Arise! Shine!

 Welcome to 2019! I hope the Christmas Season was a blessing to you and your family.  I’d like to say a special thank you for the many cards and gifts received these past weeks.  Margie and I are so appreciative of your generosity and we enjoyed celebrating the gift of Emmanuel with you.  I write these words on the eve of the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6).  The first reading from our liturgy that day is from the prophet Isaiah. Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Through the birth of Jesus and with the celebration of Epiphany, we acknowledge that we are the people on whom a great light has shone.  The image of the magi and their journey to Jesus figures prominently at Epiphany.  Tradition holds that the wise men did not stay with the holy family after their visit.  We don’t exactly know which way they went but Matthew’s gospel says they went home “by another way”.  But they certainly didn’t stay.  As we look upon the manger one final time this year, we know we cannot stay there either. Like the magi, we too are called to move away and take the light of Jesus with us. Arise, shine; for your light has come! We are asked not only to admire the light, but to be people of light. The light of the Epiphany is given to us as a gift, but we cannot keep it to or for ourselves. This is an image I hope our parish can carry into 2019.  As we move away from the manger, and move forward with the gift of the light of Christ, which way will we go?  At our Vestry meeting on January 27th, we will be presented with a way forward in the updated Mission and Ministry Plan.  In this plan we will highlight ways that we, as a community of faith, can carry the light of Christ through Discipleship, Evangelism, Outreach, Service, the Transforming of Society, Renewing the Earth and learning to be good Stewards of all that God has given to us.  Arise, shine; for your light has come!  I hope you will come and engage in this important aspect of our parish life together. To quote Bishop Desmond Tutu,  “Do what you can do where you are, and God will surprise you!”  Are you up for a surprise this year?  Let’s go!
In the Light of Christ
Rev. Rob+
re to edit.