Pastors Message – December, 2015 / January, 2016 – First Presbyterian Church of Big Flats

“How can we possibly thank God enough for all the happiness you have brought us? Day and night we sincerely pray that we will see you again and help you to have an even stronger faith. We pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus will let us visit you. May the Lord make your love for each other and for everyone else grow by leaps and bounds. That’s how our love for you has grown. And when our Lord comes with all of his people, I pray that he will make your hearts pure and innocent in the sight of God the Father.”
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (CEV)

Dear Friends in Christ,

Paul was no longer present at the church in Thessalonica. Timothy had reassured Paul that the church was growing in faith and love. Paul writes to the church a blessing or benediction, ‘good words’, wishing they will love one another the same way they loved Paul, Timothy and others, through Christ’s example.

Recently I have had anxious feelings knowing that my time to leave my post at First Presbyterian draws near. It’s something that will take time to adjust to as we go through this together – I daresay there will be a grieving period.

At Christmas we celebrate the gift of Christ. In this gift we find unconditional love through God. Yet, this time of year especially, we do try to put gifts into boxes where they can be controlled and defined. However, the unconditional love God has given us is boundless, it cannot be boxed in, it will not be boxed in.

On March 22, 1992 I was given a gift as I was ordained to minister our little country church. I have cherished this gift as gifts must be so. I believe I remember someone once said that Christ needed to leave our world so that disciples would not hold onto him and worship him. Rather they had to let go and live him, and the tenets he taught, and the love he gave.

I am so thankful for the time I have had with the gift I was given in 1992. May this gift live on in my heart as the Christmas Story unfolds again for us this Advent.

It is important that this church love each other as Christ has loved us all.

Peaceful, Blessed, Merry Christmas.