A Light Shines In the Darkness

Christmas can be a time of wonder and beauty. It is for many people a time of remembering and celebrating the good things in life. It is a time for renewal of love and it is and can be a time of joy. However, for many people the holidays are anniversaries of grief. For some this Christmas season will be their first one alone after a death or a divorce. For some, the approach of the season of joy is filled with sadness and even anger as they struggle to find work or deal with the news of a disease that is threatening their whole way of life.

It is hard to get through the holidays because we do not want our struggle to dampen anyone else’s celebration. So, for some, this season is a time of isolation and loneliness. The isolation can add to the sadness and in the end it makes for some pretty rough times while everyone else seems to be so happy.

On December 21st at 7:30, Pastor Lou and the caring ministry team will host a gathering for people who find the season difficult in some way. We will meet in the sanctuary and there will be a time of sharing and prayer. This will be very short and informal. There will be music and opportunity to support each other. There will be one or two people who will talk about their experiences. Then we will gather in the new reception hall and talk and have some refreshments, perhaps a warm cup of coffee or tea at a table with people in similar situations.

December 21st is the longest night of the year. The darkness is all around by this time of the year, and we will gather to share the light of understanding and friendship. This is not a worship service and it is not a Christmas service. It is a gathering to share our experience, our strength and our hope.

Please come to this gathering and share the comfort we can provide for each other. You may want to invite someone to come with you. Perhaps you know a co-worker or a neighbor that is having a tough time. This is a great way to show you care and extend yourself in love. Invite them to come and offer to come with them.

For all the ways the celebration of Christmas has developed over the years it has always been a message of hope in a time of struggle. Let this year be a time when that hope can become real and personal in a gathering that is safe and friendly. Mark the date and come for a time. The whole gathering will be just one hour from the start to the finish.

God Bless you in the season of wonder and hope.

Louis