Beloved Friends:
There are certain moments in our life as a congregation that leave an indelible imprint on my memory: holding a child aloft during baptism, the prayers of farewell as someone prepares to die, the whispered prayers that are shared during communion, the celebration of the Resurrection. Perhaps the most powerful, though, is the sight of us all together on Christmas Eve raising our candles as a declaration of love in the darkest time of the service and of the year.
The Gospel of John declares, "What came into being in him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."
Wherever you find yourself this Christmas Eve, whether here at South Church or wherever your travels may take you, my prayer is that you will feel the power of that light surrounding you, holding you, uplifting you, guiding you, and reminding you that the work or bearing witness to God's love in the world is something we do not ever have to do alone. Nor can we.
May the Light of God's love surround you and your loved ones this Christmas! May it illuminate our world!
With grateful love,
Jed
