Thank you, loved ones! Firstly, I need to say thank you to everyone who has supported, prayed,
and cared for my family these past weeks. It was wonderful to spend the time with family and
our newest child. I am grateful for your kindness and
generosity.

Secondly, as we enter into Advent it is a time of great
anticipation and preparation for the arrival of Christ Jesus.
This historical arrival of the promised messiah created and
continues to create a feeling of immense goodness and
generosity in the followers of this wonderful news. We await
the goodness and mercy of God to be shown again in the
world. We as Christians also know the end of the story- which is that the reign of God has come
and continues to grow in the world. Even when times seem dark and bleak in an often
despairing winter we see in this season hope with the change that is brought forth in retelling again the birth of God’s child.

The long-expected arrival of this Christ child, as with the arrival of every child requires a
change of the family who receives such a one who is vulnerable, needy, and often noisy at most
inconvenient times. We pray may it never be said of a loving family that they did not respond
rightly to the needs of the newborn. In a Christian community in this time- with anticipation the noisy arrival of Jesus asks our family to respond with caring, and compassion to those most
vulnerable.

As one who has recently experienced the great generosity of this community firsthand, I know
that we will continue to respond with love as our anticipation grows in the hope of being changed for the better with our new arrival.

Thanks be to God who brings Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love in this Season-

Pr. Erik