Dear Enews Friends,

I thought I’d fire off an email before you shut down your computer for the holidays. From my family to yours…Merry Christmas! Really.

On the way over to the office this morning I listened to soul filling Christmas music being played on WMBI. Knowing that a very full day was about to begin once I entered the building, I decided to pull my car over near the construction site and shine my headlights on the massive steel beams that support our new auditorium. Imagine what happened in my spirit when a black gospel rendition of “Go Tell It On the Mountain” came over the airwaves. I lunged for the volume control and cranked it up just beneath the glass shattering level and began to sing at the top of my lungs. “…over the hills and everywhere…that Jesus Christ is born!” So many thoughts raced around in my mind as my vocal contribution destroyed the beauty of that recording. The first was that tonight we begin the most exciting outreach run in our annual church calendar. Over 55,000 tickets have been requested for our ten services, and hundreds of calls keep pouring into the reception area as people scramble for just two or three additional tickets for friends that said “yes” at the last moment. You are certainly to be commended for “going and telling!” Way to go, Willow!!!

My next thought was prompted by the sound of a diesel engine starting up somewhere very close to me. It was the enormous crane that lifts the steel beams into place. Before we know it, we will be inviting our friends into an environment that will enable people to see and hear the message of Christ with a clarity and quality never thought possible just a few years ago. I could imagine the singing of “Silent Night” at the end of our Christmas Eve services in the new auditorium, and the thought of that was almost more than my heart could bear. People have no idea how well that building is going to serve our congregation and the entire community.

As Christmas music kept enveloping my car, I saw a group of early rising Creekers loading up one of our church vans with Christmas gifts that I was quite sure was headed to the inner city. I pictured three or four kids in a cold, dingy apartment hearing a knock on their door, and being smothered with Christmas gifts that they were sure would not come this year. All heaven must smile at such holiday surprises!

When a semi driver flashed his brights into my rear view mirror, I knew that it was time to clear the area, park my car and go to work. But as soon as I reached my desk I realized that my heart was so full of Christmas joy that I wanted to share it with those of you who make up the Willow Family. You have no idea how privileged I feel to be your pastor. In my humble opinion you are the most remarkable congregation ever assembled in a local church. You live out the Acts 2 dream with more courage and passion than I ever thought I would see this side of glory.

Spending the next five days with you “Telling it on the Mountains and Hills…that Jesus Christ is born!”…is about as good as it gets for me! Merry Christmas. . . really!

Bill

P.S. Our January series is titled “Life’s Missing Ingredients.” It will be perfect for people who are touched by God at the Christmas Eve services. Please pray. . .

——————————- To find out about this weekend’s service or what’s happening around Willow Creek Community Church, visit http://www.willowcreek.org. To unsubscribe from E-news, send a blank message to with the word “unsubscribe” in the subject line. If you have questions about Willow Creek, you can e-mail or call (847)765-5000. Thank you.