Dear Friends,

Well, it has started.  The lights are up in town and in many houses on many streets, making it a spectacular experience just to take a drive through the neighborhoods. The radio stations are playing “over the hills we go” and other seasonal lyrics and melodies.  We are following suit on Sunday as we stay after meeting for Christmas cookies and decorating the meeting house.  I am a child at heart and am looking forward to this almost as much as our Friendsgiving Thanksgiving potluck which was a great success.

We will start the day out this Sunday at 9:00 AM Bible study in the pastors’ office.  We are going to be reading 1 John 2 and telling what it brings up for us.  This is the part of the Bible that focuses on love and knowing you are a follower of Christ or Christ centered if you live in a way that exemplifies Jesus’ love. It’s all about integrity, and they are quite uplifting verses as we are encouraged to follow the “old command” which is the “new command” as well.  We know that the old command is to love God with everything we have and our neighbor as ourselves.  And so many of you do this.  It has been a pleasure the last two and half years to see all of you living out your beliefs whether it is volunteering at the food pantry or showing up to support NAMI.  But the best has been the personal decisions where you put the good of others first.  That happens habitually without thought most of the time.

That choice to put the good of others first and to love our neighbors as ourselves are demonstrated in the Peace and Social Concerns Report that is attached with the minutes of last week’s business meeting.  Please be mindful while reading through these minutes, as they show a church dedicated to making good decisions and following that old commandment.

This is the second Sunday of Advent, and it is supposed to be about peace.  That word is thrown around at Christmas time, labeling cards and stamps, sung on speakers around the stores — Peace.  How do we have peace?  It starts with loving ourselves.  How do you love your neighbor as yourself if you don’t love yourself first?  So how are you making your life peaceful?  What decisions do you need to make in this Advent season to be at peace with yourself?  Peace inside of you radiates out to others, so start with your own personal peacefulness and peaceful life.  There is a reason it is one of our SPICES. Peace at the core of our lives extends past ourselves and naturally to others in a way that does not tend to be wearisome or create burnout.  If your first compassion is to yourself then compassion for others can come a lot easier.

I hope to see you on Sunday as it is unprogrammed worship, and there is always a beautiful spirit that is made evident when we all gather for silent worship.  We end now by circling together as one person reads a blessing. This Sunday we are hearing the blessing of Chief Yellow Lark’s “Let Me Walk in Beauty.”  It is a beautiful blessing that is sure to bless your time here as we transition into the fun of decorating the church building for Christmas.

Peace,

Leigh