Dear Friends,

It's Christmas and Jessie and I would like to send you our love and warmest greetings for Christmas and the New Year. Thank you for making us feel comfortable and a part of the family that is Holy Spirit Church.

This is a wonderful time for joy and peace to be shared and celebrated, especially in your family and in your church. The delight of children and/or granchildren opening packages may open our eyes again; the kind message in Christmas cards may cheer our hearts again; goodwill and generosity among people may restore our faith in humankind again; and celebrating the reality of "God with us", in the birth of Jesus, may lift our spirit. I pray that is so.

For some, Christmas may be sad and perhaps lonely, because a loved one is no longer with them, or becuase of hard things they have gone through during this year. My prayer is for God's comfort, peace and blessing to carry them through.

Making Christmas HisStory. No--it's not a misprint. The two words are meant to roll together, to help put the Christ back into Christmas. To make sure that his story is told--and that we tell it.

For me, as your priest, it is a joy to share His work with you all and with the wider community. Forgive me for my shortcomings--I'm sure there are many. Share with me and those around you the vision and commitment that we need in order to make Holy Spirit Church grow, to build up God's church, to serve the community and to bring others to find faith and meaning in the love of Jesus Christ.

With our heartfelt prayers and God's blessing at Christmas may the joy and peace of the Lord be with you and those you love, this day and for ever more.

In caritas Christi,
Fr. Bob and Jessie