December 1, 2025

Dear Church Family,

     I am so excited to begin the season of Advent! This is my favorite time of the year. Christmas is always full of fun– the lights, the gifts, the food, the shopping, the family. But if we aren’t careful, we can get carried away by all the materialism and running around. I love Advent because it checks my priorities and quiets my soul. It prepares me for the birth of Jesus and ensures that my heart is in the right place. Then, when it comes time for gifts and lights and all the Christmas fun, I am able to receive with a grateful heart. Furthermore, I am encouraged to give generously, to help those in need, and to serve my church. 

     This Advent, you have several opportunities to prepare your heart and celebrate the birth of Jesus with your giving. First, you can prepare your heart with worship and study. Each Sunday, we will be learning from our sermon series, “How Can A Weary World Rejoice?” We will discuss how we can rejoice by acknowledging our weariness, finding joy in connection, allowing ourselves to be amazed, singing stories of hope, and making room. You are invited to not only attend morning worship, but also celebrate Advent every Sunday at home with your own Advent wreath/candles. You can also attend our Advent Bible Study on Monday evenings, in which we learn about the people of the Christmas story. Second, you can celebrate the real meaning of Christmas with giving and service. Our church family is encouraged this year to donate coffee to the Right Place and gifts like blankets, socks, coloring books, and snacks to the residents of Diversicare. You can give to the Discretionary Fund on December 7th and have your money go toward gifts and groceries for families in need this Christmas. You can also come to our Christmas Eve service and give to our special offering toward the United Methodist children’s home. 

     These are wonderful ways in which Advent prepares us for Christmas. I pray that in these next 25 days, you seek God in prayer and study, you allow God to quiet the voices of stress and busy-ness in your heart, you fix your priorities on generosity and service, and you let God’s light break through the weariness in your life. As we bask in the light of the Advent candles, we remember 1 John 1:5 which says, “God is light. In him there is no darkness at all.” You may be weary this season from grief or anxiety. All may feel dark. But Jesus’ birth into this world changes everything. It lights up all our dark places and gives us an unchanging hope. So come, Lord Jesus. Step into our hearts and transform us this Advent.

Blessings, Pastor Delaney