From Pastor Lee
February 1, 2024
The seasons of Advent and Christmas
The seasons of Advent and Christmas can really be stressful and chaotic with all the preparations and celebrating that we engage in during the month of December. How much more stressful and chaotic it must have been for Joseph and Mary when Jesus was born into our world. According to scripture, the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, conceives the Son of God. On top of that, with her and Joseph not married yet, she had to tell him she was pregnant. After help from an angel, Joseph decides to not divorce Mary quietly, but decides to raise a child who is not his own. Then of all the times for the Roman Emperor, Augustus, to choose to take a census, he decides to do it close to the due date of the baby being born This meant Joseph had to decide to go to his hometown of Bethlehem, with or without Mary. He could not leave her to have the baby alone, so he decides to take her along. Well, you get the gist of the story as it is well known. It sounds like stress and chaos, which many of us may have experienced in the past month. However, with the birth of the Christ Child, life would neve be the same again. No, his coming did not remove the stress and chaos we experience in life, but now we can have peace, joy, hope and life, a different kind of life. All because of Jesus.
During the past month, there were those moments which reminded me, which delivered to us if we were open to receive it, the peace, joy, hope and life. I experienced it in so many ways. My list would include, but not be limited to, Holy Communion, the Children’s Christmas drama and party, the cantata presented by our choir, the special music provided by individuals during our times of worship, the lighting of the Advent wreath and the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Maybe the greatest way of all was through you and your expressions of love and care in way of cards, gifts, and words expressed to me. For all of this I am so grateful. Vickie and I both thank you ALL so much for your love. We look forward to being with you in this new year of 2024. May the Lord continue to bless Grace UMC with his vision and desire to engage people with the love of Jesus so that they too may have the joy, peace, hope, and life, which comes only through Jesus!
Happy New Year!
Love, Pastor Lee
