crowd and came to me.

He had never been with us before.

This is why we are outside worshipping Jesus,

preaching the Gospel,

feeding the hungry,

clothing the ill-clad.

The fountain was off for the winter, so I took a bottle of water and symbolically he died to himself…. it’s the Blood that saves us, not the volume of water. And he BEAMED with joy. We gave him his bible and prayed, and a book to help him walk out his faith, and he said he will return.

As I returned to the service, I noticed Brittany, who was here with us from VOX last week for the first time had returned with her mother. They were praying over the new brother and helping him settling into the family.

A visitor one week, brings family the next, helps a new believer understand walking with Jesus. This is what disciples do.

As we were eating lunch, our friend of a couple of weeks who had come with her two kids she had gotten back from DCF came back with the other three. She and Malaree praised God together and wept with joy and I got to meet them all by name and welcome them….”So glad you are here! You are the ones we were praying for!”

Mr Torres started off peaceful and then got a bit loud but that is ok. We would not kick him out if his dormant cancer returned. Everyone jumped in to hand out lunch and hygiene, including a number of folks who are homeless because this is their church and we are not there to serve them, but to live as family with them.

Please, join us this Saturday for our annual Christmas Party, We have a lit tree we decorate, gifts to hand out, chickfil a to eat, my favorite… carols to sing… O come, all Ye Faithful, joyful and triumphant come ye, oh come ye to the steps of City Hall… come and Behold Him, born the King of Angels!

love to all,

b

From the Community Churches

We had a lovely service at West Hartford Health and Rehab Community Church. There were more than I could get in the photo but the numbers don’t matter. I want to share pictures each week to keep you family members faces fresh in your minds. As Mary and I were walking in we rode up in the elevator with the mother or one or the residents. She know of us and told us that her adult child is aways taking about the church…. gossiping about Jesus…. That is the impact. We bring the Good News and it spreads among family and staff.

I RAN out of the service Saturday just in time to make it to Wintonbury Church to speak to the kids who gathered food and hygiene items all year to make STUFFED bags to hand out to our friends downtown. They ask me to come and share about our friends, and God’s heart for the marginalized….

This is what God asks us to do, make the community livable again! Kids loving the marginalized, the marginalized loving their kids, those in memory care spreading the good news to their families.

Blessings,

Byan

The Street Church Collective Community Churches

Arden Courts Community Church (Farmington)

Brookdale/Chatfield Community Church (West Hartford)

Clairbridge Community Church @ Brookdale/Chatfield (West Hartford)

Farmington Station Community Church (Farmington)

River Ridge Community Church (Avon)

West Hartford Health and Rehab Community Church (West Hartford)

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Bryan
Street Church Administrator & Volunteer Coordinator
(860) 578-2961 TEXT ONLY
bryan@thestreetchurch.org

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