Together on the Journey:
A Weekly Blog 

Yesterday was the last day of school for KCS, and the sounds of joy were palpable. The church office is directly next to the school, and giggles and singing were coming through the walls. Apparently there was a visit from Santa in the morning, which prompted more shouts and excitement. For the students (and the teachers), it was a day of joy and celebration to mark the beginning of the school break.

And for many of us, Christmas is a time of joy as well. A time for family and friends coming together, eating good food, exchanging gifts, and singing carols.

But also, for many of us, this season can be hard. Maybe we have lost family or friends, or they live far away, or maybe we’ve experienced a loss at this time of year, or maybe the sadness of the news has left us feeling disconnected or depressed. There are lots of reasons why this time of year might not feel as joy-filled as it is expected to.

And if you find yourself feeling these things, please know that these are perfectly valid things to feel this time of year too. The first Christmas was filled with joy and love, but also with fear and anxiety and pain and loss too. Joy was not the entire story.

And yet, even in the midst of this, Christ came to dwell among us. Christ chose to take on all of our humanity, including the infinite range of our human emotions, and be present with them.

And so this Christmas, no matter what emotions you are experiencing, you are very welcome to come and spend some time in our community. Gathering together, and remembering that you are not alone, can be very helpful this time of year, especially as the nights grow longer. You can find full details of our Christmas offerings here: https://stgeorgesonthehill.ca/christmas/

This blog will pause next week, but pick up again at the beginning of January, which, I like to remind people, is still Christmas. Wishing you a very blessed Christmas and New Year!

– Jess