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 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

 It is hard to believe we are ushering in December 2025, and this year is ending soon. It has been a year of transitions in our national life with a series of challenges and triumphs. Within the church, this year has been marked by important work. In September we launched our Discipleship and Church Growth Committee and are actively exploring ways to bring our livestreaming activity of worship services in line with best practices for digital communication. Yes, it has been a busy year, and we eagerly anticipate what God has in store for us in 2026.

 Our liturgical tradition holds that Advent is the Christian New Year. We prepare our hearts and minds to welcome God’s promise of a Savior – Christ Jesus. While this is important spiritual work, we must also acknowledge the implicit call to action that is both a part of Advent and Christmastide. While the spiritual values of Advent and Christmas, hope, peace, love, and joy, seem ethereal and beyond reach. But throughout scripture, we see God calling humankind to embody these values. As the body of Christ, we are called to assume the values of Christ and be an alternative way to engaging the world.

 Our world is complicated. There are competing interests at play in matters ranging from the micro personal level to the macro global level. These interests often erupt in significant tensions for people on other sides of the issues. As we anticipate Christ’s birth, this Advent, consider the ways in which you can participate in overcoming these tensions by living into the hope, peace, love, and joy God promises to the world in Christ. This could be logging off social media and joining a neighbor or friend or family for coffee and engaging in dialogue. Consider how God is using both to bring about the heavenly kingdom, where the Advent values are not limited, but plentiful.

 My prayer for you this season is that you will experience God’s purposes for each of us and the world. I pray that you feel Christ’s love this holiday season around the tables and fireplaces that instill warmth in our hearts and unite us around our common humanity. As always, it is my privilege to serve you here in Kinsman, and I cannot wait to see what we accomplish together in the coming year!

 With God’s grace, mercy, and love,

 David Paulik