Our joint Christmas Eve services this year were truly wonderful and deeply meaningful. In both services, members from both congregations were present, and we had representatives from each church reading Scripture and participating fully in the liturgy in both sanctuaries.
Seeing our two communities worship, serve, and celebrate together, was a beautiful reminder that Christmas is about sharing presence, faith, and joy.
One of the most meaningful moments was sharing the Lord’s Table together. As is our tradition in the Methodist Church, the Table was open to all who were present. This reminded us that Christ came for everyone, without exception. Sharing the bread and the cup, the body and blood of Christ, connected us not only with God’s grace but also with our brothers and sisters around the world. It was a holy moment of unity, welcome, and deep spiritual connection.
I felt especially blessed seeing the fellowship that grew naturally among both congregations. There was a real sense of connection, warmth, and community that could be felt throughout the services. Attendance was very good in both churches, and the spirit of Christmas was clearly present among us.
Hope, peace, love, and joy were not just words but something we could sense in the room. These moments were meaningful for me and, I believe, for everyone who gathered to celebrate the birth of Christ together.
I want to say thank you to everyone who helped make these services possible. Thank you to those who helped with the organization, prepared the sanctuaries, offered readings, participated in the liturgy, supported worship leadership, handled the online transmission, and worked faithfully behind the scenes.
Your time, care, and commitment truly matter, and they helped create space for God and for one another.
Also, this past Sunday, December 28, we gathered for our end of year services in both churches, and there was a special surprise.
The pastor was playing the organ! It has been several years since the organs in both churches had been played, and hearing them again created an atmosphere of warm nostalgia and deep reverence. For me, it was a very special experience to serve in this way. I cannot promise it will happen again, said with a smile, but I truly enjoyed it and hope the congregations did as well.
I am also very grateful to Bonnie Adams for preaching in both congregations and for inspiring us to practice letting go so that we can be ready to receive what God has in store for the new year. Thank you as well to the liturgists in both churches and to all our service teams for their faithful ministry and support.
As we continue forward, I invite you to stay connected, to keep walking together, and to trust that God is at work among us, often in ways that surprise us and fill us with hope.
May the New Year bring you much love, good, and abundant blessings.
Happy New Year 2026!
Warmly,
Rev. David Gaitan
