Pastor Donny kicks off the new year with an inspiring message for us. 2021 is a new start for our spiritual life and he encourages us to dedicated it to Jesus. This is our year!

Galatians 3:26–27 "In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

If you watch the Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving morning, you’ll see the unmistakable backdrop with the word “Believe.” Christmas is about believing in things that defy logic: the Son of God being born to a virgin in a stable filled with farm animals. This holy season prompts us to become childlike in our faith: to think with our hearts rather than our brains, to embrace a world beyond our own, trusting that God is with us every day. Christmas inspires faith – in God and in His goodness, truth, and beauty that are very real but not always visible.

Light shines brightest in darkness. That’s the heart of the Christmas story, an overriding message of hope that is articulated beautifully in the lyrics of “O Holy Night”: “O holy night, the stars are brightly shining, It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.” God didn’t come into our world at high noon. He entered our lives in darkness -- showing us the way to light, guiding us towards love, and demonstrating how to overcome shadows and blackness. Christmas teaches us that even when things seem dark, we can trust the everlasting light.

Perhaps the greatest story of courage ever told was Mary’s three-word response to the angel Gabriel when he explained to her that she would bear the Son of God. “Let it be,” she said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord.” With great humility, she opens herself to God’s will and submits to His plan, even though she knows none of the details. By uttering her Fiat (Latin for “Let it be”) she initiates the Christmas story and the arrival of God into human history. Mary’s response also generates hope for all believers – that by saying yes to God we participate in the Christian story and find meaning that sustains us. Enjoy!