The holiday season is a busy time of year. Decorating the tree, last minute shopping for items to represent our fondness for friends and family, baking cookies and treats and the soul searching anticipation on Christmas morning, wondering whether or not you’ll find a sock full of coal.

One of the things I cherish most about this time of year is the Christmas service that we conduct in our historic Griffith’s Chapel, a pre-Civil War constructed single room church, still without electrical wiring and heated by a renewable energy burning stove in the center of the building. It is always amusing when we sing the Christmas hymns watching our small congregation, holding the hymn books, just in the right position to collect as much candlelight as possible to see the words. The pedal organ is still holding up quite well and everyone still chuckles when the organist becomes so enthralled with her work that she tries to add an additional chorus to the hymn.  

This year we were entertained by both a very talented Barbershop quartet and a small Bluegrass ensemble playing an original work. As I look at the stairs that lead up to the small balcony, I reminisce about which of those steps was the one that I had sat on during Sunday school as a child.

The part of our service that I always hold most dear is the message from Pastor Bob. He is a very dear friend, who always reminds us both in words and in actions of the importance of unconditional brotherhood and love, unrelenting kindness and application of the Golden Rule – Do Unto Others As You Wish Them To Do Unto You. His sermon each year renews my faith and spirit in the Goodness of Man and the belief that no matter how difficult things may seem, no matter how painful our trials and tribulations may be, there is a divine power that has set out our path and by following Christ’s teachings, we will reach our rewards.

We pray that the Holidays will find you and your families healthy and happy! We hope 2016 will be a fantastic year for you and your family, that you will find the inner strength to meet your life’s challenges and that God’s grace will shine upon you throughout the year. 

Richard Wilkins and Family