“Fear Not!” Every time God wanted to send a messenger, an angel, these were the words that they had to begin with! Zechariah, who was the father of John the Baptist, Joseph, Mary, the Shepherds, they all needed to be calmed down and focused away from their fears and toward the wonders that God was providing in their lives. And in each case they were able to put their fears aside and listen and follow God. How are we doing with that?

“Fear Not!” Is there a message that we need to hear and accept more this year? Fear has replaced Faith in our lives, our Church and our Nation. Most of us can fill reams of paper with our legitimate fears, even without the ones that are fed and nurtured by the Chicken Littles on the TV news: crime, war, oil prices, affordable medical care, the economy, the environment all of these things can be frightening. Add to that our individual fears as we wrestle with job insecurities, health worries, strained marriages, generational conflicts, abandoned dreams, betrayed affection and on and on. So when we are confronted with God’s word for us, not only do we have to be dragged away from our fearful preoccupations, but the message itself and the messenger can terrify us! No wonder “Fear Not” runs through the story, the presence of God in our lives is going to be as disruptive and life-changing as, well, a newborn child. And that is what the story is trying to tell us.

Listen carefully as the life-changing message comes to us again: “Fear Not, for I bring you good news of great joy!” Here are the dates that can help us to look away from the fears and to measure the good news and the great joy in our lives: we will decorate the Sanctuary together on Thursday, November 29; we will celebrate Communion in worship on December 2; on December 9 we will place our ornaments on the Sanctuary Trees (so be sure to make or choose a special ornament from you or your family, as we allow those trees to become our Church Family trees); on December 16, immediately after worship you are invited to our annual Open House where we will have lovingly prepared 55 different varieties of cookies and cakes, and then you can join the Youth Group on their Caroling rounds later that night, ending back at our house for leftover cookies and fresh hot chocolate; on Sunday, December 23, we will mark the 4th Sunday of Advent with Communion returning on Monday for our Christmas Eve Services, complete with Carols and Candles, at 5:00 and 7:30; and we will close out the month by celebrating a special Family Communion Service together on December 30.

And as you measure the good news and great joy of your soul, please reflect upon those blessings as you plan your year-end giving to the work of the Church. For some people it has been helpful to double their regular giving through the Sundays of Advent, for others the giving of a Christmas Tithe (10% of what you spend on all of your Christmas shopping) has been a way to keep a focus on the meaning of Christmas, still others choose to make a single special Christmas gift. Whatever God leads you to do – over and above your regular giving – it is needed both by the Church and, more importantly, by you.

Shalom,

Jack