Titus 2:11-13 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,12 training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In the midst of all the busyness of this evening it is important that we pause and remember what we are celebrating. It is not the gifts under the tree, or even the gathering of the family- it is the wonder of the love of God for his people manifested in the birth of a child. This child would be born of earthly parents, grow up among other children to experience life among us.

Christmas Eve is a time to set aside our worldliness and become one with our God in the stillness and beauty of the season. It is the realization that even today God is with us in the turmoil, the silence and the pressures of daily life. Peace on earth begins with peace within. May the spirit of the season bring you both comfort and joy.

Prayer: Grant us hope for tomorrow and joy in each moment and may Christ be our guide and nurturer in all we do and say. Amen

- Rev. Byron Corkum