Greetings! The month of December is upon us! I pray that each of you had a great Thanksgiving with family and great food. As we begin the month of December and prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ and the Christmas season, we will be busy with activities this month.

We will have 1st Sunday lunch on the 8th this month. Our Christmas Eve candlelight service will be on Tuesday the 24th. Our new Sunday school classes have been going for about a month. Still plenty of time to get involved in a class if you haven’t yet.

We get caught up in the fast-paced activities of this Christmas season. All you must do is go out to any of the stores where people are shopping. Long lines, everyone looking for the best deal. Christmas is not about shopping, eating good food, getting presents or how many lights or displays you can put on your house or in the yard.

Probably a OGBC, first I’m going to quote the Grinch on what Christmas really means:

“Maybe Christmas (he thought) doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more.” — The Grinch

The Christmas season does mean a little more. Some scriptures for our Christmas season:

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 1:30-33 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

As we begin this Christmas season I pray that we each reflect on this season and the true meaning of Christmas. It starts and ends with Christ!