Pastor - Rev. Patrick McKenzie
Pastor's Office Hours: 9am-Noon - Monday - Thursday
Office: 716-693-3715

Dear Members and Friends,

The other day I had the privilege of reading the “Evangelgram.”  The “Evangelgram” is a monthly publication provided by our Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  I was so impressed with an article entitled, “The Christmas Story … You Have a Part in It” that I wanted to share it with you.  Without any further delay, please allow me to share it with you.  Pastor Paul Hartman, former president of the Oklahoma District of the LCMS and author says:

“A university professor from Salt Lake City conducted an experiment at Christmastime a few years ago.  He randomly selected 600 names of perfect strangers from telephone directories from several major cities and sent Christmas cards to each of them.  His return address was printed on the envelope, and he received an amazing 117 Christmas cards in return.

One card included this note: ‘I just got out of the hospital, and how good it was to hear from a longtime, wonderful friend.’  Another note said: ‘We had difficulty at first remembering who you were, but, after some thought, we remembered.  Please give our love to your father.  He is a wonderful man.’  One reply was unexpected:
‘It was really great to hear from you again.  We will be in Salt Lake City this summer, and if you have a spare room, we would like to stay with you for two to three days.

Isn’t it amazing that people responded to a Christmas card from someone they didn’t know, and aren’t these surprising responses?”

Each year, we remember God sent His Christmas card to the world – literally to strangers: ‘In this was manifested the love of God, that while we were yet sinners, He sent His Son …’Like the mysterious responses to the Christmas cards, many will read the story and believe the love that sent the gift.  Some will guess at the reason for the card or make up their own.  Some will not respond at all. 

We are all familiar with the Christmas story, but did you know you have a part in it?  You do!  You make your own ending to the Christmas story depending on how you respond to who Christ is, what He has done, and what Christ calls you to do.  Awesome, isn’t it?  Whether you believe, reject, or ignore that Christ is God, that He died for you, and that He calls you to worship and serve Him, this will write the final chapter of the Christmas story for your life.  You can keep the Christ child boxed in, keep Him in the cradle forever, or you can watch Him grow, die, and rise again to call you to follow Him.

The Bible says: “For God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.’

Christmas is not only in the knowing, it’s also in the telling.  To whom would God have you send His Christmas card?”

Let’s remember to share, in word and deed, the love of Christ this Christmas Season.  Christmas and Easter are the best times of the year, though not the only times, to share the love of Christ with a world that desperately needs to know Him!

Have a Joyous and Christ-centered Christmas Season,

Pastor Pat