Rev. Barry Bloom's Reflections December 2016

Happy Holidays…..or how I stayed exhausted for a month!!
 
Actually, I Hope you are preparing for a warm and loving Christmas with family and friends.  And we hope you will bring everyone, especially the kids, to our Christmas Eve Family Candlelight service at 5 pm on that day.  There will be carols, readings, and quiet celebration ending with lighting the candles that are so much a symbol of the holidays.  Then some goodies and off to home for the evening.
 
The regular services that I am leading this month are focused on the holidays too, in a way.  Designed around this month’s theme of Presence, Dec 4 is focused on the presence of evil.  The service on Dec 18 on the presence of the holy.  They have more in common than you would guess.
 
Thanks to all who donated the many warm coats and blankets that we collected in the foyer, then were taken by the Native American Club at UNC to Standing Rock.  May they warm and nurture hearts as well as bodies.
 
This year, both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Sundays.  There will not be a service on Christmas Day, but the church will be open during regular service hours.  Julie Miller will be here with goodies to share and support to offer anyone who drops by.  And I will be leading the service on New Year’s Day.  It doesn’t have a name yet but will, of course, be about making resolutions to start a new year with positive goals.  It is a time of power and purpose if we make it so.
 
In the meantime, stay warm.  Keep your hearts open.  And reach out to those in need.  This is a time when it is most needed and most appreciated.
 
Peace and good will to you all.
Rev Barry Bloom

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