In the story of scripture, an angel of the Lord appeared and said "Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: To you is born this day in the city of David, a savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

For me, one of the most important parts of celebrating Christmas Eve is the fact that on this day all the worldwide Church gathers and gives thanks for the Christ Child. Not a child born into a life of privilege or wealth, but a child born and laid in the poverty of a manger. On Christmas Eve we gather in solidarity with a young mother, a desperate father, and a swaddled child lying in a bed of straw. In doing so we proclaim our hopes for a better tomorrow. For a moment on Christmas Eve, each year, the Church is one.

I had a great conversation with a newer visitor to the church today. We were both at our children's school, waiting for a traditional Christmas/end-of-the-semester program. "Do you feel ready for Christmas?" he asked. To which, I had to answer, "No." Advent is hard.

Personally, this is a time of year during which I wear many hats. At our finance committee meeting on Tuesday, I was the CEO of a not-for-profit organization. That means asking for year-end gifts, wrapping up stewardship, and beginning to budget for next year. As a parent, this is a time of final exams, school performances, report cards, finding the perfect gift, and trying to make the season special. As a minister, it is a time of worship planning and leadership, which this year has included an ordination. It's a lot. It sometimes feels like this is a season of juggling.

Holy wow! The season of Advent has ramped up. This time of year always seems to be so full of events and gatherings. It's fun, but I know in our family it can feel like a lot. I am sure many of you feel the same way.

I was reflecting on the busyness of the season this week. As I thought about it, I found myself looking forward in our calendar for times and spaces where Denise and I can find rest. One date immediately stood out to me: January 26-28th, St. Martin's Annual Kanuga Parish Retreat.

As Fall turns to Winter, a season has ended and another is upon us. This is true for the church as well, as we are entering the season of Advent. In our tradition, Advent is known as a time of preparation, when we prepare to welcome anew the Christ child into our lives.

Denise and her mom are out doing some last-minute Thanksgiving dinner shopping. Aromatics for the turkey, more vegetable stock, apples for an apple pie, and all the little things that you think of as you sit around a kitchen table with loved ones and plan a meal. "Oh, you know what would be good?" was a common question last night. I love this part of our family's Thanksgiving tradition. The pre-planning and cooking are just as much fun as eating the feast that we have prepared.

It is that time again, the time when we gather to reflect on the past year and think about the year to come. In other words, it is time for our annual meeting. At the annual meeting, we will say thank you to vestry members for their service, welcome new vestry members and diocesan delegates, celebrate the ministry we have done together, review our financial reports, and most importantly cast a vision for the year to come.

This week we celebrate St. Martin's Day. We will have a guest preacher Rev. Mark Lee, Dean of the US Army Chaplain Corps, at the 8 a.m. and 10: 30 a.m. services. Come hear about the work Colonel Lee does. At our 5 p.m. service our worship band is playing, and after that, starting at 6 p.m., come to our St. Martin's Day feast. Bring a side, BBQ Pork will be provided.

A blessed Feast of All Souls to you all. I hope and pray that you are well. As I sit and write this, with Decoy curled up beside me, I find myself giving thanks.

I am thankful for this beautiful cool weather, for the job that I have, and for the church that I get to serve. I am thankful for the people I love, the people who have loved me, and the people who made this church into what it is today.

I wish you all and especially all of our children a Happy Halloween! I hope and pray that everyone has a safe and fun weekend ahead. This Sunday night along with our 5 p.m. worship service we will also host our annual Trunk-or-Treat. from 4-7 p.m.

I hope and pray that all of you are well! For the rest of 2023, St. Martin's promises to be a hive of community activity. In addition to worship we have something planned for each weekend until our Kanuga Weekend. I don't recall a time when our church has been consistently this filled with activity. Our common life feels like it is filled with energy and love, and for that I am grateful.

I like many of you have watched with extreme sadness the horrifying events unfold in Israel. The taking of hostages, public executions, and indiscriminate violence can only be described as evil. With no long-term strategy being immediately clear for Hamas or Israel at this point, I fear the violence and suffering over the next few days will only increase. It is all at once tragic, mind-numbing, and sickening. It is also the repeat of a cycle of violence and bloodshed that, unless there is a dramatic shift in public policy and amendment of many hearts, will continue for decades and decades to come. This final sad truth is heartbreaking for me.

At our 5:00 pm service this Sunday, we will hold our annual Blessing of the Animals. The blessing like last year will be inside the church. If you have an animal you would like blessed, but perhaps they would do better outside, please come outside of the church around 5:45 pm. When the 5:00 pm service is finished I will offer them a blessing. As a priest on St. Francis Sunday I have blessed horses, pigs, snakes, rats, dogs, cats, a duck, lizards, stuffed teddy bears, and pictures of pets. No animal is too big or too small! Last year we had the pleasure of blessing a police dog who serves the Richland County Sheriff's Department. This year we will bless a therapy dog at our 10:30 am service who serves children at school and in hospitals. I give thanks for these amazing animals. I truly believe a part of God's beauty is placed in each and every one of them.

I hope and pray that you are well! You probably know from mailings, announcements, and the pledge cards sitting in the pews that we are in the midst of stewardship season. Our theme this year is "Our Church Home." For me, St. Martin's is the place where I have watched my children grow up. I will never forget seeing my father present Noah for confirmation, nor will I ever forget the first time Lydia and I were able to serve at the altar together. These moments have etched themselves into my heart.

This week I had the great pleasure of watching my family participate in Spirit Week at their school. They went to school dressed as Adam Sandler, a doughnut, the Phantom of the Opera, and an assortment of other costumes. It was funny and fun. It was also purposeful.

I have come to call English Morris a friend. For the past 36 years serving at St. Martin's, he has embodied what it means to be a church musician. He loves the Lord and he loves his choir. At our staff meeting this week English shared that being a musician is more than a profession, it is an identity, who he is. For countless services, funerals, weddings, confirmations, evensongs, and morning prayers, English has graced St. Martin's with his music. I am grateful for him.

This week we celebrate the confirmation and reception of nearly 30 people. Bishop Richards will be with us and I am excited to welcome him! This is our first Bishop's visit in nearly two and a half years. It's an important day. I am grateful for our youth and our adults who are being confirmed. The day will be a blessing.