Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Christmas is a magical time of year and as one year ends and another begins it brings back many
memories. I want to share with you a remembrance/poem from one of the members of Immanuel:
Childhood Christmas Memories
It is Christmas Eve and we are sitting together in church.
It is time to light the candles.
It’s so exciting to finally hold our own candle and Mom leans over
To gently remind us to be careful and not tip it over.
As more and more candles are lit the church begins to glow. It’s magical!
You can feel the warmth of the flame and see the beauty of the light.
It seems to touch our hearts and souls
And even as children we know how special this is.
As we leave church the moon shines brightly on the fresh snow.
Laughter and joy are heard as people share Christmas greetings.
Aren’t we blessed that God’s gifts made it possible.
The beauty of that Christmas memory is brought back to me every year
As the tradition of lighting candles continues.
It is the beauty we feel inside that makes us both happy and sad.
We whisper the names of people we love who are no longer with us and
Smile with the joy of their memory and lovingly hold close those around us.
May you have a blessed and joyful
Christmas and New Year!
God’s Peace & Love,
Pastor Gary