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Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, Ore. Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Valley Evangelical Free Church
The best product at the lowest
price every day! How often do we
hear or read that in the advertise-
ments that flood our mail boxes
and take so much of our television
time?
Then we are told that if we
have the right club card we can get
it even cheaper plus get a rebate as
well. I look in my wallet and it is
full of cards from local businesses
to the big box stores as well as
several motel chains.
Then we are told that we
can “buy one and get one free.” I
remember a wise man telling me
many years ago, “Nothing is free,
someone always pays.” You don’t
get one free. You buy two at the
price of one. Just try returning the
free one for a refund.
As we approach the Christ-
mas season, we can keep this all
in mind. Jesus came to earth to
provide salvation free of charge
to any who will simply accept it
by faith. You can’t pay for it, you
can’t work for it, it is simply free
on our part.
But, you ask, didn’t you just
say, “Nothing is free, someone
always pays?” Yep, you’re right,
Jesus paid, with his life. His life
is what paid for my salvation and
that’s not cheap.
As we approach Christmas, let
us keep in mind the reason for the
season. Jesus was born to become
the Savior of the world.
Attend a church this Sun-
day…and every Sunday…to cel-
ebrate Jesus coming.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Marvin Porter
The History of the Candy Cane
Look at the candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the bloodshed for me
The candy cane was first introduced in the
late 1800s by a candymaker in Indiana. He
wanted to make a candy that could be a wit-
ness during the holiday season. He began
with a stick of pure white to show the virgin
birth and the sinless nature of Jesus Christ.
The hardness of the candy was to represent
Jesus as the solid rock, the foundation of the
church, and the firmness of the promises of
God. The white stripes on the candy cane
White is for my Savoir
Who is sinless and pure
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!
Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for me!
represent the purity of Christ. The small red stripes
symbolize the scourging of Jesus before he was
hung on the cross. The large red stripes show the
blood that Jesus shed for each of us on the cross. The
shape of the candy cane represents the shepherd’s
staff because Jesus is the good shepherd. If you flip
the candy cane around, you will notice the letter “J”
which is the first letter of Jesus’ name. Have a merry
Christmas and always remember the reason for the
season ... and the candy cane!
Community Bible Church
Christmas
Luke 2:11 (KJV) 11For unto you is born this day in the
city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, or is it the season to
be full of anxiety and to be stressed out? The pressure of
the Christmas season seems to grow and grow until we are
ready to explode. The season of year that should exemplify
peace and grace ends up the season of stress and strife. The
question for us is: does it really have to be that way? Is the
pressure the result of a wrong focus? There are obligations,
cards to send, gifts to buy, traveling, and big dinners – all
these are O.K., but wouldn’t it be good to remember that
Jesus’ birth is the primary reason that Christmas even exists?
It’s great to buy gifts, but we need to remember that
the reason we buy gifts at this time of year is because Jesus
was God’s great gift given to mankind for the forgiveness
of our sins. When you choose cards they should be joyful
and reflect a mood of optimism that the story of Christmas
embodies. When you visit family and friends it’s to celebrate
and share the good things of this season.
The traditions in your family, traditions that your
children will remember and maybe pass on to their children
are largely based on the idea of giving, and none of this
would be so if God had not first given us His Son. How
sad if we should allow greed and selfishness and secular-
ism to dictate what our Christmas season is like. It would
be great if we read our families the Christmas story from
Matthew and Luke and explained what the world was like
in Jesus day. Maybe it’s time to take your family to church
to celebrate this Christmas season or choose some way of
your own to honor the Lord if it’s not possible to make it
to church. There are regular church services, and there are
candlelight services at many of the local churches. We are
having a Christmas Eve candlelight service at Community
Bible Church this year at 6 p.m. and you would be welcome
to come.
May your Christmas glorify the Lord Jesus and be
honoring to that name that is above every name. Remember
Jesus is the reason for the season. Hope to see you Sunday.
In Christ,
Pastor Dave
MINISTRY AT CBC
SUNDAY, Dec. 18
Morning Worship 10:30 a.m.
