December 2025 Newsletter – Pastor’s Page
Greetings church family,
Advent is upon us and this year we are anticipating the birth of Christ by focusing on hope! Many of our neighbors aren’t feeling hopeful right now. The economy feels uncertain. Artificial Intelligence is in the headlines every day. Affordability is the question of the moment for many people – new college grads, young families, seniors on fixed incomes. Our immigrant neighbors are having groceries delivered to their homes with fear of detainment or deportation. Wars continue to drag on. Innocent and vulnerable people pay the price. Is hope possible this Christmas?
Luke’s gospel begins the story of Jesus with this opening line: “In the time of Herod…” We gloss over this detail as modern day readers, but it reveals information about the fearful world Jesus entered. It was a world filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world not unlike our own.
And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, we hear the angels deliver a surprising message: “Do not fear.” This advent, our series “What do you fear?” looks closely at the fear and terror looming in the background during the time of King Herod. We’re invited to consider the fears we hold now. Fear can divide and paralyze us, but what if we formed a different relationship with fear? Can we acknowledge fear without letting it rule us?
This series gently invites us to identify where fear is present – both in the Advent story and in our lives – while also finding our way toward hope with the angel’s voices in our ears. To help us, you’re invited to join me for a mid-week Advent study on Wednesdays at 12:30pm at church. We’ll utilize the advent devotional that goes with our series, available at church on Sunday Nov 30. Bring your lunch as we explore scriptures, art, and poetry that help us stay focused on the hope of the Christ child!
Advent Blessings,
Pastor Jared