It feels strange to write this final weekly for 2021. We began the year with online services only but had great hopes that the Christmas Eve service would be in-person. Just a week ago, I was still planning for an in-person service. In fact, Kirk (one of our elders) was helping me brainstorm ideas because I had hoped to still have candles during the Christmas Eve service (By the way, if anyone wants a quick snuffer hack, Kirk is the man to go to!). Regrettably, in-person service was not meant to be as daily case counts skyrocket due to Omicron. The power of the Holy Spirit, however, cannot be bound by the physical limitations of time and space, and we can take comfort in this blessing. We can still worship together from our homes, feeling both sorrow and joy.

The wonder of the Christmas story is that God became one of us: unimaginable creative power chose to put on flesh in order to live within the confines of human life. In doing so, Emmanuel, God with us, revealed a counter-intuitive notion of power—real power. This real power is love, no matter how corny or cliched it may sound. And as I quoted the poet Christina Rosetti last Sunday, “Love came down at Christmas…”

For the Christmas Eve service, we will hear some familiar passages, sing some familiar Christmas carols and briefly reflect upon the familiar passage, “the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14). Kindly remember that donations given tonight go to Armagh, a second stage, transitional supportive housing programme for abused woman.

Moving forward, including this coming Sunday (the 26th), worship services will only be available on our YouTube channel (released every Sunday at 10:30 am). Due to the pandemic, we have moved to online services only, and our prayer is that our wait will be short before our return to in-person worship.

Last but not least, our Minister in Association will be leading worship on Epiphany Sunday, January 2, 2022. The Scripture lessons are John 1:1-14 and Ephesians 1:3-14, and the title for John-Peter’s sermon is “For the praise of His Glory”.

So the Word became human and made his home among us.
He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. John 1:14 (NLT)

With deep hope in Emmanuel—God with us,
Rev. Janet

p.s. Please click onto the underlined words “YouTube channel” to access worship services.