Pastor Bill Hayden
In 2002, my 29 years of working in Corporate America was coming to an end. The day of traveling the freeways, dodging distracted drivers, calling customers and sitting in meetings while trying to stay awake after lunch was concluding. I had purchased my new Harley Davidson 2000 Springer Softail and was looking forward to many road trips in between attending church obligations. Joining the Fremont Harley Owners Group gave me the opportunity to go on road trips as a group.
My retirement day had come and my fellow co-workers had taken me out to lunch, shared their thoughts of affirmation with parting gifts and well wishes. I even received some HD gift cards and invited a few of them to a joint retirement party for my wife and me. She had worked for Pac Bell for 31 years and told me that since I was retiring, she would as well. It really felt good to have finally earned the privilege to retire at 54 years young.
This coming Sunday we get to celebrate The bodily Ascension of Jesus Christ. The work that He accomplished paved the way for all humanity to have an eternal relationship with the God of all creation. Jesus came into the world to save mankind by His sacrificial death, burial and resurrection granting us all forgiveness of our sins. John 1:11-12 NLT 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, He gave the right to become children of God.
Forty days after His resurrection Jesus completed His God given mission… charging His disciples to preach the message of salvation in His name throughout the world. He instructed them to return to Jerusalem and wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses. Within ten days of waiting in an upper room praying, they all received the gift that Jesus promised and were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Meet us this Sunday as we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus Christ and experience the glory of the Spirit’s presence as we worship in song and the spoken word.
We are looking forward to the day and time that we finish our mission and ascend to meet Him in the air!
See you at the Villages Community Chapel in Cribari Auditorium, every Sunday at 10 a.m. to be encouraged over the Word and enjoy a cup of coffee and cookies with friends. The chapel is a place for needs to be met, faith to be affirmed and new friends to embrace. You can view our worship services on YouTube at Villages Community Chapel San Jose, CA.