Reflections From Sunday Evening

Blah. Cold. sleet. freezing rain. ice. snow. Did I say cold? Chiefs laid an egg. Most churches had to cancel services today. We had a good number of hearty souls brave the elements and come to worship today. We had about 1/3 of our normal weekend. We went on as scheduled today but encouraged people to use good judgment regarding the roads and whether or not to get out. We have had two missed opportunities this year. It snowed like crazy on Palm Sunday - generally a day when many people attend church - and today, the Sunday before Christmas. This is another day we see an upbeat in participation. So...blah. But wait. Maybe I looked at this wrong. Cold but I sit in a warm house (at least I did not HAVE to go to the Chiefs game today!). The moisture will serve us well as the year goes on. The snow is actually really pretty. Does anyone enjoy a "White Christmas?" The Chiefs (along with other favorite sports teams and other activities) give us great distraction from the real issues of the world. We were blessed to be able to invite people to worship. People came together today and God was truly present among us. Maybe it wasn't such a bad day after all. Yesterday (December 21) was the shortest day of the year. You realize this means we have turned the corner. The days will begin to get a little longer. More daylight. Through the cold winter we have the hope of spring birthed within us once again. Things are getting brighter, lighter and longer. The sun will rise a bit higher in the sky. This is a great day! It keeps getting better. The weather forecast for Tuesday - Christmas Eve - is cold but clear. The next time we gather to worship could be the highlight of the entire year! Anticipation grows! It keeps getting better. I hope to see you on Christmas Eve. We begin with a service at 3:00 followed by two services at 5:00, 2 services at 7:00 and continuing at 9:00 and 11:00. You have the opportunity to join with others and sing the carols, share in communion and light a candle. What could be better? I will see you. It's been a pretty good day after all. I hope you've had a good day. steve