Dear Evergreen family,
Christmas carols really are just great. Yes, by January we’re a little weary and ready to put them away for a while, but it’s hard to overstate how great these old songs are. They have the power to bring back strong memories (both comforting memories and painful memories). They have the power to make us feel like children again. They have the power to evoke peace, innocence, and a sense of goodwill. Most of all, they simply will not let us forget about Jesus. With Christmas carols, there’s just no escaping the wonder of God being born among us. They put Jesus in front of our eyes and deep into our souls.
When it comes to carols, some of the lesser-known verses are my favorites: From “Joy to the World,” we hear “No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as, the curse is found.”
From “In the Bleak Midwinter,” we get “Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed. The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.”
From “What Child Is This,” “Why lies He in such mean estate, where ox and donkeys are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.”
Do you feel like singing some carols together? Yes, on Christmas Eve, at 7:00 p.m., we’ll gather around the fire pit outside the church building for our Christmas Eve worship service. We’ll sing. We’ll share communion and a short message as well. I can’t wait. Please remember to wear your mask, a flashlight (that’s your candle), your own bread and juice, and a chair (if you think you might want to sit). Bring your family and some friends with you, too!
AND, don’t forget to join us tonight for our Advent Study “Incarnation.” To join the Zoom at 7:00 p.m., click here; the passcode is 362900. In case the link/passcode do not work, please go to zoom.com and enter Meeting ID: 948 9718 0267. We regret that last week's link did not work as it was supposed to.
May God bless us all.
Your Fellow Minister in Christ,
Mark