Merry Christmas to ALL

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” 

Merry Christmas! Catherinanne and I wish you every wish for happiness and peace this season! We pray that you all have a Holy and Merry Christmas Season.

This time of year affords us opportunity to sing praise that we are loved so much that God would become One with us – Emmanuel. It is a time of year where thought of love, hope, peace, and joy fill our hearts.  It is a time when we feel a great sense of gratitude for the people who God has placed in our lives. There will be many who treasure precious gifts at this time of year – in the midst of all of the gist opening and merrymaking let us remember to give thanks to God over this season for the gift of Love that has come to dwell among us. Let us hold it up and remind the world that we are a people who celebrate that Love and that Light of Jesus. Let us remember that the most precious gifts in our lives are living gifts.

Let us remember this Christmas Season that it is in and with each other that God becomes incarnational. Martin Buber wrote – “When two people relate to each other authentically and humanly, God is the electricity that surges between them.” There will no doubt be opportunity for us to be together with many family and friends of the holiday season. Sometimes that can be a little rough – as shocking as this may sound – not all families, friends, coworkers, parishioners etc – get along swimmingly. For some this time of year is highly stressful because of broken relationships and unrealistic expectations. Perhaps if we remember that the gift of God-with-us is lived out again and again in the person across the table from us that might help this situation. Remembering that God is made real when in the electricity that surges between us when we are in authentic and human relation with another is helpful to me. It allows me to see the Incarnation again and again.  Christmas is as good a time as any other to recall our covenantal call to ‘seek and serve Christ in ALL persons.’ We are even called to serve those that we find difficult! Christmas is a great place to recapture our ability to do just that.

There are many who are struggling this Christmas. So I pray that those of you who are in the midst of great grief may be comforted. I pray that those who are struggling may know peace. I pray that the love which comes in the form of the Babe will rest upon those who feel isolated, rejected and alone. I pray for those who are dying today and those who are settled in beside them waiting and watching- May God grant you healing and peace. For those whose communities are dying  I pray that time time may be a comfort that God is at work in new and diverse ways. I pray that those of us who will have full bellies and large tables of people will be reminded of the power of the story of how God came to dwell among us. As Philip Yancey wrote;  “Yet as I read the birth stories about Jesus I cannot help but conclude that though the world may be tilted toward the rich and powerful, God is tilted toward the underdog.”  To those who are underdog the messenger says, “Do not be afraid, behold, I am bringing you good news!” May our prayer be not that we are so ‘blessed’ to be among the richest and most secure, but that God cares enough to remind us that our place is with the vulnerable, the weak, the rejected – This Christmas may we be courageous enough to stand with the underdog – Jesus did!

Please join us for worship at St. Aidan’s —

4 PM — Children offer much leadership to this service.

7 PM — Mid Evening Celebration

11 PM — Preceded by Carol sing at 10:40

CHRISTMAS DAY —

10 am CHURCH OF THE HOSANNAS (Hype Park at Gainsborough)
THE FIRST 50 IN THE DOOR RECEIVE A GIFT