Dear Church Family,
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, celebrating with family and friends.  It was a joy for us to have Josh’s family with us for Christmas.  Thanks for greeting them so warmly. 
Thanks as well for the Christmas greetings sent by a number of you.  I’m a traditionalist, I suppose, but I love getting cards and the newsy letters sent by many.  We are also tremendously grateful for the generous Christmas gift given to us by the congregation.  Our connection to you has been one of the great blessings of our life. Many, many thanks. 
The end of the year always makes me a little wistful.  The inevitable changes have included some new health concerns and the loss of some dear friends.  But at the same time, there are always reasons for great gratitude-- the love of family and friends, rich new experiences, opportunities for learning and fellowship.  I try  to remember Paul’s advice for discerning God’s will for our future.  He does not expect a detailed map of what is ahead, but encourages us to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God for you.” ( I Thessalonians 5:16-18) As we move into 2024, let us remember again that old conviction, “we do not know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.” 
Rather than a traditional sermon, the message for the lst Sunday after Christmas will be a first person narrative, where we’ll imagine what the aged Simeon might have been experiencing as he encountered the baby Jesus in the Temple. .  You might want to read the account in Luke 2:22-40 in advance.  The Old Testament lesson is Isaiah 61:8-11.
See you in church. 
Peace and Joy,
Rich