Hello Creekstone friends,

If you were around on Christmas, I know that you enjoyed the snow as much as my family and I did. I'm sure we'll see more in the weeks to come. But for now, we look toward the new year. This is a time when we have an opportunity to re-calibrate, or re-engineer, aspects of our lives. Today, I have been rethinking our family budget and how I spend my time. Pretty big components of life. I bet you are doing the same, and I pray that the changes you make will be fruitful reflections of how the gospel has been impacting your life through the teaching and fellowship of Creekstone.  If you are planning big life alterations, let me know. I love being challenged and encouraged by the ideas of others!  

However, if you are calling these changes "new year's resolutions," let me caution you just a bit. As profitable as disciplined effort is in achieving new goals, my experience is that these resolutions are a lot like the law — they remind us just how much we need God's grace in every area of life, whether it's the grace to make effective changes, or the grace to get back up when we've blown the resolution out of the water. So let's set our goals and be sure to ask the why questions (ie, why am I setting this new goal or re-calibrating this part of my life), as we pray for grace to see positive change take place.

And please remember, if you are planning to make a year-end contribution to Creekstone, be sure to get it in the mail soon, as this Friday is Dec. 31st. 

Creekstone's mailing address is:
Creekstone Church
40-B Public Square South
Dahlonega, GA  30533

Below are a few important notes that I want you to be aware of:

1) This Sunday, Jan. 2, we are beginning a new teaching series in the Gospel of Mark. I'm really pumped, and hope you will be there for the kick off!

2) Please plan to join us for Creekstone's first ever "VISION BANQUET," which will be held Wednesday, Jan. 19, at the Dahlonega Market Place (on the Square just above Quigley's books). An RSVP will be available soon via The City (https://creekstonechurch.onthecity.org).

3) By the way, if you have not done so already, be sure to begin the registration process for The City at this link:https://creekstonechurch.onthecity.org

 Have a very happy New Year, and I will look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday!

Yours, by grace alone,
McKay

mckaycaston@gmail.com
www.mckaycaston.com
www.creekstonechurch.com
Creekstone on Facebook

Hello Creekstone friends,

Did you know that if you are a Christian, you are not a civilian. What? Curious? Find out more this Sunday as we complete our fall series in Ephesians and look forward to a special Advent series, which will begin next Sunday and take us through Christmas. By the way, would you like some holiday inspiration?  Check out this video.

This week I simply want you to know what we have coming up. Got your calendar ready?

1) This Sunday, Nov. 21, the 20s/30s with Kids K-Group will be having a picnic at Yahoola Creek near the playground. Bring a lunch, football, frissbee, blanket, etc., and prepare to meet new folks and enjoy time with old friends as well. This is a great way to enjoy a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  And if you are 20s/30s without Kids, feel free to join the fun!

2) The next Membership Seminar will be Sunday, December 12, at the church office from 5:00-8:00 p.m. We're planning to have Gustavos Pizza, so come hungry! To sign up, just email me at mckaycaston@gmail.com. This seminar does not require you to join, and it attended by many as an inquirer's type class just to get more info on the church. However, this seminar is required for those who do wish to join. So in case you are planning to be an official member of Creekstone, our next Membership Sunday will be the second Sunday in January. After that, the next opportunity will be March.

3) If you are able to help serve as a volunteer for Operation Christmas Child on December 4 from 5:00-9:00 p.m., please contact Jennifer Legler ASAP. Her email is jnlglr@gmail.com. Volunteers will be packing the OCC shoeboxes in to get ready to go overseas, checking the boxes, and getting them ready to be shipped to the different countries. For more information, go to  http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/Processing_Center/.

4)  Our next Creekstone Gallery exhibition is going to be called the Arts & Crafts Winter Market.  It will feature four different artists and will take place the first two weekends in December. Be sure to check it out.  A huge thanks to Matt Stephenson for directing our Gallery! 

5) Due to Thanksgiving next Week, we will not have DiG Groups or Youth Discipleship.  

