Pastor Ed’s Letter for December 20, 2023

Pastor Ed

Dear Congregants, Friends, and Guests:

Sunday’s worship with the choral cantata, “A New & Glorious Morn,” filled the sanctuary with joy and awe! The choir was amazing and a huge thanks to Bob and Glenn for their gifted leadership as Directors of Music! On Christmas Eve they will lead the choir in some incredibly moving musical selections!

Sunday, December 24 at 10:00 am worship will include a simple retelling of the Christmas story, acted out by some of Lely’s youth! Also, the congregation will celebrate the Baptism of Theodore Jacob Lewis, a child of a seasonal family in the neighborhood from New York!

Christmas Eve Services are scheduled for 5:00, 8:00, and 11:00 pm. The later service will be a quiet candlelight and communion service to welcome in Christmas Day!

Please note that morning worship on Sundays, December 24, and 31 is at 10:00 am only. Regular services of 9:00 and 10:30 am will resume January 7, 2024!

Thanks also to Bonnie Kluttz for her expert photography skills!!! She is the Ansel Adams for Lely Pres! Thank you Bonnie!

The season drips with hope and expectation. In many ways, December is a month of nostalgia from movies to childlike moments ushering in a smile and a tear. For some, the month is full of joy and for others, a time when good-bye’s were said to loved ones.

And in the midst of the nostalgia, we find an incomprehensible joy meant for all people…..God becoming human and dwelling among us…a God on an eternal search for the souls of men and women to make their lives whole!

Wholeness is what each of us want….wholeness when a hole in our hearts takes too much time to close. Wholeness in our lives when hopes fail to meet reality.

In our lives, and by that I mean Jane and me, we are seeking wholeness as well in the health department. Our stay in New York was extended because of tests that came back positive. Malignancy is not the word you want to hear at Christmas or at any time in one’s life. We are fast and furiously making appointments and engaging in medical tests to map out the most effective treatment plan. Jane’s health is my primary focus. Please keep Jane in your prayers.

Welcome to Lely…..Welcome Home….You Belong Here!!

I remain a Servant of Christ….

Sincerely,

Pastor Ed

Click Here to See Pics from Last Week