Volume 2 Issue 27

I am reminded of the rock classic “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young as I sit with Mary listening to the great music of Christmas performed by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Rachel is finished with the first semester of her sophomore year at NAU and will be home this week, and Rebecca will be wrapping up her final week before Winter Break. A week from today we will all embark on what I’ve designated “The Grand Christmas Tour” during which we’ll spend Dad’s 80th birthday with him in Denver (I know he will enjoy receiving your well wishes on December 23 at: erhanna@worldnet.att.net ). Then we’ll be on to Billings to spend Christmas with Mom and Kim’s family. We cherish this time of year when we receive greetings from those with whom we’ve kept in touch over so many years.
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Try as I might to cleverly disguise it, the preceding is just a fancy way of saying that this week’s sermon is still in progress. It might make it to the website sometime this week, and I’ll just have to hope that some of you will periodically check to find out. My friend from junior high days, Rob, has been with us this weekend and his visit understandably took priority. The holiday schedule will be somewhat irregular (as it should be), but unlike my time on sabbatical I will use the newsletter to provide at least a weekly update on the status of this ministry. As of right now, there have been 2,534 visits to GiC and the goal is to experience continuing growth.
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The emphasis of this Third Sunday of Advent is upon the Christ as our joy. This is so timely as the world watches the joy upon the faces of those who now know for sure that they have been liberated from the tyrannical rule of Saddam Hussein. My Christmas prayer includes the hope that we may all grow in our understanding that even this kind of joy pales by comparison to that which fills our lives when we discover the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding.
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I close by thanking you once again for your continuing support of this ministry, and for allowing me a few moments of your time each week. I consider it not only a privilege but a sacred responsibility to make available this forum for the subject that ultimately and profoundly affects each and every one of us: our relationship with God!
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Until next week…….Shalom!