Wesley United Methodist Church

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  Wesley Musings Dec 16

  Friends,

  While my parents were alive, they made frequent trips to China to visit grandchildren. They usually packed light on the trip over, but on their return they were always loaded down with gifts from family and the many friends they had made on their frequent visits. There would be cloisonne vases, porcelain teapots, wall hangings, and many other beautiful objects. One painting captured my attention more than any other. In this image, there is a long line of people in bright clothing making their way through a forest in the middle of winter. Some folks are on bikes while some are walking. Some have umbrellas while others carry balloons. The two children at the end of this colorful parade are walking with their arms around each other's shoulders. Where they are going, I do not know, but it looks like so much fun, I wish I could go with them. This past Wednesday afternoon, I made my way by foot to go to the school in Hill City to pick up the children for Kids Club. Although there is a nice path from the church to the school, on this day, I walked into a bitter cold wind and wondered why we didn't just cancel. I arrived at the school and picked up the eight or nine kids and as we headed out the door, they ran lickety split down the path ahead as if it was a warm sunny day. As I arrived at church well behind them, they immediately went inside and we prepared for the Christmas play to be performed on Sunday. I was thrilled with their joy and eagerness to put the play together and even more thrilled on Sunday when proud parents and smiling grandparents enjoyed the traditional story of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem as if hearing it for the very first time.

  This Sunday was the Third Sunday of Advent and we lit the rose colored candle representing joy. After service, and as we begin putting away the props and scenery until next year, I thought how lucky we are to have kids run all their way to church for rehearsal with such enthusiasm. Better yet, how the joy of children is contagious and can lift the spirits of all those who watch them retell the story once again. Of course, it also crossed my mind that church should be the place where everybody, young and old alike, look forward to attending each week because of the joy found within the walls of our buildings.

  My prayer this week is that the joy I found in an image of a parade through a snowy forest and the joy of children rushing to church to practice a Christmas play, is also found in our daily walk with Jesus Christ. Psalm 16:11 says, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  As our Advent journey is quickly approaching Christmas, and as we gather around dining room tables, trees, and parties to give gifts, remember the best gift we can offer is the gift of joy. May our churches also be a place where we sing "Joy to the World" not just at Christmas, but throughout the year, and until joy touches the lives of all creatures, human and otherwise, all over this wonderful place called earth. 

  https://youtu.be/nT-5cP4BeoI?si=d7Rap_hIrG0UHQtB

  https://youtu.be/-Xo64Q2ucQ8?si=FJ_1JOMOtf3ZMUew

  https://youtu.be/FWo3qlqyW1c?si=0GE78IApfhKJ5wDO

  Blue Christmas Service - 10am on Monday in the Chapel

  Christmas Eve Family Service on Christmas Eve - 4pm, December 24th, 2024