Christmas is Over. Really.

We finally removed the Christmas tree from the sanctuary yesterday.  Not that anybody would have noticed since we've been worshiping in the parish hall since the start of the year.  With frigid temperatures, the tree held its needles, its branches remained firm.  It looked great.  We could have hung Easter eggs on its boughs.  Alas, though, there is a time for everything and our Tannenbaum's has come and gone.

Happily, the promise of Christmas - the inbreaking of God's love into our world - remains with us, supporting us, encouraging us, challenging us during this Lenten season.  It is because God loves us without condition that we are able to confront the injuries we have caused to our relationships with him and his people.

So, this day, though we are without a tree, we are blessed with God's presence, God's grace, God's love.

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