REFLECTIONS

I have been thinking a lot about communication, so this Nativity season, I've been considering how God changed His communication with us through Christmas. In the Old Testament, God revealed Himself to individuals, and He primarily communicated to His people through the prophets. The first great prophet was Moses, and way back in Exodus 33, Moses meets with God on Mt. Sinai. Moses asks to see God's glory, and God says that He will reveal His goodness and His name to Moses.

We are blessed to live in a Christian church that is so full and rich with tradition. Christ initiated and taught us how to live, walk, pray, and worship Him through His words which are visible in the written word of the Bible and His directives to His close followers. The Apostles continued Christ's teachings through speaking and writing to those in their travels. The teachings grew from the original followers to other people around the world throughout the centuries.

It's that time of year again! Need I say more? The stores are already decked out for the dark days of December making them a beautiful sight to the eyes. How many Christmas songs come to mind about the holidays - snowfall, holly, Christmas trees, reindeer and jingle bells. An exciting time for many. It also brings about a pressure to do it right, provide the best Christmas for the family and be joyful doing it all. For others, it is a time of mourning as they remember loved o

Happy New Year, everyone! Yes, I truly mean it—Happy New Year. On September 1st, the Church gives us the gift of a new beginning—the Ecclesiastical New Year. Unlike the turning of the calendar in January, this New Year is not about resolutions that fade after a few weeks. It's not about good intentions we rarely keep, diet plans, exercise goals, or career ambitions. This New Year is about reorienting our whole life toward Christ and His Kingdom. It is about resetting our

"God loves us beyond comprehension and we cannot diminish God's love for us." - St. Peter This quote is attributed to St. Peter. Many sources listed it but also noted that it is not from the Bible. Perhaps Peter spoke these words. Nonetheless, this is simple and strong language about God's love for us that summarizes a lot of what is in the Bible. No matter how far we have fallen or how distant our minds may be from Him, He is still loving us, ready to embrace us.

Presbytera Pat was in Baltimore with her sister, an accomplished violist and two other fantastic musicians who are part of Our Joyful Noise.

Pastor Allan passed away a short while ago. He was the first pastor I remember having when I was a kid at a small Baptist church in...