It was a long, dark,
wind-howling night. I hope you are safe and well. Some of our church families
experienced power outages.
Early this morning, Hannah
came to my bedroom because she was scared. That’s when I realized the power was
gone. There was little I could do without electricity. Since my little ones
were afraid, I stayed in their room, offering comfort and prayer. I was
reminded how dependent and fragile our lives truly are.
Winter
begins this Sunday.
It is the shortest day and the longest night of the year. Some churches observe
this day as Blue Christmas. Christmas can be joyful, but it can also be
very hard, especially for those who are grieving, lonely, ill, or carrying
loss. The bright lights and festive songs can sometimes feel heavy.
Christ’s birth was not naïve
joy, but a costly one. When the angel announced Jesus’ birth to Mary, she gave
up her own plans for a normal life, her reputation, and even risked her life.
Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul—she would watch her son
suffer and die on the cross. True joy is
costly.
This week, we grieve
together: over the Patten fire, the loss of the Hodgdon church bell, and Rev.
Kwan Lee’s final stage of life. We grieve with those who have lost loved ones
recently.
Yet
the deeper our sorrow, the more profound the good news of Christmas. Christ,
Immanuel, God-with-us, comes to weep with us and to give us undying hope and real
joy through his death and resurrection. My prayer is that as we gather this
Sunday, Christ may be present among us, comfort our hearts, and fill us with his
surpassing peace and true joy.
Have a peaceful weekend. I
look forward to seeing you Sunday!
In
Christ’s Love,
Pastor
Victor
P.S.
Please join us in prayer and participation in these ministries and events:
- Christmas Pageant Sunday – Dec. 21, Hodgdon and
Houlton churches. Coffee Hour Fellowship follows.
- Caroling & Mini Handbell Concert – Join us for caroling
at Gardiner at 2 PM. Houlton community handbell choir will offer a mini
Christmas concert.
- Houlton Administrative Council – Brief meeting in the
choir room after this Sunday’s service.
- Christmas Eve Candlelight Services – Hodgdon (4 PM), Mars
Hill (4 PM), Houlton (6 PM). Come and celebrate a deeply meaningful time
of worship.
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