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| Same Time Next YearDear Friends, Gathering together at holiday times can be a reminder BOTH of the continuity of all things AND the irrevocable fact of change in our lives. We gather around familiar tables for familiar rituals. We may eat the same foods we always eat; sing the same songs; take the same walks. Then again, the people who sat at the table last year may not all be with us this year: one has gone away to college, another is caring for a family member sick with cancer. We are aware of a poignant mix of new and old, stability and transition. It is the same at church. Once again we look forward to the Christmas musical. Yet, Kendall won't be here to organize the distribution of door hangers. Lynn won't be here to put together the program book. Both have gone to new stages in their lives, and confront new challenges of their own this holiday season. Thankfully, God has sent new friends to join in the ministry and in our community of care. "By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace," sang Zechariah, after his baby was born and named. Perhaps this is a good time of year to remember the tenderness of God. God has compassion on us whether we grieve over change, delight in the new, are frustrated by the familiar, or find comfort in routine. God knows our hearts, and, in God's mercy, sends light for our darkness and peace for our confusion and distress. Mercy must be a mix of kindness, love, wisdom, and forgiveness. When we experience God's mercy, the only possible response is immense gratitude. How wonderful to have so many baptisms in this season! The babies in our midst help us to rejoice, as Zechariah did, in God's tender mercy. They give us also an image of the infant Christ child, vulnerable and dependent, yet bringing miraculous love. And they remind us that this time next year, we will all be a little older, hopefully wiser, and even more thankful for the God who walks with us through the journey and cycles of our lives. May the light of God's tender mercy be felt in all parts of the world this Christmas, especially in places of loss and suffering. May we hold that light in our hearts and in our hands, so that we might welcome with love those who are looking for a home or a shelter in the weeks surrounding Christ's birth. Peace to all! Pastor April |
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