Luke 2: 41-52
Rev. Bryan Hooper

The Sunday after Christmas is kinda anti-climatic. We just celebrated the birth of Jesus and told ourselves those stories of the shepherds and the angels and all that. We’ve opened our presents and spent time with our families eating food. We’ve celebrated as best as we can, complete with flashing decorations and cheery carols. What’s left for us now? (more…)

Luke 2: 1-20
Rev. Bryan Hooper

Well, Christmas is here. It such a busy season – so many people trying to get decorations and food and gifts and last minute arrangements – and it all culminates for us tonight. So I want us all to take a collective deep breath- and just let it all out – and let all that stress and anxiety and pent up energy – just let it all go… because now it is time to simply receive the promises of this season. (more…)

Merry Christmas!

As the annual tradition of celebration and reflection begins, I hope your heart is filled with expectation. Each year, we remember the birth of Christ and are presented once again with the opportunity to welcome Jesus more deeply into our lives. As a church, we have been taking this season of transformation seriously, hearing the call of John the Baptist to repent and reorient our lives toward God. And we have also been filled with joy as we have celebrated the goodness of our life together and the wonders of God’s love for us all.

Jesus came into this world to be Emmanuel, “God with us.” That is the powerful witness we offer the world in this season. Through our worship, our carols, our special services and events, we proclaim the good news that God has come in the person of Jesus Christ. It is a joyful season that leads us all to ponder the mystery of God’s mercy and grace.

I am always grateful that I have a community of faith within which to reflect, understand, celebrate and embrace this season. I hope you will consider making a special gift to your church as Christmas approaches. Your gift supports our ongoing ministry together.

I also hope that you will take advantage of some of our special Christmas events. I hope you can join us as we celebrate the wonder of the season.

Luke 3: 7-18
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Have you ever gone to the mall on Black Friday? That day after Thanksgiving when all the retailers put on sales and invite everyone to come and get a start on their Christmas shopping? It’s a mad house. I once went to the mall on Black Friday – not to shop – but to see a movie. I dropped off my family members at the box office and then went in search of a parking spot – and I spent the next hour driving around the parking lot. Not only could I not find a space, but so many other cars were looking for spaces that the whole parking lot was jammed. I drove for over an hour, and all I did was circle back around to the box office, defeated. I did better than some, though, because at least my family got to see the movie. (more…)

Luke 3: 1-6
Rev. Bryan Travis Hooper

Usually, Christmas is a quiet time for me. Because Advent is so busy with so many church activities, I usually take it easy for a few days, starting with Christmas Day itself. My family is spread all around, so I usually call them and wish them a Merry Christmas over the phone, and usually I gather with a few friends for dinner – but compared to many of you, my Christmas’s are generally pretty tame. (more…)

Our trustees are always looking for a helping hand to keep our building in shape. If you have a handy skill that we might use, or if you know someone who might be willing to support our church building with their talents, please contact David Ropes, chair of the Trustees, or call the church office – 523-5132. Thank you!!

There is a need at the Noah Webster Micro-Society Magnet School, in the West End of Hartford, for morning volunteer tutors for students in need of extra reading instruction. The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Each volunteer meets one-on-one for about 25 minutes with each student, so the tutor sees three children within that time period and works with those same three students weekly. The program has been quite successful and most students have seen solid improvement. The commitment is for one morning a week. The following testament comes from Tempie Williams, one of our current tutoring volunteers: ” For me tutoring was a means to help fill a void created by my husband’s death. While it did not lift me out of that state to the extent that I had hoped, it did allow me to make a positive impact on the community and to help some children realize that reading is doable and can be fun. I had several children that spoke little or no English at home and some who had a troubled home life. To see these children make forward progress was rewarding to me, but more importantly they were able to move beyond the need for a tutor and learn that reading can be enjoyable. Dee Cole, the principal, has been glowing in praise that the program has had a very positive impact on the children and school.” To learn more about volunteering to be a tutor, please speak with either Pastor Bryan or with Bert Elliott here in our congregation.