Letter from the Pastor

January 3, 2020

Letter From the Pastor – January 5, 2020

There is a familiar quotation that says: “I shall pass through this world but once.  Any good, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now.  Let me not defer nor neglect, for I shall not pass this way again.” Those lines serve to remind us, during this season, of the transient nature of life.  It does not stand still.  It is constantly on the move.  And once any part of life has passed us by, it is gone forever.  We can never get it back again. We […]
December 27, 2019

Letter From the Pastor – December 29, 2019

                 I read a story recently about a woman who got on a crowded subway in New York City.  When a man got up and offered her a seat, the surprise was so great that she fainted.  When the woman recovered she said, “thank you”, and the man fainted.                 I suspect that this story isn’t true.  Well at least, I am reasonably sure it isn’t.  But one wonders how much of it is really exaggerated!!  It seems that in our society common courtesy and simple gratitude seem to be so rare that […]
December 20, 2019

Letter From the Pastor – December 22, 2019

In the famous story of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare raised the now famous question, “What is in a name?”  And in the next sentence he gave his equally famous answer, “That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.” In his poetic language, Shakespeare was saying that names, in and of themselves, have no meaning.  And in our western culture that is largely true.  Names are simply labels that are applied to people for purposes of identification.  They are sometimes chosen by association as when a child is named after some relative or friend.  At […]
December 13, 2019

Letter From the Pastor – December 15, 2019

     This is the third Sunday of Advent. Each year during this season, the church turns her attention to one of the most fascinating characters of the New Testament – a rugged prophet named John the Baptizer. We focus the spotlight on this man during this season for a very good reason. It was John who first prepared the people for the message and ministry of Jesus. He led the way. He set the stage on which Jesus became the focal point.       This is the reason we turn our attention to John during Advent. What he did in the first century is […]
December 6, 2019

Letter From the Pastor – December 8, 2019

Can you remember as a child the anticipation you felt as Christmas approached?  It was such an exciting time of year.  For some reason, adults seemed to be a little happier and less fussy than usual.  Music filled the air, packages were under the tree, secrets were being whispered from person to person.  Sometimes the excitement would build until you would think you were going to burst.  Perhaps we have since discarded that kind of anticipation as just a childish fantasy; but I hope not, for it isn’t altogether without scriptural precedent.  For example, there is the meeting between the […]