Begin the work of Christmas in the New Year
From The Pastor’s Desk
When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone; when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flock, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among brothers, to make music in the heart.
-Howard Thurman, “The Work Of Christmas”
It seems odd to be writing this message now, on the 20th of December. In just a little while, I will be leading the final “It’s A Wonderful Life” Advent discussion. Tomorrow we will hold our Longest Night/Blue Christmas service; Christmas Eve is almost here. For all of the significance we place on the celebration of Christmas, it is all too brief. The 12 Days of Christmas run through Epiphany, celebrated each year on January 6th. For most people, though, Christmas ends with the New Year, and a return to work and the normal schedule of life.
For Christians, Christmas is not merely a single day, or even a season: it is a reorientation of our priorities. We prepare ourselves with the season of Advent: marking our weeks with attention to hope, peace, joy, and love. Rather than a countdown to the big day, Advent serves to prepare us for the work of Christmas, which has little to do with decorations, presents, and feasting. As the theologian Howard Thurman notes, the work of Christmas is finding the lost, healing the broken, feeding the hungry, and so on.
As we enter into a new year my hope is that we can keep the value of Christmas alive in our common life. We will have many opportunities to offer kindness and support to friends, neighbor, and stranger alike. May this coming year be one which sees the impact that First Congregational Church has on the life of this community continue to strengthen and grow. And may we the person of the Christ child reflected in all of the faces that we encounter. Happy New Year!
—Pastor Jon