The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in,from this time forth for evermore. - Psalm 121:8
As I prepare for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I recall that only two years ago we were all watching the services online! While I am grateful so many of you remained faithful in your participation when we were exclusively live-streaming, I am even more thankful that we can once again gather in person. There is much benefit to in-person worship. I witness the fruits of in-person worship in the halls as we fellowship before and after the services. I’m also aware of the reverence we feel when we share the cup, sing, and pray in our sacred space. As Church with a capital C continues to evolve post-pandemic, we must acknowledge there is also a significant advantage to online offerings. A number of you who have joined us in the past two years have noted the convenience of being able to experience worship online prior to attending Ascension in person. You’ve shared how watching online has helped you develop the habit of going to church or helped your children understand what to expect at in-person worship. Still others of you have shared how grateful you are to worship when you’re homebound or traveling. Members of our online worship team, particularly Todd Rutenbar and Andrew Marshall, deserve praise for helping make this experience possible. As we continue to support their efforts, we know that still more volunteers are needed. If you have the gift of tech support and can help out a few Sundays a year, please let Todd or Andrew know. Your time and talent would be greatly appreciated. Lastly, I want to remind you that our Ascension YouTube channel remains a low-pressure way to invite others to join us for worship. It can be found here or on our website’s homepage. This channel includes our worship services and many past formation offerings. There are also playlists of sermons and special music offerings from past services. Please help us share our many video offerings with others who may be interested in learning more about Ascension. This Christmas season, I look forward to experiencing the miracle of Christ’s birth with you either in person or online. We light the fourth candle on our Advent wreath this Sunday, reminding us of the message of the angels: “Peace on Earth. Good Will toward Men.” Blessings,
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