As Christmas draws near, it is important to reflect upon the good things – our families, friends, and our own church community. 2012 was a year of changes and challenges for our Nativity family. Looking back, the community had to face many changes with uncertainty. The community showed its true depth and love during that period of time. With the community growing together as a family we started to reach out and share the gifts that God gave us – His love, forgiveness, and presence. The community experienced many good times while working together to improve our church’s physical appearance. Our many volunteers who helped clean, paint, and repair our church and grounds enjoyed the fellowship and grew in our community of faith. There were also many volunteers who came together to form viable committees to ensure our house was in order and that the needs of the community were defined. In coming together to do God’s work, we demonstrated what a loving community can achieve.
Most of all, our outreach to those in need, not only within our own family but in the community as a whole – the childhood friend of Carlos in Costa Rica, our local police officer who was injured and whose family was in need while he was in the hospital, our steadfast commitment to the St. Andrews Community Food Bank – our fundraising efforts – our first Advent Fair – our commitment to SFX School in tuition assistance and donations of school supplies and making Christmas for eleven children in Darien a happy and joyful celebration! Our actions have witnessed Christ’s presence among us as a church and as a community inMcIntish County.
We can be proud of how far we have come in such a short period of time. We have moved past our uncertainties and took the risk in trusting God’s presence. We continue to reflect His presence in what we say and what we do as a community.
We look forward to what lies ahead! Many thanks not just to a few people, but to the community as a whole. We have listened to God and have grown because of it. We will continue to trust in Him and grow in what he is calling us to be in the year 2013. We pray that we see the light of Christ in all we meet.
Christmas is a time to celebrate the presence of Christ in our world and His presence in our lives. We are so fortunate to have this gift.
A very blessed Christmas and joyous New Year to everyone!
George Trexler, Fr. Bob & the whole Pastoral Council and Staff