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| Along the Way: 12/18/09 |
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Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church Creede Hinshaw December 18, 2009 creede@wesleymonumental.org Few things make a pastor happier than a healthy new baby, and so I’ve had a good week, and so has our congregation. Two new babies have been born into our congregation these past 5 days. On Monday, December 14th we welcomed Paul Pannell, 2nd son of Jon and Kim Pannell. Then this morning (December 18th) we welcomed Olivia Turner, first child of Tripp and Tayla Turner. Babies and parents are doing well. Welcome, Paul and Olivia, into the flock of Wesley Monumental UMC! You will be the Christmas gifts beneath your grateful parents’ and grandparents’ tree this year. I enjoyed a pastoral first this morning involving the way the news was conveyed of Olivia Turner’s birth. Alex and I were sitting with the eager family in the waiting room, the minutes slowly dragging by. Suddenly one family member received the joyous news of Olivia’s birth, not via a nurse entering the waiting room or a phone on a wall, but by a cell phone text message from the proud new father. Olivia had arrived! We all cheered. A few seconds later, still gathered around that cell phone, we saw Olivia for the first time, thanks again to a photo from the delivery room. It was a dramatic moment, followed by the family walking down the hall to the nursery where they would look through a glass and see Olivia in the “old fashioned” way…through the glass. Seven days until Christmas finds us thinking of another baby. We remember Jesus, born to a Galilean peasant couple in Bethlehem…a child who has changed the world more than any person in history, fully God and fully human, who “emptied himself of everything except love” (Charles Wesley) to become one of us. I rather like the idea of the angels announcing and singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace; good will to all” and I rather like the idea of magi following a star. But I’ll take the message of good news any way possible. Gabriel did not “text” Mary the news that she would bear the Messiah nor were shepherds and wise men “texted” the news about Jesus. But who is to say that God is not now using text messages to speak to us? Angels still have plenty of work to do, I’m sure, but God has many more options through which to communicate these days. Glory to God in the highest! P.S. This Sunday’s sermon deals with a baby…kicking in the womb. It’s a beautiful and tender story from Luke 1: 39-45. I’ll see you in worship! Remember to be generous with your Christmas offering. |
