Happy Midweek Dear People!
It is hard to believe that we are here, done with our Advent journey and hastily putting the finishing touches on all things, Christmas. What a wonderful advent season it has been. Thank you for all your heartfelt participation as we plodded along the road to Bethlehem, especially your singing of, “There’s a Light at the End of the Darkness.”
As I write this, I just received news that our dear Minister of Music, Andy Riggs, has contracted COVID. Please keep Andy in your prayers. This knocks him out of being with us on Christmas Eve. We both fretted about the situation for about two minutes, and then things began to fall into place. With all of the recordings that we have done in the past two and a half years, we have everything we need for worship to happen in a mighty way. I do hope you and your families are planning on being here Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. If you have family and friends that need a special place to be, invite them to our church. There will be a great deal of singing, some inspirational liturgy, a wonderful poem, Holy Communion, and a short message from me. And of course, Christmas would not be Christmas without, “Silent Night, Holy Night,” sung as we lift our candles in tribute.
For the past four weeks, we have enjoyed the sacred space design that Mark, Vicki Holland, Jeff Wield, and Andy Riggs got together. There was some discussion of the manger and the cross. If you are not sure what I am talking about, I encourage you to be in Christmas Eve Worship. The connection of the manger and the cross can be startling, but also very moving. May this Christmas be one where the story of the manger and the story of the cross meet. The beginnings and endings of our story… the story of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.
As you and your family head into Christmas Day, make sure and take some quiet time for yourself, to bask in the advent promises of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE. Celebrate Christ’s birth by loving each other, staying home on Sunday morning, and worshiping God in your love for one another. Have a very merry Christmas. I love being your pastor!
Holding you close and lifting you high! See you Saturday.
Pastor Greg
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