Merry Christmas from the Dins

Thank you.

This Christmas, Carissa and thank you for walking with us through a year that has affected us all throughout the world. Looking back, we have seen the hand of God through it all: the fellowship, the partnership, and the knowledge we have gained as a ministry team. As we close out a challenging year—within and out—we wanted to celebrate the journey we have taken this year with your love and support as we all strive to glorify Christ.

Why are we celebrating Christmas

We want to take a moment and wish you and your family a Merry Christmas as we celebrate the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. God showed us His love at the Calvary through the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ, and those who believe in Him have the right to be called the children of God and live with Him forever. We have believed and have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, where through His atonement we have been made right with God, and the lives we now live are for His glory.

Are you celebrating it for the same reason?

If you are celebrating Christmas and do not know Christ as your personal Savior, I will encourage you to understand the true purpose of the Birth of Jesus Christ. We are more than happy to connect with you personally and share this Good News with you (simply reply to this e-mail). We love you very much and want you to know the love of God as well.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:31-32 (NIV)

We are thankful for you and the West Oneonta Baptist Church Family

This year, since the ministry was anything but usual, we understood the importance of relationships and what matters the most—not only to us but to God who has called us to do His will. We went from in-person services to hybrid—in person and online—and these types of pivots are challenging and we know it has been possible only by the providence of God, your love and your ongoing support.

• Since March we have been monitoring the CDC, Federal, and Statewide COVID-19 protocols and have been meeting for worship in various ways. Thank you for tuning in and joining with us every week in-person, on Radio, Facebook and Zoom.
• We connected with the local community within and outside of West Oneonta Baptist Church to meet their needs—physical and spiritual, as many of them lost their job and were out of work.  Thank you for praying and giving generously! Your faithful giving has enabled us to meet the needs of these families.
• We are in close contact with the high-risk community at our church. We have been communicating with them via phone and from a distance to ensure they have all that they need to meet their physical and spiritual needs. Thank you for keeping in touch with each other and ministering to those who are in need and sharing sermons via phone, Facebook and Compact Discs.
• We continued with observing the Lord’s table by adapting the non-contamination process by using the pre-packaged communion. Thank you for understanding the hardship and making others feel safe while we broke the bread and took the cup. We must perpetually do this until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the Holy Scriptures!
• Our various ministries have been creative throughout this process and have ministered to others while adhering to the CDC guidelines. Thank you for being creative and understanding the risk.
• Several of our missionaries were able to visit us and share what the Lord is doing through them and how their ministries might be changing. Thank you for taking Christ’s command to reach the world seriously.
• There is much we were able to accomplish with the resources we have. Thank you for extending me the grace as I did not list the individual efforts here.

With God on our side, it is easy to believe that all of this fruit came in a year like 2020, and we are so thankful for the role you have taken to make this all happen for the glory of God. All praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who uses us through the leading of His Holy Spirit to do His will.

God is with and for us

Invitation

As we close this year and step into the year 2021, we cannot forget that we are God’s co-workers and He is using us for His glory—we are not alone. We know the plans God has for us.  God has called us to equip the body of Christ for the ministry of the gospel through prayer, preaching, and teaching. We invite you to join and partner with us in our ministry again as we continue to serve the Lord through the leading of the Holy Spirit, regardless of the circumstances we are all facing.

We are praying for you and your family.

Enjoy the Celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ and have a safe New Year.

In Christ Alone.

Pastor Aamir, Carissa, Sophia, Arabella and Kundan Din