Empowered through the Grace of God

to love, lead, and serve

This newsletter covers two months of wonderful traditions, transitions and celebrations! November 29th began our season of Advent, December welcomes the birth of our Savior and January welcomes Epiphany and ends with our Annual meeting (no, that is not a religious holiday!).

Advent, or the coming of our Messiah, reminds us to be on guard and to travel lightly. A poem was suggested to be read during Advent called “For the Children” from the collection Turtle Island by Gary Snyder, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1975:

The rising hills, the slopes,
of statistics
lie before us.
the steep climb
of everything, going up,
up, as we all
go down.

In the next century
or the one beyond that,
they say,
are valleys, pastures,
we can meet there in peace
if we make it.

To climb these coming crests
one word to you, to
you and your children:

stay together
learn the flowers
go light

This poem helps us to remember the fragility of life and the beauty of it that we often miss because we are in such a hurry and we carry so much with us! But we have our savior who is born…something we just don’t want to miss! And the promise of hope that is to come is our gift.

I traveled to the Netherlands with a friend who had never traveled to another continent before. I reminded her to pack lightly. I learned the hard way that when you carry a suitcase that is too big or too heavy, traveling can become a nightmare. Most likely you will have to transport your luggage with you at one point or another and you need to be able to pull it, lift it, carry it, when necessary. I packed a suitcase and a backpack to go. She had two suitcases, carry on luggage, and other canvas bags. We had to walk to take a train to the next town to our hotel and ended up getting quite lost as we walked and walked through the streets seeking our place to stay. Her luggage was huge and heavy and I helped the best that I could…but we were slowed down by it. What is slowing us down as we prepare for the Lord? What extra baggage are we carrying right now that we could easily have left behind with confession and forgiveness to a Savior who is so willing to carry the burdens for us? What are we holding on to so tightly that we can’t let go, but know that is exactly what we need to do in order to hold on to the newborn king?

When the newborn king arrives we want empty hands to hold and love the new baby! We want free hands and time to offer hospitality and kindness, to serve others, not just to serve our selves. Now is the time, as the birth of Christ draws near, to lighten the load and live in the warmth of the light Emmanuel. “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 6.6

In January we will celebrate Epiphany when we meet the three Magi who came to greet and meet Jesus. We celebrate the light that shines even to the Gentiles…to all nations…This light that was revealed to the world is for the world and we get to carry just a small portion of it to others as we serve.

Prepare the way of the Lord…and pack lightly…because our Savior will provide all we need through the tough times, times of isolation, and times of community and celebration…For unto us a child is born! He is born indeed!

Walk through Advent and carry your light! Celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas Eve and Day and into Epiphany. Come and celebrate the light of life and the light of the world as we gather again for Epiphany! We are blessed people of God gathered in his name to give thanks for birth and re-creation through Jesus of Nazareth, our Savior, the Messiah.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Sherry
PastorSherry@sbcglobal.net