The dollar has experienced a series of record lows against the euro this month. The death toll following the Iran quake has risen to 28,000 today. The terror threat alert level is at orange - second highest on the five-tiered, color-coded scale - for at least the rest of the week. Do you ever wonder how these and other current events might fit into what the Bible says about the end times and the return of Christ?

Join us Wednesday from 7-9 p.m. for New Year's Eve at Calvary. I'll be speaking about Bible prophecy and current events. We've planned a special celebration for the kids, too. For information, click on the banner below. Hope to see you there!

Allen

If you're like me, you love New Year's because it gives you an opportunity to review where you've been and to reevaluate where your're going. About this time last year, our church staff met to do a lttle goal setting. We each put a copy of our goals in a shared envelope and sealed it like a time capsule. It will be fun to break the seal and celebrate all that was accomplished.

What was 2003 like for you? What are your goals for 2004? Join us December 28 and January 4 for the two-part series, Turn It up a Notch. Sunday, December 28, corporate trainer Andy Neillie will speak about personal growth based on Luke 2:52. Sunday, January 4, our Pastor of Discipleship, Bunjee Garrett, will speak on ministry growth as we roll out CDP - the all new Calvary Discipleship Program. (By the way, Sunday, January 11, I will resume our series in Luke with a message about humility!)

Allen

When our daughter was born, my wife and I had chosen a first name for her but were stuck on a middle name. We wanted her to have an A-letter middle name so that she would have the same initials (though in a different order) that we did. Problem is we liked a name that started with an E. In the end, we came up with an alternative spelling so that the E-letter name started with a A. No one is sure how to pronounce it but her monogram is safe!

Mary and Joseph had no such problems because an angel told them what to name their Son. Join us for Christmas Eve at Calvary and find out what's so significant about the name Jesus. The hour-long service begins Wednesday, December 24, at 7 p.m. and includes Christmas music, drama, a special message, and a candlelight grand finale. No childcare will be provided as the entire family is invited into the auditorium for this celebration.

Allen

Two words. Trista and Ryan. Trista went from runner-up on "The Bachelor" to the star of the "The Bachelorette", where she chose Ryan on the show's finale, which aired in February. Wednesday night's special "Trista and Ryan's Wedding" was seen by one in 10 Americans giving ABC the lead for the night in prime time.

What if they had reality-TV in New Testament times? What if instead of Trista and Ryan we had Mary and Joseph? Join us December 14 and 21 for the two-part series, Reality Christmas. Sunday, December 14, it's Mary as "The Bachelorette." Sunday, December 21, it's Joe as "The Bachelor."

Allen