A Letter from Pastor Derek - December


The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
You’re singing the song, aren’t you?  You saw that title and it leapt into your brain without any prompting.  We can’t help it.  It’s a catchy song.  I’m singing it as I type this.  The problem is I don’t remember all the words.  So I get bits, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year, with kids jinglebelling and everyone telling you'll be of good cheer, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. The hap-happiest season of all, something something something.”  Sorry, it fades out about there.
And of course who would argue?  It IS the most wonderful time.  Along with Easter.  Right?  Just amazing that God would choose to be born in a manger.  The incomprehensible power become the most vulnerable being in the humblest of settings.  Wonderful.  And what else can we do but sing?  What else can we do but worship.
That’s our theme this Advent season, worship.  “Come, Let Us Adore Him.”  We’re all about worship this December, this wonderful time of the year.  And what we’ll discover is that there is more to our worshipping than we realize.  So join us. 
And then properly prepared please plan to come on Christmas Eve at 5:30pm for our child centered worship, at 8pm for our Contemporary worship, and/or 11pm for our traditional worship with the sacrament of holy communion.  We’ll have candlelighting in all the services (child proof at 5:30, trust us). So it’ll be … wonderful.
But we don’t stop there.  Worship continues in the new year.  And I am excited about what is in the works.  I won’t run through everything here; you’ll just have to stay tuned for coming attractions.  But in January we’ll be experiencing a “showstopping faith” and this summer we’ll practice our faith through ancient and new spiritual practices, and through it all we’ll remember what we’re about as we spend a year “taking Jesus seriously.”
 Because that’s what makes this time of year so wonderful.  I love the lights and the decorations, the food and the family, and the presents, I’m like a kid on Christmas morning, trust me.  But none of that is what really makes it wonderful.  We do all of that celebration because it is wonderful, not to make it so.  God did that already.  The wonderfulness is built in, it’s part of the design.  We can’t unwonderful it no matter what we do or don’t do.  All we can do is worship.  All we can do is stand in awe of what God has done. All we can do is embrace the One who comes, Emmanuel, God-with-us.  It really is all about Jesus.

And that is wonderful.

Shalom, Pastor Derek

PS – Let me take a moment and say that La Donna and Rhys and I (and Maddie in Boston) want to wish you and your family and friends a blessed Christmas season.  It is a privilege to serve as pastor of Southport UMC and to be a part of this family too.  Thank you for blessing us as we seek to be a blessing to you.  DCW

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