Dillon Community Church

Are you not feeling particularly excited about Christmas this year?  I get that.

Do you find yourself doing the same routine year after year? Watching the same Christmas movies, making sure you’ve got all the cards sent out to all the right people (you don’t want to miss anyone!), putting up Christmas lights, trying to find the right gifts for people, dealing with the post office,  the busyness, the obligations, the financial stress, the travel, the clogged interstate, tripping over everyone at the grocery store only to find out they are out of everything you’re looking for, and trying to fulfill everyone’s expectations. Do you have to work this Christmas? Is there a family member you’re not going to get to see this year or family members you don’t want to see but have to? Have you lost someone this time of year? Are you more excited for Christmas to be over than you are for Christmas to come? Yeah, I get that too.  

For many of us Christmas has just become another routine holiday. I would bet that, after several generations, for most Jewish people in the ancient world, Passover had become the same thing. And because of that, with the exception of a few, most of them were completely oblivious to the reality that their savior had already come. It was only when they looked back at the life he lived that they had realized they had missed it.

My family went to church almost every Sunday and we celebrated the birth of Christ but didn’t really practice the tradition of Advent. And for me, like many of you, Christmas in my life had become all those things. It had become routine. In fact, there were several years that I would dread this time of year. Looking back now I recognize that the lord has a plan and that my struggles are for not only my benefit but the benefit of others, and maybe even for you.

After attending DCC for several years, I’ve learned a lot about Advent and the importance of practicing it well. Because I have learned to grow in my faith and embrace God‘s grace, This year and every year going forward, I will not only remember that our God came to be with us to teach us how to be and show us how to love. I will also look forward to the time when he comes to be with us again.

Love you all! Merry Christmas

Mitch Andrews, elder