Christmas Musical
“Heaven on Earth”
Praise and Prayer 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 14
A.W.A.N.A. 6:30-8 p.m.
Preschool – 6th grade
THURSDAY, Dec. 15
CCA Christmas Program 7 p.m.
Senior Exercise Class
MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, & FRIDAY
9-10 a.m. in Dining Room
Enjoy some peace and a routine Christmas: by Glenn Mollette
It’s easy to get tired of the
same routine. We bring out the same
old Christmas tree, same decorations
and with almost the same holiday
schedule. For good or bad though,
Christmas is rarely exactly the same
each year. Every Christmas brings a
change.
Rarely will you celebrate
Christmas with all the same people
every year. Consider yourself very
fortunate if you do. In many house-
holds someone will be missing.
Sadly, the missing person is often
someone who has been lost in death.
Human life is frail and not much is
required to eliminate us from living.
The human body is awesome
but disease, old age and unfortunate
events can take us out of this world
easily. Your Christmas celebration
may not be impacted this year but
if you live long enough you will
eventually celebrate the season
without parents, siblings, a spouse or
even a child. We don’t like to think
about such loss and grief but every
Christmas brings an empty chair or a
reason to experience grief.
The people of Christmas are
God’s greatest gift to us. Our health
and our family and friends are the
best of life. Take time this Christmas
to enjoy the people in your life. Hug
on them, love them and be very kind
to them. You may not have them next
year and you’ll be glad you cher-
ished them. Or, you may be the one
missing next Christmas. Hopefully
everyone will sit around the table
and talk about what a kind and lov-
ing person you were...or maybe they
won’t. Don’t take the chance; turn up
your kindness, love and thoughtful-
ness this year.
You don’t have to shower
people with gifts. Gifts are nice and
it helps the economy but most people
just need a little love and a few kind
words. A little affirmation and appre-
ciation always go a long way. Make
a list of people you need to call, send
a kind email to or visit in person.
My wife and I love going to
see a lady in our town. She is 95
years old and still very independent.
She is a greeter at her church, gar-
dens and drives wherever she wants
to go. She visits people in the nursing
home who are 15 - 20 years younger.
She is an easy person to visit because
she always inspires us and makes
us laugh. She is always kind, never
grumpy and has a sweet spirit about
life. She exercises every day and eats
her vegetables. She is our mentor and
we want to be just like her. There-
fore, be kind, eliminate grumpiness
and be sweeter. People might want
to come and spend a little time with
you. We always take her a little
something when we go to see her
like a poinsettia or something simple.
You would think we had taken her
a bar of gold or diamonds because
she is always so appreciative and
grateful.
We need people in our lives
because life is not that exciting star-
ing at walls for 24 hours a day. This
is what happens to people in nursing
homes so often.
Every Christmas has problems.
Life is filled with problems. Mary
and Joseph had lots of problems their
first Christmas. No room in the Inn,
taxes to pay, an unplanned pregnan-
cy, and eventual threats from King
Herod which caused them to flee into
Egypt for safety. People all over the
planet will deal with problems this
Christmas. What is your problem
this Christmas? How are you going
to deal with it and move forward?
Sometimes there is no answer to
life’s problems except to work over
or around them. Whatever your
problem is this year, please try to not
allow it to mess up your Christmas.
Finally this Christmas try to
Places of Worship
BRIDGEVIEW
COMMUNITY CHURCH
5181 Holland Loop Rd., CJ
541-592-3923
“Come Join the Worship!”
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Sonny Moore
www.bridgeviewcc.org
* * *
7th DAY ADVENTIST
265 S. Old Stage Rd., CJ
Sabbath School - 9:30 a.m.
Saturday Worship 11 a.m.
Pastor Christian Martin
Church (541) 592-3218
Madrone Adventist School
541-592-3330
* * *
IMMANUEL UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
200 Watkins St., CJ
Phone 541-592-3876
Pastor Charles Chase
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship - 9:15 a.m.
