Don't you hate those year end newsletters people send you. At least this one won't fill your trash can....

The Layne Christmas Newsletter


December 2004
What’s inside:
· The meaning of Christmas
· Colin graduates
· Lynann’s graduate work
· Five years in Temple City
· Lynann’s surgery
· Charis’ world
· What Glenn is up to
· Big anniversary in 2005



The Meaning of Christmas

6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
(Luke 2:6-14)


Colin Graduates

June 11 saw Colin’s graduation from Arcadia High School. (For those of you not in the area, even though we live in Temple City, we live within the borders of Arcadia School district.) Within a month he had begun colleges at the Art Institute of California/Los Angeles (actually located in Santa Monica). By the end of the term (in September) he’d determined that AI was not the school for him. He will begin classes at Pasadena City College (less than 10 miles from home) in January. Currently he is investigating both architecture and criminal justice as career options.
Lynann continues work on master‘s degree

Lynann is on schedule to finish her MSN in nursing from the University of Phoenix. UOP is based in southern California and operates numerous campuses. Thus far she has been able to take all her classes at the Pasadena campus, which is located minutes from her work at Huntington Hospital. Lynann has been a discharge planner there for nearly two years.

Five years in Temple City

When we realized that this is the first time in our marriage that we had the opportunity to vote for president twice in the same place, we realized just how much the five year mark is a big deal for us. (Note to all our relatives in Ohio: THANK YOU FOR VOTING FOR BUSH. We apologize for not being able to turn California “red.” Give us time!)
Being five years in the same place means that the people at the grocery store and the pharmacy recognize you. It means that you know the back ways to all the places you need to get to.

Lynann’s surgery

Humpty-Dumpty has nothing on Lynann. In January, she had a “great fall” at work that eventually led to surgery on her knee in August. (Can you believe it? She had surgery in the morning, and went to her class at University of Phoenix the same evening!) She was off work for about six weeks and in rehab, but has regained about 95% use of her knee.

Charis’ world

Now a High School junior, Charis has found her niche in stage crafts—on of those people who work behind the scenes to make a play happen. She’s worked on several plays now, and her dream job is working in the movie industry on special effects make-up. She’s starting to consider her college options. She’s also a near fanatic reader with a special love of Edgar Allen Poe. She has also concluded that Johnny Depp is her favorite actor and that anything directed by Tim Burton belongs in her DVD collection.

What Glenn is up to

Glenn continues at Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Temple (www.templecitybaptist.org). This year the big events all seemed to land in the fall: involvement in the Los Angeles Billy Graham Crusade at the Rose Bowl—a mere ten miles from our home. We also did a Forty Days of Purpose campaign at the church. A concerted emphasis on evangelism has paid off—church attendance is up about 10% over this time last year.

Glenn taught a class at Fuller Seminar this fall—part of a class on American Baptist Polity. He is now also a “blogger”! Check out his bog at www.durabledata.blogspot.com.

He continues to serve as well as Moderator of the Foothill Association and on the board of Atherton Baptist Homes (www.abh.org).

Big Anniversary in 2005

Well, 2005 is Glenn and Lynann’s 25th wedding anniversary. We have our sights set on about ten days in Maui, probably in late July or early August (the actual anniversary is June 28).

We would like to close our letter with just a simple wish that each of you have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed and Happy New Year. All our love,
Glenn, Lynann, Colin
and Charis