The 1st Sunday of Advent! After a contentious election year, is there ever a better time to reflect on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love? These are our Advent themes this season. We all know friends and family who are divided over our nation. Our challenge will be to help them move toward one another with grace and peace, and engage them to learn of their hopes as well as their fears.

This Christmas season we will sing the all-familiar Christmas songs, light the Advent candles, decorate our homes, and enjoy our friends. We will, for a brief moment, reflect on the birth of Jesus! And we should! My prayer for you this Advent season is that you will enjoy others and the Lord in new and fresh ways. And remember, the true King has everything under control… including our divided nation. Emmanuel… he is with us!

Warmly in Christ,
Jim Howard, pastor