December 2007 Message from the Pastor

A Spiritual Christmas

We’ve talked and talked about spirituality in recent months. You should have received a letter by now from our NCD team encouraging you to start your New Year with a more disciplined devotional life. But right now, Christmas is at our door step and I wonder what will make this season most spiritual.

I hope you know that we work hard to make our holiday worship services spiritual. From the ambience to the music to the reflections/sermons and prayers, we hope you experience the presence of God in this place and in your hearts. Our staff and many volunteers work together with ideas and plans to bring the warmth and joy of the Christmas message to you.

And, we hope that you will not be overwhelmed with all the frantic bustle of this time that you miss the spiritual experience. We need to separate the cultural trappings of Christmas and all the superficial “stuff” from the sacred story of God’s intervention, the appearance of the Christ, our Savior and Lord.

What might you add to your observance of Christmas this year? Perhaps that’s a pointless question if you don’t first take away something from your big list of “to do’s.” And maybe that’s the essential thing; to give up something to free up time for reflection, prayer and Bible study. Quiet reflection, or (as Andrea Puck suggests in her article) reflection with musical underscoring, might be the most helpful. During this time you might also pray for people on our prayer list, for the needs of your family and the world and be sure to listen in your prayers for the voice of God. And, plan to re-read the Christmas stories in Luke and Matthew and think about their differences and unique messages. I'd also recommend the following books that can help you with this:

  • Expecting the Unexpected by Blair Gilmer Meeks. An Advent Devotional guide published by Upper Room Books.
  • For a more serious Biblical study of the Christmas stories in Matthew and Luke, consider both A Coming Christ in Advent and An Adult Christ at Christmas by Raymond Brown, published by Liturgical Press in Collegeville, MN.
  • Also, check our own church library and the display set outside of the Conference Room by our librarian, Susan Camp.

Whatever you do, do it mindfully! That is to say, give thought to observing what you need in your life right now. Be like the shepherds looking to the clear night skies for the sights and sounds of God’s message, the good news of great joy! And may the peace of God be with you and remain with you always!


Pastor Jim Friedrich