Welcome to St. Peter’s United Church of Christ!
9:15 Sunday School for Adults
10:00 Sunday School for Youth
10:30 Sunday Morning Worship
10:45 Sunday School for Children, K–6
(No Summer Sunday School)
Rev. Candace Thomas
Interim Pastor
68 West Main Street
P.O. Box 205
Apple Creek, Ohio, 44606
(330) 698-2661
spucc@saintpetersucc.com
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Dear Congregation,
I received a piece of mail recently that really made me think. It's a colorful catalog of children's gifts featuring all kinds of lovely holiday presents. Notice I said "holiday" because that is the title in big white letters on the catalog's cover, "HOLIDAY TRADITIONS". In tiny, hard to see, red letters under the company's name is printed "christmas 2009". Notice the small letter "c".
I perused the catalog carefully, looking for the "holiday traditions" that were offered for sale. There were lovely Christmas stockings for Santa to fill, snack plates to hold cookies for Santa, and all kinds of whimsical Christmas tree decorations. Nowhere in the catalog was any reference to the birth of Jesus-the reason for the season-not a manger, not an angel, not a shepherd. In fact, the only star I could find was a red sugar-sprinkled cookie on the cover. Plenty of reindeer, Santas, and snowmen, but no Jesus.
What I get from this omission is the thought that in establishing or keeping "Holiday Traditions" people are encouraged to keep such traditions as giving gifts on Christmas, putting out cookies for Santa, and hanging stockings by the fireplace mantle. Now I'm certainly not against these things. In fact, I am a gift-giver, and also a former stocking-stuffer, and Santa cookies and milk provider myself when my three kids were young. But as a Christian, the "Holiday Traditions" I encourage focus on CHRIST-mas, doing that which honors the one whose birth it is we celebrate.
And so I would recommend that each of us and our family be intentional about establishing traditions that focus on Jesus. During Advent, attend Sunday morning worship in which the candles on the Advent wreath are lit, reminding us of the Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love that Jesus embodies. Place mittens, hats and gloves on the Mitten Tree. Take an angel and give gifts to those in need. Come caroling to our homebound members and friends after worship on December 18. And most certainly be present here for the beautiful Christmas Eve service, and a joyous and fun Christmas morning worship service.
I think this quote from Seasons of the Spirit is very relevant, "People of all ages find their attention being pulled in many different directions, especially as the voice of the marketplace reminds us that "the holiday season is upon us" and counts down the shopping days we have left until Christmas. Observing the Season of Advent with its tones of longing, anticipation, and hope has the potential to redirect and ground us in the way of God.
May your Advent and Christmas be blessed and may your "Holiday Traditions" be centered in God's great gift to the world, Jesus, the Christ.
Pastor Candy