Hello, Friends!
     John and I so enjoyed hosting those of our fellowship who joined us at the parsonage on Sunday for an open house party for the Advent season.
     Those who came found the house less than “perfect,” with a renovation project still underway, and other “lived in” parts of the house quite visible, too.
    I’m less anxious about such things than in previous years, but I must admit I fretted a bit about not having things prettier, more finished, more in line with some ideal image in my head of what the house “should” look like.
     Once you all arrived, though, I remembered what mattered—you, our guests, and the honor of welcoming you into our home, which is, of course, also yours.
      There were candles, and food and drink, a smattering of decorative flourishes here and there—but mostly there were people greeting each other, engaging each other, enjoying each other’s company.
    And John, Drew, Rhodes, and I were blessed to serve as hosts, as keepers of the house, and ambassadors of Christ’s hospitality.
Whether or not we had our act totally together was absolutely not the point.
     You were, and we are, and God’s love is the point, isn’t it, Friends?
Isn’t Emmanuel’s story meant to remind us that God comes to dwell with us as we are, to show us how to become more of what we can be, as holy human beings?
     And isn’t our only essential charge to offer Him welcome into our hearts and homes, with all their unfinished, “imperfect” dimensions, which God promises to embrace with love?
     Thanks for allowing me and mine to serve you, and serve with you. I look forward to welcoming Christ with you this Sunday, this Christmas Eve, and all our days to come.   

Shalom,
Sarah