Dear Church Family,
               Advent seems to have sped by this year.  When the 4th Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve fall on the same day, Advent is shortened to just 3 weeks, which encompass the 4 Sundays.
               So, Christmas is upon us.  We’ll be singing those wonderful carols which communicate the joy and the meaning of Christ’s birth.  One of my favorites, which is not in our hymnal, is based on a poem of Christine Rossetti, “Love Came Down at Christmas.” 
Love came down at Christmas,
Love all lovely, Love Divine,
Love was born at Christmas,
Star and Angels gave the sign.
 
Worship we the Godhead,
Love Incarnate, Love Divine,
Worship we our Jesus,
But wherewith for sacred sign?
 
Love shall be our token,
Love be yours and love be mine,
Love to God and all men,
Love for plea and gift and sign.
 
The mystery of God’s incarnation summed up as the entry of divine love into our world—a love whose full meaning we are still trying to understand and live out two thousand years later.
 
               There will be two services of worship on December 24.
10 a.m. 4th Sunday in Advent.  The sermon will be “What’s in a Promise?” and the texts are 2 Samuel 7:8-10, 16 and Luke 1:26-38
7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve candlelight service. The texts are Luke 2:1-20 and John 1;5-14.  The sermon is “The Light That Shines.”  As is traditional the service will conclude with the passing of the light from the Christ candle and the singing of “Silent Night.” 
 
Have a most joyous Christmas.
 
Rich