January 3, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  These few days when I greeted many of my beloved Chinese brothers and
sisters, what I saw is a sort of bland look on their face and a bit of confusion in their eyes: Merry Christmas now in
January?  Yeah, still Merry Christmas!  In the mind of many oriental people, like me, Christmas is December 25th, a
single day, probably to many Westerners as well I assume.  But for those of us who love the spirit and want to carry it
on, Christmas is little longer.  As a matter of fact, we celebrate a whole twelve days of Christmas.  In our church
calendar, the season is from Christmas Day (December 25) through Epiphany (January 6), a time of joy, relaxation,
and hospitality.  

One friend recently told me, “Hey, Pastor Frank, a little weird.  When I think of the word ‘hospitality,’ I think of the
holiday pounds you talked about on Christmas Eve. It’s really gonna take a few weeks to work out.”  Well, the truth is
we really enjoy one another in all the gatherings, dining and wining with family members we probably only get to see a
few times a year, and eating and drinking with friends we love.  We each are given much good stuff.  For our family,
one gift we were given by a wonderful couple is beyond our imagination: a trip to Running Spring and stay in a snow
mountain cabin!  

This is the essence of this whole season.  A dear brother in the Lord proudly told me of his ten year old son, “Even he
knows it is a time to give!”  The reason for the season is “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6).  
In the midst of everything, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:
11).  The Son of God, the eternal Word of the Father, has been given the world that God so loved.  The prophecy
was fulfilled.  In his grace God has already acted.

The question is: Are you on the receiving end?  When Martin Luther talked about the Lord’s Prayer “Your Kingdom
come,” he pointed out a fact, God’s Kingdom comes on its own without our prayers, but we ask in our prayer that it
may also come to us.  Without anybody of us present, the historic event Nativity took place some 2000 years ago.  
Today, in this Bethlehem community, we pray that Christ is also born into our lives and God in his grace also makes
us the blessed recipients.  

As you hold this letter in hand, we’re about to begin the Epiphany Season.  A Greek word, “Epiphany” simply means
“to show forth” or “manifestation.”  January 6, the final and grandest day of the Christmas season, the day on which
the Wise Men from the East, following the star and bearing gifts for royalty, made their way to Bethlehem to worship
the newborn King (Matthew 2:1-12).  My beloved, think about it, as we now move from one major festival to another
high season, how will you show forth this year that you are born again?  How will you manifest Christ’s presence in
your life?  And how will you claim and share the many blessings that God has prepared for you here at Bethlehem?   

A Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  

Pastor Frank
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Frank's Monthly Pastoral: 2010 January: "Christmas and Epiphany" Pastoral Letter.
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