Immanuel Lutheran Church
The Lutheran Missouri Synod3000 W. Main Street
Kalamazoo, Michigan 49006
269-345-8090
Divine Service with Holy Communion
each Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Sunday Evening Service at 6:00 p.m.
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Pastor's Letter -- Pastor's Notes We have a large spruce tree in our backyard. It seems "ordained by God" that this tree must have Christmas lights decorating it-especially given its visibility to the house and the street. Now, if I were thinking ahead, this tree would be decorated on one of those freakishly warm days we tend to get in November. But, of course, I tend to only get "inspired" to decorate this tree when it snows and is cold and windy. Perhaps I have listened to Garrison Keillor describe the Lutheran penchant for suffering one too many times. The tree is now tall enough that my tallest ladder is no longer sufficient to reach the top. So I now have to duct tape a hook of some type to a dust mop handle. Extended to its maximum reach-and standing at the top of the ladder-I can just get the string of lights over the top most branches. That is of course assuming that the ladder does not move. There is a well-tended decorative garden landscaped around the tree with very soft, rich dirt. So the ladder must be fit patiently between perennial plants, solar lights and the rare stepping-stone. Given the softness of the dirt, as soon as I put any weight on the ladder the feet on that side sink in deeply. So, to illustrate it more clearly, as I lean forward at the top of the ladder that forward side tends to fall forward lurching me toward the tree. Spruce needles are sharp and they sting! If I shift my weight backwards then I am falling away from the tree-which is no better. With the kids "helping" we can work around the tree in an hour or so-repeating the rocking to and fro and being scraped by needles. The general idea is to have all the lights working before they are installed. Yet, how many times does all the jostling break a bulb? And then you have to fix the bulbs, sometimes having to take the strand down and start all over again. How does the "joy" of the season so quickly turn into work? So many of my neighbors seem to enjoy this much more than I do. You can really tell the guys (and gals) who take great pride and delight in decorating their houses for Christmas. The irony being that "the pastor" does about the least he can get away with. (Of course, they won't likely be working Christmas Eve!) Indeed, I have been accused by my own family of being a Scrooge! (--And deserved it!) Let me be plain: I take Christmas very seriously. When I read the John text on Christmas Eve my soul swells with joy and gratitude for My God who so loved me (and my wife and my children and my family and my church:) The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. It is always intimidating to preach this text. Anything I think of seems to detract from the text. I usually am left just (passionately) pointing to the text and the True Gift of Christmas. I pray that that is enough-for you to see Jesus. I'll make a commitment to one more strand of lights, somewhere. Maybe even a lawn ornament. You never know, I might get into "the Christmas Spirit" (in terms of decorating). Now if we can just have one more warm day… In Christ Blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas Pastor David H. Sidwell 
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