I hope to see you Sunday and celebrate the gospel together. 

Yours, by grace alone,

McKay

mckaycaston@gmail.com

Hello Creekstone friends,

Have I told you lately how much I love my job? Well, I do. A lot. Much of my vocational happiness is due to the encouragement of folks like you, who, knowing that you could have more programs at a larger, established church (a full-grown tree, rather than a mere plant), are committed to advancing the gospel and seeing the message and impact of grace grow through Creekstone. Please know that your kind words of affirmation buoy me up week after week. So, to those of you who are "on board" with the mission, thanks. 

The message this Sunday is about "Christians in the Workplace," and how the gospel is not to affect us only privately, but publicly. It may not be an overstatement to say that our experience in the workplace is the crucible for testing the reality of the gospel in our lives. So, to get us started thinking about the very practical reality of work, labor and vocation, we are going to begin talking about how there is no real distinction between sacred (church work, missions, etc.) and secular vocations (as a teacher, salesman, business owner, student, etc.).  Regardless the context of our employment, we can be encouraged to know that all work is a sacred, holy calling.  This has significant and far reaching implications that we'll flesh out in more detail on Sunday. 

By the way, if you are looking to serve in some capacity at Creekstone, but do not know where to jump in, try out the Facilities Ministry. Jim and Janet Keane are our Facilities Team leaders and would love to show you the ropes of setting up and packing up. We really have improved the effeciency of the process and hope that a number of you will contact Jim to help out in this important ministry. You may email him here. 

Also, The City will be launching on Sunday, November 28!  

Anyway, I hope you have a great rest of the week enjoying this world-class Dahlonega weather. :)

Because of the cross,
McKay

mckaycaston@gmail.com

This is the first of what I trust will be many, weekly "pastoral letters" to you, the Creekstone community.  Rather than just a list of "upcoming events," I want to spend some time between Sundays connecting with you to encourage, challenge, and yes, inform. But mainly to inspire—inspire with the possibilities of what it will mean for us to live the gospel in community. 

One way that we can stay connected on a more daily basis is through my blog —www.mckaycaston.com.  If you do not drop by regularly, let me encourage you to do so. Not to read my lofty expositions (laughter), but just to stay connected with what I'm thinking as I learn and lead. That blog will be a major way that I share with you between Sundays.  And you are invited to share back in the comment section!  Today's post is titled Making Much of Jesus. Hopefully, I will be able to tie my blog posts into The City, our upcoming, online way to facilitate community. For a recent post explaining the City, go here. 

The theme that I want to focus on this week is "Making Much of Jesus Together." As you know, gathering as a community on Sunday is not an obligation or requirement. It is a gift and a privilege—an opportunity for us to celebrate the gospel in the presence of God... together.  And there is something about doing that together that makes it better than celebrating the gospel alone. And so will you do me a favor?  If you are in the area on Sundays, will you make it your aim to be there... with us... together?  

Did you know that we have over 200 folks who are Creekstone regulars? Of course, week to week some are out of town. Some have sick kids. Some are lazy bums. Yep, you know who you are! :) So, I know that we can't have 100% togetherness every week. But what if we gave it a shot? What if many of us were committed to making much of Jesus together on Sunday mornings?  How might that affect us?  Our children?  Those who don't know Jesus and visit—looking to see if this grace stuff is real or just another lame religion?  I know that it would do my heart good. 

So will you take up the gospel challenge to join our voices in praise to the God of grace this Sunday, and unite our hearts in devotion to the one who gave his life that we might, though his substitutionary sacrifice of devotion to us, be justified by grace andadopted in love?  This challenge is not a law. It is the inviting plea of a grace-needy pastor who longs to celebrate God's mercy in Jesus... together. However, please know that if you are providentially hindered from being together on any Sunday, you will not be judged—only missed. 

Yours, because of the cross,
McKay
Lead Pastor and Chief Repenter
Creekstone Church