A Christmas Letter from the Rector

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:5

Dear Friend:

Christmas always comes at the darkest time of the year. It could even be said that this entire year has been dark. A year where our lives have been upended by a global pandemic, a deepening understanding of our corporate history of racism, a nation divided, and economic instability and inequality not experienced in decades. And, in the midst of all of this darkness, we have also seen much light – heroic healthcare workers, teachers and students teaching and learning in new ways, a parish community learning how to connect and serve more than ever even when we cannot gather in-person. The eyes of faith can teach us to see and know the light, even in the darkness. A light in the darkness, that we know in Jesus.

This year Christmas will be different. At the same time, the story we celebrate of God being born to a human family to bring salvation to us and the entire world, remains the same. I want to invite you to join us at St. Paul’s in celebrating the events of this Christmas Season.

You are invited to bring an ornament to help decorate the parish Christmas Tree on the front lawn of St. Paul’s. Please bring one from your home anytime between now and Christmas.

• Sunday, December 20th at 4PM we will have our St. Paul’s Christmas Pageant on Zoom. Please see parish emails for the link.

• Christmas Eve, we will celebrate Christ’s birth with two Livestreaming Christmas Eve Services – A Children and Family Service at 1:00PM and Christmas Lessons and Carols at 4:30PM Both will be on Facebook Live, along with a special Christmas Music Concert by Christin Cooper & Doug Starr. Though the services will be live at those times, you can watch them whenever you like after then.

• You are also invited to come to the church and see the outside and the sanctuary decorated and receive communion on Christmas Eve. We will have Walk Through Church with Communion 2PM-4PM and 6PM-8PM, both inside and outside of the church, and Drive Through Communion 2PM-4PM in the Parking Lot. Please see our parish emails and website for details on visiting the church on Christmas Eve.

• Christmas Day we celebrate at 10:00 a.m. Livestreamed in a joint service with St. John Lutheran Church in Carnegie.

St. Paul’s relies on gifts like yours to continue to serve the local community and the wider world, and to be beacon of the light of Christ in a dark world. We cannot do it without your critical support. It is the generosity of those who surround this Church which allows us to continue our work. In this strange year, we need your support now more than ever. You can give via the envelope with the Christmas letter or donate online here.

I pray that you will give generously when you make your Christmas gift to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Thank you!

Peace,

The Reverend Noah H. Evans

Rector