Dec Church Newsletter article

     Advent is upon us and I have having a hard time embracing the necessary excitement or passion for the coming of the Christ Child.  I look at the weeks of Advent leading up the Birth of Christ and I don't really know what to feel. I know we are supposed to celebrate Hope, Love, Peace and Joy as the pillars of this liturgical season, but I can't seem to muster up the enthusiasm. I see a world hurting. I see a world on fire.

     Where Native Americans are fighting for clean water and the respect of their ancestors I see a world where students  fear for their lives well they try to learn reading and writing and arithmetic. I see wildfires raging.  I see a country divided by race and economics and political party. I see now more than ever we as Christians have a great a responsibility to be Salt and Light to be help in a world of Darkness now more than ever before. When there does not seem to be much hope peace Joy or love in the world we must bring Hope to them. If we are the hands and feet of Christ we have the power of Salvation and Grace the power of redemption and restoration, and it is our job and our joy to bring healing and hope to our community.

     How we do this I'm unsure but I do know that we have to start the conversation. That we have to begin to talk about how we can heal. I am convinced that neither the private sector nor the public sector can fix our problems but we as the religious sector, as people of faith, have the power and the responsibility to do what these other two groups cannot. So as we make ourselves ready for the Christmas season, as we hang our lights and decorate our trees, as we buy Gifts and get ready for all the festivities, I want us to think about what the birth of Christ means to us. How it changed the world over 2000 years ago and how by our celebrating Christ birth this year. how can it change the world again?

Grace and peace

Pastor Joshua Pittman