This is the gift of Christmas. While we often think this time of year is supposed to be full of joy and happiness, it simply cannot negate the heaviness that many of us feel and experience. However, this week as we approach Christmas, I am reminded that Christ's light wouldn't be as meaningful without having experienced the dark. Emmanuel (God with us) means so much to us because we know what darkness feels like. When Christ comes and shines this

Perhaps you've heard this or you've used this phrase recently. Many use it to express feelings of gratitude and others use it to express deep grief. This phrase can be used simply to express the feelings that go deep within us. This week we encounter Luke 1:46-55 where Mary offers a song of praise to God. This song is an expression of gratitude in her heart for the things God has done in her life. Her song doesn't omit

"Will you help us spread Christmas cheer?" Now is the time of year when we are often asked to chip in a few extra dollars when checking out at the store to spread Christmas cheer. Whether it is supporting a medical research initiative, a local non-profit, or Christmas gifts for those in need, all are ways in which joy can be shared. The word for the third week of Advent is JOY. It harkens us back to the spirit of

Are you longing for peace? If so, you are in good company. This time of year brings a lot of stress upon us. Many are grieving a loss and anticipating a much different holiday season than ever before. Many are trying to make ends meet and to make the holidays possible. Many are stressing about getting everything done in the timelines given to us. Many are searching for the perfect gift with no luck in sight. Many are feeling the weight

We've all heard this from time to time. When life seems to be really tough, we tell ourselves and those we love to hold fast because we trust that the pain won't last forever. This is a part of human life. We know there will be seasons that seem unbearable, but we also know that what we are experiencing is only temporary. Our Christian faith holds fast in the promise that God's light will come into the darkness and offer

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is 1 week away and many of us are preparing to host a meal for our loved ones. And just three days after that begins the season of Advent which is the time of preparing for Christmas and the birth of Christ in our midst. If you're anything like me, the idea of preparing can be daunting. There is so much to do and so little time to do it. When the to-do lists continue to grow, so does

Have you ever been surprised by someone else's generosity? In the last few weeks, I have really been struck by the generous hearts that helped us host the Pumpkin Patch and our Fall Festival. As a relatively new pastor at St. John's, I had no idea what to expect from these events, but I knew it would be worth the extra work. But even though I knew it would be a lot of work, it was still more than I anticipated.

These are the words I used to utter to myself on the way to a haunted house growing up. Yet, no matter how many times I said these words, the fear still existed within me. It was a tradition in my family to go to a haunted house every year, and every time I would be terrified. The truth is that we are all afraid of something. And depending on what that fear is, it's up to us to navigate life

This time of year brings back so many memories, and as we get closer to Halloween I am reminded of all the times I have been caught by surprise in a haunted house or while trick or treating. I can remember being so determined to get through the haunted house or get candy from all the houses without getting scared, but every year I failed to make it. There was always someone hidden somewhere that caught me by surprise

This is the true nature of life. Today we will receive a shipment of pumpkins for our pumpkin patch here at St. John's and I am reminded of a new (Fall) season upon us. While Fall is such a beautiful season if you live in a place where the autumn colors are in full display, Fall also reminds us of the more difficult times in life as well. Fall foliage, while pretty on the outside, reminds us of the inward