Rector's Ramblings

The Rev. Jim Stewart

December 2025

     Advent is a time of expectation when we prepare our hearts and our homes to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas.

     We are in a season of hope, peace, joy and love.  We light a candle each week with the theme for that week from the words above with a prayer.  As we light our candles we need to focus on the theme for the week and find a way in the quiet to relive those prayers.  Maybe a beloved practice of working in your shop or baking food could make you meditate on each word each week.  Or maybe just sitting in the quiet reading the bible and looking for that thought within the texts.  How you find peace in meditating on the word of the week or not is entirely up to you.  This is an exercise to bring you closer to God while being in anticipation of the birth of Jesus.

     We can find ourselves in the hurried state of shopping for Christmas and forget what Christmas is all about.  It is about the child in the manger.  The birth of our Lord and savior.  Can you imagine how different your outlook would be if every person in the world was celebrating the coming of Jesus instead of the coming of Santa Clause.  To know that the one true gift is our eternal soul being forgiven through no works of our own but through the grace and forgiveness of the Christ Child that started His human life as an innocent helpless child in the manger.

     To see the joy of a child when they receive the one gift that they have been dreaming about for the last year is the same expression I hope I have when I finally get to see Jesus and hear His words spoken to me.  Yes, I get to hear His words through our scriptures and through the Holy Spirit, but it will be a glorious day when He wraps His arms around me and says good job.  You have finished the race with strength and love. 

     I always look forward to giving gifts but have not been a good receiver of gifts.  This year I am looking forward to just being with Jesus and knowing all He asks of me is my devoted love for Him and His love for me has always been His gift.  Always present, always free for the taking.

     May you get everything you want for Christmas and give with a joyous Heart.  Try to find God in all mankind throughout the world and give Gods love to all men and women.