December 6, 2011
Dear Friend,
If you’re like me, you look forward to all the Christmas festivities. To be very truthful I do grow weary when the Christmas season seems to begin just before Halloween. Somehow I am able to focus on the things at hand and tune out all that would disrupt this special time of year before it truly arrives…..that in itself is a miracle…but it happens and I am grateful for that.
The Christmas season is now upon us though and every year it seems to me to be more Holy and beautiful. Maybe as I grow older the things that used to have so much meaning are now being replaced with those things that speak of God and his glory as we celebrate the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem so long ago. This is the season when there is much thought and concern put into the concept of gifts. Many of us focus upon and delight in the anticipation of what gifts we may get while running from store to store eagerly trying to find that perfect gift for others.
I know we are all busy people as the holidays approach, and sometimes our busy lives begin to take over. We struggle to find time for ourselves, our families, and everything that needs to be taken care of. After a while it all begins to get a little fuzzy, and we have the need the need to stop and take stock in our lives. We look around us and realize that we are blessed indeed.
As you ponder this Christmas season and what it means to you, I invite you to remember those around you as they live each day in circumstances that for many are just beyond their control. At Saint Mark we believe in the dignity of all human beings, regardless of the place they find themselves. Each year we ask for your help through giving to our annual Christmas offering. This offering enables us to share the gifts we have received with those who are less fortunate, both in our community and around the world.
As a result of this special offering during the Christmas season, the programs that Saint Mark supports, such as the Midtown Assistance Center, Trinity Community Ministries, Honduras and the Appalachian Service Project, the Partnership against Domestic Violence and the Georgia Tech Wesley Foundation, will help ensure the message of hope of Christ’s birth. Let me remind you also that we are here for our church family when they find themselves in need. So you see, the love of God enfolds us all in his embrace, and your gift this season will enable us to provide food for the hungry, shelter for those who need a place to lay their heads, warmth in the cold, and whatever else might be needed at the red doors of our beautiful church.
Please know you are appreciated and loved, and the gifts that you share will be used for the furthering of the Kingdom of God in this world in which we all live.
Blessings to each of you,
Rev. Phillip Thomason
Minister of Outreach and Pastoral Care
