December 2021 News - National Association of Church Facilities Managers

December 2021 NACFM News

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHURCH FACILITIES MANAGERS | December 2021

Are we seeing stars this Christmas or seeing The Star?
MESSAGE FROM NACFM PRESIDENT HOMER CLARK

Before Thanksgiving week, my wife Jenny and I were camping. It was a very magical time. Most of the leaves were off the trees, the night air was relatively warm, and the sky was filled with blossoming stars. As I looked at the sky in wonder of the miracle of the universe, I noticed that one star was much brighter than the rest; it wasn’t the North Star, it was Jupiter. (There’s an app for that.) My mind continued to wander, settling on the story of Jesus' birth.

"At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn." - Luke 2:1-7 (NLT)

There are many more chapters and verses around the birth event, however, I choose this one bit of scripture because of the star:

"Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him.' The star was the guiding light in the sky sent from God to shine brightly in the night sky to guide all those who were looking for the newborn king." - Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT)

I can recall as a child being so excited as I listened to this part of the story recounting how God announced to the world by means of a gleaming star the delivery of his greatest gift to mankind, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And think about the excitement of the wise men knowing that the prophecy had come true and that following the new star was better than GPS! The star, in and of itself, was one of many miracles that the Lord provided during the birth of Jesus. Stars technically don’t "move" in the night sky. Comets move but not stars. In God's providential hands, the star did move not just appear to move with earth's rotation. For us today that star at the top of the Christmas tree represents a great and miraculous birth announcement, the birth of Jesus our Lord!

During the stress of Christmas setups and push to get it all done, take a moment to look at the star on the tree or the cross remembering that we are celebrating the greatest gift ever, salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, brothers and sisters I want to wish each of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Christmas holiday. I leave you with a prayer:

This is the day you made, Lord. I am full of joy and I will be glad because I belong to the Lord. I am happy because You are the Lord, my God!

Eternal God, hallowed be your name. Early in the morning, before we begin our work, we praise your glory. Renew our bodies as fresh as the morning flowers. Open our inner eyes, as the sun casts new light upon the darkness. Deliver us from all captivity. Like the birds of the sky, give us wings of freedom to begin a new journey. As a mighty stream running continuously, restore justice and freedom day by day. We thank you for the gift of this morning, and a new day to work with you. Amen.
(MASAO TAKENAKA, JAPAN, 20TH CENT., ALT.)

Blessings to you all,

Homer Clark
NACFM President

Online Voting for NACFM Bylaw Change

Online voting for a bylaw change will be available December 6th-17th. NACFM Members please mark the calendar and participate in the vote.

Featured Member:
Jeff Galasso - Faith Bible Chapel International, Arvada, CO

Growing up in Denver, Colorado, young Jeff Galasso aspired to be a champion tennis player making a name for himself on the court. But Jesus had some better ideas and Jeff soon found himself serving in a higher calling on a higher court!

Born in Denver and raised in North Denver, Jeff worked from grade school into high school in a family-owned cleaning business and greenhouse. He credits these years for developing a solid work ethic.

The Use of Antifreeze in Fire Sprinkler Systems:
What to Know Before September 30, 2022

With last year’s freeze of systems in Texas due to loss of power and the need for antifreeze in fire sprinklers, the requirements are changing in September of 2022. Checkout this recent article from Vanguard to help you be prepared.