For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

The Holidays are a wonder-filled time.  Homes and streets are decorated with beautiful lights, Christmas carols fill the air; and we are inundated with commercials, movies, and radio stations that continuously carry the commercialized reason for the season.  It is natural to enjoy the prettiness of our environment, but we can not forget the true reason of Christmas.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the love that God showed to us over 2,000 years ago. John 3:16 reminds us of this fact as it states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life”. It is because of love that God sent His Son. As we look forward to reuniting with family and friends in celebration of the remembrance of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let us remember that it will be by our love of God, and our love towards each other that we will be true witnesses of our Heavenly Father whom in His very nature is love.

God gave His Son for us and so we too, give. I encourage you to continue in this spirit of giving. Most of us give material items because they are tangible substances that reflect the time and thought that is put into the choice. However, we often forget the power of gifts like spending time together, the gift of service to each other, the gift of a smile, or the gift of listening. These gifts might not be tangible, but they are more precious than those that spoil, break or rust. As we give this Christmas, I encourage you to remember to give the intangibles, and where possible the tangibles.

As we begin the Advent season of prayer and fasting, my prayer is that we will be filled with solemn rejoicing at God’s great gift of His son. I also pray that we will have clarity, vision, and a mission as we contemplate anew about our role as God’s vessels in carrying Christ throughout the world. We have been bestowed with the privilege and opportunity to be a part of building a Sanctuary for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that this opportunity will not pass you by.

As we celebrate the beautiful frame of the church going up, we still have a distance to travel in fulfilling our goal. You will be called upon to be a part of making the dream of the new Sanctuary become a reality. You have the opportunity to be a tangible part of building the House of the Lord. Come and let us join together in sponsoring items for the new church. As you select your items, focus on how good God has been to you. Focus not on what you are giving, but on how much more God continues to bless you with, on how much more God continues to allow us to enjoy.  I encourage you to join me in stepping up and owning the responsibility that the Lord has given us. The responsibility of building our church, of furnishing our church, and of creating a sanctuary worthy of the blessings God has bestowed on us all. Your action today will be felt in this generation and in the ones to come. What a legacy to be known for, what a blessed legacy indeed.

May the Lord bless you in all that you do, and may He continue to watch over us all. I wish you and yours a joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In His Service,

Cor-Bishop Father George Bet Rasho