Dear Friends,

 

Greetings in the name of Jesus!  As we approach the holiday season, I can’t wait to listen to Christmas music, which I absolutely love.  I do try to hold off until after Thanksgiving but some of it sneaks its way into my ears that holiday is completed.  It doesn’t matter if it is secular in nature like Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” or singing “Silent Night” by candlelight, the music puts me in the Christmas spirit.  I even don’t mind hearing Wham’s “Last Christmas!”

 

In addition to enjoying the music, I am fascinated by the stories behind the song.  For instance, “White Christmas” was written in 1942 by Irving Berlin for the film “Holiday Inn” and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards. There is some debate whether the song about an old-fashioned Christmas setting in winter was written in California or Arizona.  Either way, the composer was probably working on a warm sunny day.  It is also interesting to note that one of our nation’s most beloved Christmas songs was written by a Russian Jewish immigrant. 

 

There are meaningful stories behind the Advent hymns and Christmas carols we sing in worship as well.  Whether they are quoting scripture or infused with poetic imagination, they help us express our faith and grow in our devotion to the God.  Sometimes they are the result of the author’s wrestling with the events of their day, which can help us in the circumstances we are facing.  Pastor Amanda and I will explore the lessons of some Advent hymns and Christmas carols during our Advent sermon series entitled “The Music of Christmas.” 

 

The message of Christ’s birth as contained in the music of Christmas is really about God’s love coming to earth.  God chose to become flesh to break through the darkness of sin and death.  The entirety of Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection is about God entering the world in unexpected ways.  As Christians, we ask God to enter our lives and our world in miraculous ways.

 

Earlier this year we were praying together a “Break Through Prayer.”  That prayer made a difference in my life and in the life of others in our congregation.  You may have noticed that we have been including a new “Break Through Prayer” in our bulletin.  It is the prayer that many churches in our Annual Conference have been using.  I hope that you will join me in praying it as we enter the New Year.

 

Break Through Prayer

 

God of healing and hope, Break through the messiness of our lives with the power of your Holy Spirit. Re-connect us with you, so that we can hear your voice more clearly and allow your love to be reborn in our hearts. Break through with your resurrection power to re-connect us with one another and lead us to new partnerships in our communities. Reveal to us your new and next steps for reaching, welcoming, and developing your people. Empower us to share the good news of your transforming love and new life. Amen

 

I am looking forward to seeing how God answers this prayer in your life and in the life of our congregation.  As we celebrate God coming into our world in Jesus, I pray that the songs we sing and the lessons we learn will draw us closer to the Lord.  I know that God has great things in store for us this Christmas season and into the coming year.  May you have a Merry Christmas and blessed new year!

 

Blessings,

Pastor Keith