FELIZ NAVIDAD! Dec. 24, 2010

FELIZ NAVIDAD! Dec. 24, 2010

Paul and Elizabeth Branch, missionaries
to Guatemala, together with their family,
joined us for our Christmas celebration.
Paul is a gifted pastor and teacher, and
spoke to a standing room only meeting on
just what we celebrate each Christmas:
People from so many countries, so many
places, so many different churches perhaps
disagreeing on minor things, but united in
the single most important thing ever--
that the baby born on that first Christmas
is the savior of the world, and he came as
God's love in the flesh to seek us, the lost,
and reach us with salvation. Paul encouraged
all present to receive, or rededicate anew to
receive, the forgiveness of sin, reconcili-
ation to God, fullness of life, and life
eternal given to us in the person and work of
the Lord Jesus Christ.

César and Jackie Morales and their family
led the encouraging and heartfelt celebration
in music and song, and the children and youth
presented a play entitled "Now I understand!"
chronicling one young person's path to Christ.

Our rich diet-breaking Christmas dinner of
tamales, turkey, chicken, potatoes, vegetables,
rice, salad, and other foods and desserts too
delicious to recount, left appetites satisfied
and sustained the sobremesa fellowship as Santa
Claus himself, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" handed out gifts to
the children from Trinity's angel tree (and from
Toys for Tots).

The Spirit of God was seen, and felt, and heard
throughout the meeting wherein people, some of
whom are far from home, had a close family
Christmas, full of not only gifts but of God's
love and in His name, that they might not other-
wise have had. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who
contributed this night and throughout the year.