December 12th, 2020
Dear church family, Christmas Greetings!
What a year it has been, and it is not even over yet! If you are like me at all, there are times we look back over this past year in wonder and amazement. It often leaves me shaking my head a bit and even saying out loud from time to time, “I never saw that coming”! Nevertheless, the year 2020 will soon be in our past, and it can’t come a moment too soon.
I know this year has been months of difficulty on so many levels for so many people. We are sensitive to the grief and loss that many of you are experiencing. Most of us have never seen anything like this. The pandemic has interrupted our lives. This has been hard for all of us.
However, these challenging times have also provided us with the opportunity to exercise our faith. We have witnessed acts of profound kindness and creative ingenuity that remind us of the better angels within us. We have helped and taken care of each other. We are watching many churches, including ours, prove themselves to be incredibly adaptable, flexible, and resilient. Here at New World, our staff and leaders have worked long hours and creatively to provide digital resources and ministry to all our people and community. This is such a meaningful gift the church has to offer in a season such as this.
Even then, I understand it is sometimes difficult to see the good when we feel so overwhelmed by despair; but Christmas reminds us of something critical to keep in our minds, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:5). My friends, there are many more reasons to be grateful and filled with hope because of our faith. God has and will continue to help us to see all of this through.
Therefore, I want to remind us that we are a Christmas people and that Jesus is incarnated in every act of love and kindness we extend to one another. God can reach us beyond all the barriers the world can create and revive us by giving us strength in times of great distress. So, we can do this, and we will overcome because we are the Church, the body of the risen Christ!
Now, I pray you may see what is ahead because there is a bright future awaiting. I believe, as many of you do, too, that God is leading us into a new season of life and ministry together. My only request is to ask you to don’t give up or go away. We can only do this if we stay together and true to one another. I am confident in the success of our church and that we will celebrate many more Christmas together.
As your pastor, along with our staff called to serve alongside you, we pledge to you that we will continue to draw on every resource available to us that will help you through this season.
With this, I invite you to stay connected and don’t underestimate the value of your presence (online or in-person), service, prayers, witness, and giving/pledging. We need each other more than ever before. Please reach out to each other and encourage one another, particularly as we may be tempted to give up hope. Ask for help if you need it.
I am privileged to be your pastor, and I feel incredibly blessed and honored to be with you. My prayers are with you always.
May you be filled with the wonder of Mary, the obedience of Joseph, the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the determination of the magi, and the peace of the Christ child.
Almighty God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever. Amen. ¡Feliz Navidad!
Grace and kindness, Pastor Edgar
