St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Emmaus, PA
The Season of Christmas – Christmastide 2020
Dearest St. Margaret’s Family,
I send my heartfelt love to each of you as we continue our Christmastide in the midst of the ever more threatening Covid crisis. There WILL be a day when we can look back upon these days in the rear-view mirror. Yet, as we all know, that time is not yet; and, the CDC says that things are still getting worse.
I say this not as a negative, but as an invitation to you to continue to please reach out to others. Also, please know that I covet your phone calls, texts, emails, and FaceTime.
If you are struggling, even a little, please reach out to me. I am always available – if I can’t answer the phone at that moment, please leave a message and I’ll get right back to you. Sadly, I’m not able to visit you and this is the best we can do. There are many in our congregation who are deeply suffering the loss of friends and family to this dreaded disease. We need to be there for one another more than ever.
The HOPE we have in Our Lord never changes…..here we are – in the utter glow of the birth of Christ – of the holy infant – of the great and familiar narratives of Luke and of Matthew…….a time of tenderness, joy, and deep intimacy for the Holy Family……of nurturing and calm attentiveness.
Of a certain silence and peace. Here, together as a family, The Blessed Virgin Mary, the God-bearer ……..and Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father…….and the infant Jesus. Learning to be family together…..Mary learning how to be a mom…….Joseph learning how to be a dad, a dad who has adopted this baby Jesus…..coming into a deeper understanding of the blessedness of being this HOLY FAMILY.
I suggest to you that Our Lord wishes St. Margaret’s to be a holy family as well. As sisters and brothers in Christ. Continually learning how to be a faith family together. I rejoice in our St. Margaret’s holy family! You are the instruments of God’s peace in the world.
I reiterate, please contact me if you have any need – even just to talk. I miss you all tremendously – it is a daily source of hope to know that we continue this walk together.
So, my dearest friends in Christ, I wish you a very HAPPY and HOPE-FILLED NEW YEAR.
Our Lord is with us. Emmanuel. Praise be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Jane+
View our Virtual Service on YouTube
(Available 9:00 AM the Day Of Service and Thereafter)
Dr. Christopher Corbin, missioner for transition and leadership with the Diocese of South Dakota, has partnered with Forward Movement to offer an easy-to-share (and understand) infographic highlighting the Twelve Days of Christmas. The infographic is designed to be both shared on your social media platforms as well as printed in sizes up to 11×17 inches. Download a PDF or JPEG.
Source: https://news.forwardmovement.org/2018/12/shareable-christmastide-infographic/