Dear Members and Friends,
Each of us would like to be blessed with the joy of the Christmas Spirit. We each have different ways of preparing for the coming of this gift. At Falls Village Congregational Church, we have been steadily preparing for this Holiday season. Our sanctuary has been undergoing a colorful transformation. The purple color of advent adorns our pulpit. Red poinsettias embellish our tables. White candles light up each window and Christmas trees are up and ready to be decorated. Congregational members and friends are wearing bright smiles. Warmth has entered our hearts. Some of us have finished purchasing the gifts we wish to share and some of us have been able to prepare for unexpected new tasks with time to spare.
Fortunately, time to spare can be a dream yet realized by many. Do you remember getting homework that was busy work? Do you remember asking the reason why you were spending so much time on something that you would not even need in the future? Finding the balance between what was busy work and what would be foundational work is a positive sign of maturity? Finding the balance between what is busy work and what would attract the blessing of the Holy Spirit is a sign of maturing as a Christian. Let us continue to deck the halls with the Spirit without and within. “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) Let us continue to allow faith to help us to prepare to be reborn like children in the body of Christ.
May God’s steadfast love encourage you to remove the clutter of busying tasks and give you a clear path to your heart. “With everlasting love God will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.” (Isaiah 54:8) Let us reflect with prayer, praise, and patience and allow the guidance of the Spirit of this season to happily become contagious. Let us accept that we can consciously choose to be children of God and work to spread the Good News of peace on Earth.
Let us hold fast to what is good, “Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked…They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper. (Psalm 1:1, 3) We can be nourished with praising God of hope, peace, joy and love. We can ingest these advent gifts that we study and faithfully come to believe with the aid of your child Jesus.
As we herald in the joy of your only begotten child Jesus, may we find new meaning in the love of family, friends and neighbors? Let us take the time to walk around and enjoy the lights in the windows, the gingerbread houses and in a few days let us celebrate together in word or song “Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled! Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born, Jesus Christ is born…” Merry Christmas!
May the peace of Christ be with you,
Rev. Michelle Wiltshire-Clement
