We pray all God’s best as we enter into this season of celebrating our Savior’s incarnation and birth as the Baby Jesus. May all His Love flow over and in you this holy time.
The Swingles had another eventful year:
- Joyce completed her first year as lead/senior pastor of Westchester Chapel Community Church of the Nazarene aka WCCC (WestchesterChapel.org). She has had the blessing of celebrating Christ in this beloved community for almost 15 years and has seen the Lord bring people to Himself, grow them into steadfast, faithful and Spirit-filled believers and mature them to continue to witness to His Love and Presence. God has blessed this little group of the faithful through a time of reconstruction and return to the core of the faith: Christ Alone. It has been an eventful and rewarding journey.
- This was Rich's busiest year. He was in front of groups teaching, speaking, preaching or performing over 275 times on three continents, four nations and 17 states. He broke another personal record by performing nine of his 11 productions (only A Clear Leading and The Revelation were left out of the lineup: RichDrama.com), including two new offerings: Paradise Lost (which you can watch in its entirety) and Shepherds Reflect on Psalm 23 (which you can hear in its entirety).
- Rich and Joyce performed, taught and or preached in four nations this year: Jordan and Israel in May as Rich co-led a Christians in Theatre Arts (CITA.org) tour: CITAToTheNationsJordanAndIsrael.Shutterfly.com. Taiwan and Singapore (Rich only) in the fall as both Swingles taught at a Spiritual Life Week at Morrison Academy and Rich went on to Singapore to perform Beyond the Chariots for a packed-out event for Singapore Youth Day. Joyce went back to the US to preach in Pittsburgh. There was a twelve hour period where the Swingles were performing for 12 hours straight in both hemispheres!
- The Swingles also had the incredible experience of appearing as husband/wife, father/mother of nine (pictured in the photo card above) in the lovely film Indescribable (RichDrama.com/Indescribable), which tells the story of God’s love. The film is expected to be released next summer.
- Rich enjoyed unusually joyous camaraderie on the set of Writers' Block (RichDrama.com/WritersBlock), a comedy about two screen writers forced to hole up overnight and turn out a blockbuster script. The Presence of the Lord was so strong on the set that the participants still share the wonder with each other.
- We too want to share the wonder of the surrendered life with you. We’ve been preaching for some time at WCCC on the freedom that is in Christ and have walked with Him through the shedding of sins and idolatries of all sorts. (You'll find some messages on WestchesterChapel.org at the bottom of the center column, including recordings of Views of the Manger as Rich shares it week by week this Advent.) The result for those who have allowed God to work has been an increasing freedom in the Spirit -- freedom to enjoy God’s Presence and to serve as He calls in joyous, fruitful measure. We pray just such blessings for you this season and in the year to come.
In Christ Alone,
Rich and Joyce Swingle
P.S. If you're still looking for some gift-giving ideas consider some of Rich's projects:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/RJXLL_EJzYE
Here is Rich's performance of Harvey Silverstein The Innkeeper on the other side of the wall from what is believed to be the actual manger in which Jesus was born. Our guide to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem said it's over 9 out of 10 probability that it's the actual manger because a Byzantine church is built over a little chapel enclosing a stone manger. It is the oldest church on earth that is still being used. It was built within 100 years of Jesus' death, so it was the grandkids of those who were there that identified it as The Spot.
P.S. If you're still looking for some gift-giving ideas consider some of Rich's projects:
A Christmas Snow (also check out your local listings)
God of Hope
Sponsor a child as a gift to someone you know and to a child in a developing nation: RichDrama.com/Compassion.P.P.S. Here's Joyce's performance of her one-woman piece The Shepherd's Daughter, performed in the Shepherds' Cave of Bethlehem.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/RJXLL_EJzYE
Here is Rich's performance of Harvey Silverstein The Innkeeper on the other side of the wall from what is believed to be the actual manger in which Jesus was born. Our guide to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem said it's over 9 out of 10 probability that it's the actual manger because a Byzantine church is built over a little chapel enclosing a stone manger. It is the oldest church on earth that is still being used. It was built within 100 years of Jesus' death, so it was the grandkids of those who were there that identified it as The Spot.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/qt32cekcyig
