Discomfort and Heat 

I want to extend a word of gratitude for everyone who made the past few weeks so special. Between our Blue Christmas service, three Christmas Eve services, our Christmas morning PJ gathering and a variety of other holiday events in-between I’m reminded that it truly takes a village to make it all happen. 

So on behalf of the whole church, I want to say a special thank you to the media team, the musicians, the choir and vocalists, the ushers and greeters, our volunteer liturgists, the childcare workers, and anyone else I might (unfortunately) have forgotten who helped make this Christmas season at FUMCTC so spectacular. 

On Christmas Eve, Saturday Dec. 24th we praised God making God’s self known to us. That is, God has left a first impression on us and chosen to introduce God’s self to us through a baby in a manger. A manger of all places! Where God could have chosen a fortress or castle, a temple or holy ground… God chose a manger – no doubt an affirmation that any place can be made holy. 

Then on Christmas Day, Sunday Dec. 25th, we worshipped at a single service in our PJs. We reflected on the story of Simeon who waited his whole life to see the coming of the Messiah. And at the heart of that message is this truth: the wait is over.

With the coming of Christ, we no longer need to pontificate on if it can happen, but willingly accept that it has happened. We rejoice in the words “Emmanuel, ” which, of course, mean God is with us. And if we truly believe and accept those words, then we are accepting that any ground is holy. It doesn’t matter if it’s a church building and we’re in our PJs or if it’s a manure filled field with Shepherds and sheep. God has chosen to be made known: why? For no other reason than to let you know that you are loved!

It was a magical Advent at FUMCTC and I hope we can all enter into 2023 knowing we are loved, so that we might, in turn, love one another and all whom we might encounter in the coming year. 

Blessings & Peace,

Pastor Taylor