Pastor’s Column
January 8, 2026
My dear church family,
What a wonderful six weeks we have spent together! So many times my heart has been bursting with joy! The children on Christmas Eve were full of wonder and excitement as they searched for the baby Jesus among the star-studded congregants. Of the wonderful memories from that worship celebration, two of my favorites are:
- Lorene and Andy’s granddaughter standing in front of the nativity scene, staring at the tiny figures
- Gabriel and Ajoke’s daughter raising her little hands upward to the sky, in a gesture that perfectly asked, “Where’s the Baby?”
Thank you to Damon Rodriguez and all his helpers for the amazing Worship Arts that adorned the sanctuary and thank you to each of you who wrote and shared a special Christmas memory. It was wonderful to read each one as an Advent devotional, and to learn a little more about each author through the memory. Mark will be making “2025 Advent Devotional” booklets and distributing them to each contributor. If you were not able to submit a memory this year but would like a paper copy of the Devotional, please contact Mark in the office.
During Advent, I learned so much about Palestine in the time of Jesus’ birth, both through my sermon preparations and the Hannukah presentation that our friend, Stephanie Cardenas, a Messianic Jew, shared with us. Let me know if you would like to borrow my primary source, The First Advent in Palestine: Reversals, Resistance, and the Ongoing Complexity of Hope by Kelley Nikondeha, or would like suggestions for other reading material about that time.
In many ways, the challenges that the people of Jesus’ day experienced, are not so unlike those experienced by people throughout the world, including in the US, today.
Our theme song, “What Child IS This?” reminded us that God incarnate is our redeemer, the One who gives us hope when we or others are challenged by the circumstances that we live in. As we shine the light of Christ on others, let us remember to share the peace, hope and love written about by our own Drew Cheney in this poem he sent to me in the middle of December. He wrote
“Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas”
by Drew Cheney
Twas two weeks before Christmas
And all through my brain
Ran the stress of the holidays
Oh wow, that’s a big strain
What presents should I purchase
Parties to attend
What charities need supporting
Yes, here I go again
It’s hard not to get caught up,
In the grind of it all
To miss out on the true meaning
I often drop that ball
As I now pen this humble verse
Thinking of REAL gifts-
My wonderful, caring loved ones
And so my focus shifts
To slip past all the chaos
The lists and the noise
And graciously reminding me
Of my life’s greatest joys
So may peace find your footsteps
And hope light your way
And may love wrap around us all
This Christmas—and each day.
May God’s grace and peace abide in your hearts in this new year.
With love,
Pastor Cindy