A New Year’s Greeting to Morgan’s Point and Forks Road East United Churches
Happy New Year, to each one of you! I have certainly missed connecting in with everyone through phone calls and text messages over the past three weeks. Although, I have been absolutely busy over these past few weeks with sermons, a preaching schedule, and time to celebrate Christmas with Ted and my family (over the phone), I will be so grateful to be able to start phoning folks again beginning on Monday, Jan. 4th. I look forwards to hearing how your Christmas and your New Year’s Eve and Day were celebrated.
Ted and I had a quiet Christmas. Ted prepared a fabulous Christmas dinner for the two of us with turkey and all the trimmings. He even made us our own cranberry sauce this year which was such a joy. It reminded me of Christmas on the farm. Mom made everything from scratch – including her cranberry sauce. On New Year’s Eve, Ted and I settled down in front of our fireplace downstairs and watched CNN’s Andrew and Andy lead us in New Year frolics and remembrances. Ted and I both enjoyed ourselves immensely, but by 10:30, I could not stay up any longer. I did not even have the energy to read my library book when I crawled into bed. Ted, however, managed to stay up for the arrival of the New Year. He is to be congratulated!
My sermon this week is based on John 1:1-18, and is entitled “And the Word Became Flesh, and Lived Among Us”. John conveys his Christmas story within the context of creation. He goes back to the creation story, in Genesis, and writes – “In the beginning.” Within John’s Christmas story, God places within each of us God’s holiness through the gift of new life we receive in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Imagine what that means for us! It means we have the holiness of God abiding within us, not as something we have achieved on our own, but as a gift from God, through Jesus.
This is the gift of Christmas. We have been given the power to become children of God. This happens not by blood, or the will of the flesh, or the will of people, but, by God.
This is such a joyous time for us, even as we pull on all our resources, to stay distant, keep our masks on, and wash our hands frequently. We will come through this time of uncertainty through our prayers for others, joy in our family and faith, and retaining our hope for a New Year with the promise of joy and love surrounding each of us.
As we begin this New Year, may we continue to pray for one another every morning at 10:30, remembering that God grants us wisdom, love, and peace as we hold each other in God’s tender keeping.
Much love and care to you all. Keep well and safe. Happy New Year!
God’s Blessings,
Pastor Laura