Child-care for small children
* * *
ST. PATRICK OF THE FOREST
CATHOLIC CHURCH
407 W. River St., CJ
541-592-3658
Fr. William Holtzinger, Pastor
Mass - Sunday 11 a.m..
Sacrament of Reconciliation
Sunday - 10:30 a.m.
Holy Days TBA
* * *
TAKILMA BIBLE CHURCH
10343 Takilma Road, Takilma
Pastor Dan Robinson
Bible Study / Prayer Time
9:30 a.m.
Morning Worship 11 a.m
Wednesday Bible Study
7 p.m
* * *
First Baptist Church of Selma
18285 Redwood Hwy., Selma
541-597-4169
Pastor Monty Pope
Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.
Worship - 11 a.m.
GOOD SHEPHERD
LUTHERAN CHURCH
East River Street
& Lewis Court, CJ
Annemarie Richardson
Lay Pastor.
Sunday School - 9:15 a.m.
Sunday Worship - 10 a.m.
Church Phone: 541-592-2290
www.goodshepherdlutheraniv.net
* * *
VALLEY EVANGELICAL
FREE CHURCH
498 Laurel Road, CJ
P.O. Box 1248
Pastor Marvin Porter
Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.
Worship Service - 11 a.m.
evfree@frontiernet.net
541-592-6160
* * *
FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
ASSEMBLY OF GOD
451 S. Junction Ave., CJ
541-592-3956
Pastor Mark McLean
Morning Worship
9:30 & 11 a.m.
Wednesday - 7 p.m.
Adult Bible Study
* * *
ST. MATTHIAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH
25904 Redwood Hwy., CJ
541-592-2006
Rev. Bryant Bechtold
Sunday Worship
Service 10:30 a.m.
THE CHURCH OF JESUS
CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY
SAINTS
209 S. Junction Ave., CJ
Sacrament Meet - 10 a.m.
Sunday School - 11:20 a.m.
Priesthood, Relief Soc. -
12:10 p.m.
Bishop
Larry Hammersmith
541-592-3919
* * *
Illinois Valley Baptist Church
541-592-6149
102 S. Redwood Hwy.
(in the County Building)
Pastor Steve Root
Sunday Worship 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Study, Prayer
& Youth Program 7:00 PM
Friday Ladies Bible Study
11:00 AM
ALL Custom jeweLry designs
& repAirs done in house!
Tues - Fri 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
sAT 10 AM - 2 PM
sun & Mon Closed
23772 redwood Highway
K erby , or
541-592-4838
Candle-light
Service
Come Worship the
Birth of our Savior
6 p.m.
Christmas Eve
Thursday Dec.
24.
Refreshments
following
Valley Evangelical Free Church
498 Laurel Rd., Cave Junction
0401
***
Illinois Valley Praise Center
28569 Redwood Hwy. CJ
Non-denominational
Bible-believing Church
Sunday school - 9:30 a..m.
Sunday Service 10:30 a.m.
Thursday Seekers 7 p.m.
Youth group Thursday - 7 p.m.
www.ivpraisecenter.com
COMMUNITY BIBLE CHURCH
Pastor Dave Gordon
113 S. Caves Ave., CJ
Office: 541-592-3896
Email: cbccca@gmail.com
Sunday Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Christian Academy
Pre-K to 12th grade
Awana - Wednesdays - 6 p.m.
take a new look at the person of
Christmas - a little baby. Whatever
your religious spin in life is you
can’t feel too ill about the baby of
Christmas. Years before Jesus’ birth
it was told that a babe would be born
in Bethlehem and the government
would rest upon his shoulders. He
would be called wonderful, coun-
selor, the mighty God, the everlasting
Father and the prince of peace. If you
see or experience nothing else about
Christmas this year hopefully one
descriptive word about the baby will
penetrate your life and that is peace.
Also, be further blessed with a lot of
routine.
Glenn Mollette is a syndicated
columnist and author of 11 books.
He is read in all 50 states. Visit
www.glennmollette.com. Contact
him at GMollette@aol.com. Like
his facebook page at www.facebook.
com/glennmollette.