Christmas Blessings!

This is a celebratory time of year! But it was not always that way.

The days of Christ's arrival were ones of hardship, even slavery for large masses of people. Death, disease, and disaster blotted the calendars of each generation.

Hope came in a little package--a divine Gift of God--and God Himself. He told us He would come, and He did come! He did not come through a blaze of light or riding on a powerful steed. He came in the form of us. He came as a baby Who would grow and experience testings and trials as all humans do. He would know our griefs, and He would bear our sins.

When Jesus came, it was the perfect gift at the perfect time to be just what we need in all of our brokenness. Jesus (meaning "Savior") is the all-surpassing, greatest blessing we can know--He is the Divine Rescuer!

It's given that we all share in the miseries, shortcomings, and losses of life. The wonder of Christmas is that, no matter the sorrows and tragedies we have known, we can know the majesty of Christ that overcomes every heartache and brings hope to every falling tear.

We'll discover more about the reasons why we celebrate Christ at this time of year as we worship tomorrow on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24, at 10:30 A.M. I hope you can join us! I always find it a joy to see Christmas through the eyes of children, and we will get a glimpse of that as we look at the Christmas story in a fun way together.

From all of us at Open Door, we wish you a blessed and joy-filled Christmas. The greatest Gift we offer to our community is the Gospel of Christ and the opportunity to know and follow Him. Thank you for your prayers and support as we continue leading people to Jesus Christ, the Open Door of Salvation, Strength, and Service.

Merry Christmas,
Dennis Schaffer, Pastor