December Newsletter

The contents of the Berman December Newsletter are posted below:
Dear Friends and Family:
The Bermans have many reasons to rejoice this Christmas season, but the one that is filling mine and Shannon's hearts the most is that we finally feel like we're home.  When Shannon and I were married on November 3, 2001, the notion of a being home was not something to be grasped.  Between August of 2001 and August 2002, I went through three job changes and periods of unemployment, finally deciding to go into seminary in 2002, when we moved into an apartment.  In 2004, we moved to Memphis, and that was just starting to feel like home when we felt the Lord leading us back to seminary for round two.  In May 2007, we moved to Dallas, where we rented a house for two years.  Upon graduation in August of 2009, when we finally decided to plant a church in Tulsa, we knew that Tulsa was where home would finally be.

There really isn't anything better than spending Christmas at home, is there?  Home is where traditions are started, memories are shared, and kids are raised; home is where arguments are had and where forgiveness is sought; home is where true intimacy lies as you are fully known and at the same time fully loved for who you are.  Home, for us this holiday season, is this house, this city, and this church-- ethos church. 

Even though we really don't have any committed members yet, we have great hopes for what God is going to accomplish through this church.  We are confident that the Gospel-centered preaching and teaching that we dream of bringing to this city will be used by God to change the ethos of Tulsa- the way that Tulsa sees and perceives God. 

Your gifts and generosity to us over the past year has helped us get to this point.  Your gifts have helped us to be home.  And for that, we are so grateful, we can hardly put it into words.  Thank you for your generosity.  Thank you for loving and supporting us.  Thank you for sending us home.  We love you!  And Merry Christmas!