MERRY CHRISTMAS

PEOPLE OF GOD,

May Christ be born in you as we move on Sunday morning from the keeping awake of our Advent season to the Eve of Christ birth in the evening hours. This year’s quick movement from one season to another reminds us that when God takes action all things fall into place. Ready or not, Christ comes to us. Our season of Advent has prepared us by keeping awake as we have lighted the advent candles, welcoming hope, peace, joy, and love. We have heard beautiful music of our choir and bell choir as well as CentralTime with Charlie Rod and Matt Hibbard. We sang our Advent hymns, caroled in our community and came together midweek for Holden Evening Prayer to pause and prepare. Our children have proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ in the telling of the old, old story we love so much. We have made our preparations, and we are soon to celebrate Christ coming to us.

It is a joyful season. I am so grateful for all God has done and continues to do working through us and Christ continues to come to us. When I was in the Holy Land, our director, JP kept encouraging us to savor our time as we were trying to pack in as much as we could with the time we had. It was wise advice that I now pass on to you. Savor this time as these two seasons meet and greet with one another.

As you read this, stop, take a deep breath, and savor the moment. Invite and welcome the Holy Spirit to sit with you. God is here. Savor the time together being alert to what God is whispering in your ear. Open your eyes a bit wider because God is here. Smell the familiar scents of this time. God is here. This is a holy time. Relish it. Savor this holy time. Jesus is born for you and for me. Look at a baby and remember that is how God came to us and we delight in his coming as one of us, small, fragile, vulnerable, and wonderfully made. We can’t help but smile and be filled with joy. God loves us so much and we get to hold this love like a newborn baby. That is something awesome to savor.

Blessed Christmas. May Christ be born in you.

Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,

Pastor Connie Spitzack