Merry Christmas! May you know and share the #joy of Christmas!
Dear friends & members of St. Matt's,
There isn't anything quite like the moment when the lights come down at our late service on Christmas Eve and each of us begins to pass the candlelight. Then, all together, by the candlelight we sing that wistful, yearning Silent Night. Of all we do, this is one of my favorite church moments. There is something inherently simple about it - and yet, it's riven with meaning. Close to midnight, we turn off the lights and wait for the coming of the Christ, the child coming into the world, to love us and to save us. And in this darkness, we pass the light from one person to the next and then to the next. There is faithfulness in our waiting, our watching, our hopefulness, our gathering together. And it is symbolic of what I see you do all year long: out of faith, out of love, you pass the light of God on from one person to the next and then to the next. And every year, as I look at this growing collection of lights in our worship, it reminds me of the growing, shining light of God in our common life, and it brings tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.
It won't surprise you to know that for me, this is one of the great gifts of Christmas: that we gather in community - to wait, to celebrate, to sing and to pray. I am so grateful for this gift and for all that God is doing. On Christmas Eve, we all bring with us the joy, the prayers, and the longings of our lives. And all of this hangs in the air as God attends to us and we wait for the presence of Jesus, as we journey to Bethlehem and dare to believe that God has prepared a way.
Our Photo Challenge word for this week is "Joy". We hope in this next week or so, as the twelve days of Christmas roll on, that you will snap many photos of the joy you find - and share them with us. Then we can multiply - and increase - the joy by sharing it in community. Show us where you find God at work, what makes you smile, what brings you joy. Show us the joyful traditions and festivities of these days and what God is up to in your life this Christmas.
I pray that you will know many joys throughout these next 12 days of Christmas. Perhaps you will know God in the joys of family, of children, of festivity and gifts. Perhaps you will know God in the quiet, in the peacefulness, in the face of a loved one. Perhaps you will know God's love for you in music or tradition. However you mark these days, know that you're in my prayers. And know more importantly, that you are beloved of God. Merry Christmas!
Faithfully,
--Marissa +
Our word for the week of 12/25 is JOY.
Do you have a photo to share which illustrates joy? If so, GREAT, because our Photo Challenge is back!! Send us a photo of something that represents that word to you. Show us the joy you find in this season.
As we celebrate the season of Christmas, help us increase and multiply the joy.
We will share the pictures on Instagram and Facebook page
Photo Credit: Dave Cristini
Isaiah 9:2-3
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
Tags: Welcome from the Rector