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Posted on March 23, 2005 ...

I am one of those people for whom silk plants were invented. Perhaps I am cursed with a ��brown thumb�� or maybe I simply do not have a clue regarding what it takes to grow and maintain healthy houseplants. I gave up trying a long time ago after multiple failed attempts. (My success rate with outdoor trees, flowers, and shrubs is slightly higher. In those cases, I simply plant and trust God to do the rest.) My wife, however, does posses a much greater ��knack�� for growing plants both indoors and outdoors.

One of the small plants she keeps in our kitchen is a Christmas Cactus. For months on end it sits on our countertop in relative sameness, without any noticeable changes at all. Of course, the Christmas Cactus gets its name from its inclination to grow beautiful blooms around the Christmas season. Alas, many a Christmas has come and gone without a single bloom appearing.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, Michelle pointed out to me several buds that were beginning to appear on the end of the prickly cactus leaves. As the days went by more buds appeared. One by one they gradually blossomed into beautiful red blooms. Our Christmas Cactus was transformed into an Easter Cactus! (This photograph does not even begin to justly portray the beauty of the plant in bloom.)

There is something ironically poetic and fitting about this odd timing. During the Christmas season we remember how God planted His precious Son into our world. But it was on Resurrection Sunday that Jesus blossomed forth from the grave to His greatest glory. Also, just as you can still see the sharp points of the cactus, so were the sharp wounds of the cross a visible part of Jesus�� resurrected body.

During this weekend, may we see Jesus both in His agony and in His glory. He is risen indeed!

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Cleveland, TN 37312
423-476-8524
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This Week at NCBC

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30:
8:30 AM ... Early Worship
9:40 AM ... Old Fashioned Sing - Annex
9:45 AM ... Sunday School - Bible Study
11:00 AM ... Morning Worship
4:00 PM ... Handbells - Sanctuary
4:45 PM ... Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal - Sanctuary
5:30 PM ... All other H.O.G. participants meet in Sanctuary
6:00 PM ... Hanging of the Green
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1:
6:30 PM ... Drama Practice - Sanctuary
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2:
7:00 AM ... Coffee and Bible Study - Grissom
3:30 PM ... Contractor Meeting - Conference Room
6:00 PM ... Quilters - Annex
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3:
6:00 PM ... Bible Study - Prayer Meeting - Sanctuary
6:00 PM ... Children's Choir - Room 410
6:00 PM ... Preschool Choir - Room 310
6:30 PM ... Youth Activities - Annex
6:45 PM ... Preschool Mission Friends - Room 312
6:45 PM ... RAs & GAs - Upstairs Education Building
6:45 PM ... Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal - Choir Loft
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4:
9:30 AM ... Ladies Prayer Group - Annex
6:00 PM ... Willing Workers Christmas Party - Antonios

This Week in Worship

Welcome and Announcements ... Verlin Tucker
Prayer ... Verlin Tucker
Call To Worship ... Congregation
"Come, Now Is the Time to Worship"
"O Worship the King" (Hymn 16)
Children's Sermon ... Dr. Jay McCluskey
Scripture Reading ... Jason Cox
1 Corinthians 16:1-4
Scripture can be found on page 816 of the Bibles supplied in our Sanctuary
Choral Worship ... Sanctuary Choir
"How Beautiful"
Offertory Hymns ... Congregation
"Make Me a Blessing" (Hymn 569)
"Little Is Much When God Is in It"
Offertory Prayer ... Jeff Elliott
Offertory Music ... Instrumentalist
Giving of Tithes and Offerings ... Congregation
Special Music ... Rev. Lanny Green
Message from God's Word ... Dr. McCluskey
"Do You Need Some Gift Giving Advice?"
Invitation Hymn ... Congregation
"I Give You My Heart"
Recognition of Decisions ... Pastor
Closing Words ... Pastor
Benediction ... Pastor

Hanging of the Green
6:00 p.m., Sunday, November 30
Hanging of the Green is a worship service centered around the songs and symbols of the Holiday Season. As the Sanctuary is decorated with sights and sounds, worshipers see how candles, greenery, poinsettias, manger scenes, and other objects become part of our Christmas traditions.