A MESSAGE FROM REVEREND VICTORIA SNOW
Christmas time is such a magical
time of year. People decorate their homes with bright lights, which symbolize
the bright light of Christ returning to our world. The malls are full as people
purchase gifts for their loved ones, just as the wise men brought gifts to baby
Jesus. The Fed-Ex, UPS, and mail-people are all working frantically to
deliver our packages on time. We find ourselves making lists,
planning ahead, and wrapping presents, and preparing for the big day. We
buy wrapping paper, bows, and tags to put on our presents that will sit
proudly under our Christmas trees, for our loved ones. We buy presents for
our children, spouses, neighbors, colleague, aunts, uncles, parents,
the garbage man and paper-boy. But where is Jesus'
present? Do we purchase a gift for him? Isn't Christmas about His
birthday and shouldn't we be offering the babe of Bethlehem a gift or
two?
As I sit here
at my desk, I find myself looking over the financial reports for our
church. Every Sunday there seems to be more and more people in church, and yet
we are still struggling with our finances. Our Sunday School is full of happy,
engaged children who are learning the joy of being children of God. But
our finances continue to be in the red. Our Junior Youth Group welcomes new
members and we have just started a new Senior Youth Group. We have over ten
youth in our confirmation class. We have a large number of youth ready and
willing to serve the homeless in Boston and to
give a week of their summer vacation to help the people in Pennsylvania, again this year. Yet, the number
of pledging units is smaller than last year. We have an active adult choir who
blesses us with wonderful music each week during worship and who is preparing
to fill us with the wonder of Christmas during their concert on December
18th. As a church, we voted for a deficit budget last year, and if I
am not mistaken we are even behind on this budget. The music committee
has just started a new chime choir, which will teach people how to read music
and allow more members to be involved in the ministry of music, here in our
church. But each month it is increasingly more difficult to
meet our bills. We simply need more financial resources to complete the
ministry God has placed before us. We are blessed to have such and active church.
We are blessed to have so many people who are willing to share their time with
the church. We are blessed to have a safe place to worship each week and to
offer our children a welcoming, loving, and nurturing environment
to develop their faith. We are blessed to have each other. But, our
blessings also need financial nurturing to grow and multiply.
As you make
your Christmas list this year, I am asking each family to consider making a
gift to baby Jesus, by making a financial gift to the church. Scripture
tells us that God loved us so much that God sent us Jesus, to teach us, guide
us, and to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Scripture
also tells us that when Jesus returned to the Father, he left his faithful
followers the gift of the church to nurture and grow in His name. The wise
men brought gifts to the newborn King, now it is our turn to offer the Christ
Child our gifts to help His church grow and to help His light shine in our
world. Let's all sit down with our families this year to discuss the true
meaning of the season and to discuss the gifts we can offer to the Christ
Child. The gifts you bring to the Babe of Bethlehem will be true blessings for
the King.
Merry Christmas! May the
blessing of the babe of Bethlehem
shine in your hearts and homes this season. May you walk in His light and know
His love. Merry Christmas to all!
Peace,
Victoria
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