In the previous post I spoke of our “Core Values.” Now we get to practice some of them.
Over the next month we’ll have the opportunity to celebrate the birth of Christ into our lives.
It’s also an opportunity to consider and deepen the core values of: “A joyful sharing of Jesus Christ,” providing “Engaging Worship” and “Radical Hospitality”
Christmas is the time of year when we will have the opportunity to see many new worshippers and make some new friends.
We want to take this opportunity to think about what it means to authentically but gracefully share what Jesus means to us.
We also want to provide a worship experience that is
out of the ordinary, and communicates the unique love of God in many ways.
Finally, we want to “let our hospitality shine” not only when we
are at church, but everywhere we go. We want it to be “radical!”
People all around us are already stressed out and struggling underneath the expectations of the Holiday season. They are frustrated with long lines, they are facing family conflicts.
We know that with a trust in God, and with a recognition of God’s love in Jesus Christ, all of us can be filled with a peace and joy that money can’t buy. All of us can be in God’s presence no matter where we go or what we are doing.
But we have to be willing to talk about it when the moment is right and the spirit moves us.
As you do your shopping, run your errands, share dinner with your family, engage your friends and co-workers during this holiday season, can you be especially sensitive to the stresses they are under? Can you see them from the “eyes of Christ” and so open up the possibility of a healing and loving dialog?
Can you share some of the insight that God has given you that has helped you to live better? Can you think about the Christ-child and the story of his birth in a way that can be talked about in a “God-with-us” way?
We have been given such a wonderful gift in God’s love. It can be easy to share some words about this love in a season so wanting love.
Christmas is the season that we have to not only celebrate this awesome, unconditional love, but to emulate it as we embrace others around us in love.
And when we do that, we will learn how to share that love, how to create engaging worship and how to offer a radical hospitality more deeply than we ever have before.
What do you say? Can we give of ourselves to others this year? Can we let Christ live and move in every breath we take?
How have you lived closer to God this day? …this week?
How goes it with your soul?
Grace and Peace, Pastor Terry
“We are called to be generous friends of God,
and to let others see Christ transforming our lives”.
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