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Page 10A The Braselton News Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Church N e ws Joseph was right choice as father for Jesus In the Eyes of the Father Parrish Myers eotf@comcast.net Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been thinking a lot about Joseph. We don’t know much about him, really. He was there during the events surrounding the birth of Jesus. He isn’t mentioned again until Jesus is 12. After that, nothing. He was a carpenter by trade. He was the husband of Mary. And he was the earthly father of Jesus Christ. Talk about pressure! To know that God has chosen you to raise his child! But Joseph, it seems, was exactly the right choice. As I’ve already said, we don’t know much about Joseph. But consider the following description of him, found in Matthew 1:18-19: “When [Jesus'] mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.” Such a short selection tells us so much about this man. The Scripture says he was a righteous man. You can tell that from his actions. In Jewish society, betrothal was a serious commitment. It was similar to an engagement, but more legally binding. In fact, someone who was betrothed, even if they were not offi cially married, would have to go through divorce proceedings if they decided to end the relationship. One of the few legal reasons for end ing such a relationship was adultery. Finding out that Mary was with child, and knowing that the child was not his because they had not yet come togeth er, the only sensible conclusion was that Mary had committed adultery. Jewish law stated that an adulterous woman was to be stoned. But Joseph couldn't let that happen to Mary. He couldn't allow her to be humiliated, and ultimately killed. So he decided to keep his mouth shut about her alleged indiscretion. He planned to send her away secretly, so no one would ever discover what she had apparently done. Even though Mary had seemed to betray him, Joseph loved her too much to let her come to harm. This, I believe, is one of the reasons Joseph was such a good choice to be the father of God’s son. He had the same kind of love for Mary that God has for us. As human beings, we have wronged God by our sinful actions. It's not an alleged wrongdoing, like with Mary. We are guilty. Because of that, God has every right to deal with us harshly. But like Joseph, he loves us too much to let harm come to us. Instead of allowing us to receive the punishment we deserve, he makes a way for us to receive forgiveness for our sins. That way is through his son, Jesus Christ. During this Christmas, why not reflect on the love that an earthly father had for his wife, and the love that a Heavenly Father has for you? Parrish Myers is a resident of Braselton, and is pastor of Pine Crest Baptist Church. You can e-mail him at eotf@comcast.net. His website is www. eyesofthefather. com. Hope Crossings plans Christmas celebration Hope Crossings Assembly of God will host a “Taste of the Nations” Christmas celebration Sunday, December 23, at 5 p.m. at the Jefferson Civic Center. “Everyone is invited to enjoy a wonderful dinner from nations like Puerto Rico, Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and America,” organizers said. A children’s nativity play will be presented and Christmas carols will be sung in both English and Spanish. For more information, call the church at 706-654-HOPE. Chris Stephens is pastor. Hoschton Baptist to hold service by candlelight Monday Hoschton First Baptist Church will hold its annual candlelight ser vice at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24. Everyone is invited. The church is located at 99 East Jefferson Street in Hoschton. For more information, contact the church office at 706-654-2938. Candlelight service planned at Chateau Elan The second annual Chateau Elan Christmas Eve Candlelight service will be Monday, December 24, at 6 p.m. The event will be held in the golf pavilion. The service is sponsored by The Vine, a new United Methodist community in the Braselton area. “Come be a part of this exciting worship experience where you will enjoy classic Christmas songs and a message from David Walters, lead pastor of The Vine,” church leaders said. Children and adults of all ages are welcome and refreshments will be served before and after the service. For more information, contact questions @ connecttothevine.org. Early deadlines given for holiday The deadlines for The Braselton News have been moved up due to the Christmas holiday. The news and ad deadline for next week’s issue will be at noon on Friday, Dec. 21. The newspaper office in Jefferson will be closed Tuesday, Dec. 25. The office will open as scheduled at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 26. Center UMC plans special services Center United Methodist Church announces the following special services: •Thursday, December 20, at 11 a.m., a monthly luncheon will be held for “Super Seniors.” All senior citizens are invited to come enjoy fellowship at this very spe cial gathering. •Monday, December 24, at 6 p.m., a candlelight communion service will be held on Christmas Eve. “Please come join us as we thank God for His incredible gift - His Son Jesus Christ,” organizers said. Candles will be available to light in memory of a loved one. “We invite the community to these services,” church leaders said. The church is located at 7641 Jackson Trail Road in Hoschton. The interim pastor is Howard Banks. Hoschton UMC announces holiday event schedule Hoschton United Methodist Church announces the following Advent and holiday season services: •December 23, church choir Christmas cantata, at 11 a.m. ser vice. •December 24, Christmas Eve candlelight service, 6-6:30 p.m. The church is located at 12 Mulberry Street. For more informa tion, call 706-654-1422. Local church services, addresses The following is a list of address es and service times of churches in the Braselton, Hoschton and Mill Creek area. •A Call to Salvation Church: Sunday worship, 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.; Sunday children’s church, 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.; Wednesday night Bible study, 7 p.m.; “Demostration Youth” for ages 13-18, Mondays, at 7 p.m. The church is located at 1295 Jackson Trail Road, Jefferson. Arlene Smith is the senior pastor. For more infor mation, call 706-367-9612 or visit www.acalltosalvation.org. •New Liberty United Methodist Church: Sunday worship, 11 a.m., with children’s church and nursery available. The church is located at 26 Charlie Smith Road, Braselton. Jamey Prickett is the pastor. For more information, call 706-654-2406 or visit www.new- libertyumc.org. •Mulberry Baptist Church: Sunday worship, 11 a.m.; Sunday school, 10 a.m.; singings, second Sundays, 6 p.m.; youth choir prac tice, Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. The church is located at 5970 Thompson Mill Road, Hoschton. The Rev. Ollie V. Hayes is the pastor. •Hoschton First Baptist Church: Sunday worship, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sunday school, 9:45 a.m.; Wednesday night worship ser vice, 7 p.m. The church is locat ed at 99 East Jefferson Street, Hoschton. For more information, call 706-654-2938 or visit www. hoschtonfirstbaptistchurch.com. •Hoschton United Methodist Church: Sunday worship, 11 a.m.; Sunday school, 10 a.m. The church is located at 12 Mulberry Street, Hoschton, at the corner of Bell Avenue and Mulberry Street. The Rev. Luis Ortiz is the pas tor. For more information, call 706-654-1422. •Crossroads Church of Jackson County: Sunday worship, 10:30 a.m. The church meets at the Jefferson Recreation Department, located at 2495 Old Pendergrass Road, Jefferson. Rod Zwenke is the pastor. For more information, call 706-658-0243 or visit www. check-out-church.com. •The Church of God of Prophecy is located at 8187 Pendergrass Road, Hoschton. Thomas C. Holmes is pastor. For prayer or information, call 706-658-2625. Christmas Eve @ Braselton Park 5:30 PM The entire community is invited to a candle-lit Christmas eve service @ Braselton Park. The music and message will engage everyone who comes. Before and after the service, hot chocolate and apple cider will be served. So, bring your family, head down to the park and let's come together as a community to celebrate Christmas. for information and directions visit: www.christmas-in-jackson.com * N ew jrumuru