Waiting for Christmas
Dear Middletown Reformed Church Family Member and Friends,
Christmas greetings of peace to you and your family!
Our Advent journey of hope, peace, joy, and love is leading us closer to a stable with a bright morning star shining over it. We’re almost there — almost to the moment when love comes down in the form of an infant. It is a magical and wondrous time of year, full of childlike wonder and anticipation. I simply love “baby Jesus time.”
Despite all the magic around us we may feel like we’re missing something somewhere, or like we’re wandering in the wilderness, far from home. But the good news of great joy for this time of year is that we’re not alone; that God’s steadfast love is better than life, because such love came all the way down as one of us — Emmanuel, God with us. What unconditional love is this! Because God became flesh, God’s presence is eternal and never-ending. It is better than life itself. God is our home.
In this season where we’re zipping all around, I invite you to come home to God and take the time to wait and be still; wait for the promise of hope which brings light and love into our world. Find a place where you can stop, lift up your hands, call on God’s name, as the Psalmist encourages in 63.3-4, “Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name” and feel God’s presence in the form of a vulnerable baby who gives us true, abiding peace. No matter what.
Beloved, if you’ve been away for a while or have been coming to church every Sunday, come to worship this Fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of Love. Tom will lead us in our hymns and sing the Anthem “Mercy in a Manger.” I’m preaching from Luke 1.26-56 and my sermon title is The Courage of Mary and Elizabeth.
And then on Christmas Eve, I warmly welcome you to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child coming into the world at our Family Friendly Traditional Candlelight worship at 6:30 PM. All of our choirs will bless us with ringing and singing, with special music from Sarah Hanvey and Brian Kolins. I am preaching from Luke 2.1-20 and my sermon title is What Is Already Here. In addition, we will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper on this most holy night.
Finally, in this season of hope, peace, joy, and love the Consistory and I would be grateful if you would consider giving a Christmas offering in addition to your regular offering this Sunday or Christmas Eve as a way to support the growing, transformative reign of Christ ministries of God’s church. You may give in person, through the mail, or through tithe.ly on our website — www.mrchurch.us. As I’ve said many times, you make ministry happen at Middletown Reformed Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. You make love happen! It is because of your faithful gifts of time, talent, and treasures to your church home that we can celebrate the love and grace of God every Sunday and throughout the week with our ministry partners.
In closing, I leave you with this Christmas Prayer. I look forward to continuing to worship with you in this beautiful season of Advent and on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas.
Loving and Holy God, we give you thanks for the light you sent into the world. Like a mother experiencing birth pangs, all of creation groans with expectation, waiting for a new birth of love that gives us great joy. In this way, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. May the blessing that Christ brings teach us to be merry with open hearts. May Christmas morning make us happy to be your children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven. And may the peace that goes beyond all of our understanding surround us now, and into our days ahead. Amen (Adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson)
With gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,
Pastor Trish