The end of the year is always a complicated time for me.  When we are decorating and preparing for Christmas there is an incredible sense of expectation.  During Christmas services and events there is a palpable sense of spiritual connection that is a blessing to share with one another.  What follows is complicated. It begins sometime after Christmas, after the family has gone home and we are all expected to get back to business as usual.  I feel it as I pull down the Christmas lights, put away the decorations, move the furniture back into the long-established marks in the carpet, and carry the boxes into their places of storage. 

It is as if I can almost hear the tiny Nativity set pleading with me to not forget… Don’t let this be a mere event. Don’t settle for a religious service, a warm feeling, a festive activity, or a family gathering where we simply enjoy the time and then return home to our normal lives. 

As we think about the birth of Christ and its impact on those who beheld its glory, life most certainly did not get back to normal, in fact, it was forever changed.  The same is true for all who will by faith receive the message of “God with us.”  

We have been given an incredible invitation to embark on an eternal journey with the Loving Eternal Father through Christ.  As the Apostle John wrote… 

John 1:11-14

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  ESV

As we prepare to move on, let us be sure not to move away from Christmas, but rather seize the invitation to move with Emmanuel. 

I pray God’s blessings for you, my church family, as we follow Christ into the new year.  Thank you for your prayers and patience throughout 2021. They are greatly appreciated.  We also are appreciative of keeping us informed and updated on needs within the congregation.  The Pandemic has certainly been a challenge in the area of communication.  As people have connected less, our ability to keep aware of needs has been difficult.  We are always grateful for calls, texts, and emails making us aware of any health issues within the church family.

Loving you all, 

Michael