FROM YOUR PASTOR

John Ross Thompson

Christmas is a time for tradition, at least for most of us.  Even the most creative and adventurous person has been known at Christmas to look forward to the same candlelight worship services, the familiar Christmas carols, the cookies made the way mother always made them, and time with long-time friends and family.

The other side of Christmas is the new.  New things at Christmas?  Of course!  From the first Christmas more than 2,000 years ago to today, God is bringing something new to our lives, even if we do not see it.

The coming of Christ was promised to the Hebrew people for generations, but when he came in the form of Jesus of Nazareth, it was not the way they had been expecting him.  God shook up their world by coming to a poor family from Nazareth, born in a humble setting.  That same Jesus continued to astound others throughout his life. Although he affirmed the traditions of the Jews, he brought new insight to their lives.  In fact, the surprises he brought eventually led to his death.

Knowing that we serve a living God who continues to speak to us today, it is any surprise that there should be something new in every Christmas we celebrate?  The God who broke into our world so many years ago is still trying to get our attention. 

Take time this Christmas season to listen, to absorb the Christmas story from scripture, and to see what you have not seen before.  Look for the surprise God brings to all of our lives, deepening our understanding of how the divine connects with the human.

I cherish the traditions of Christmas, too, and don’t want to do without them.  However, I also know that each year God has a new Christmas message for each of us, intensely personal and spiritual.  I’d love to hear from you about what’s new for you this Christmas.

May this holy season be filled with the old and the new for you and your loved ones.  May God surprise you with wonderful insights you didn’t expect!

Merry Christmas!