Pastor Jessica delivers our Christmas Eve message by diving into the story of Mary. By saying Yes! to the unconventional, to God's timing, and to God's love, we prepare ourselves to be changed by the tiny baby born into our world many years ago, Emmanuel, God With Us. 

Bekki Fahrer talks about how Elizabeth’s story shows us that God is with us in celebration as well as we remember God’s love and it causes us to celebrate. Having a child during Elizabeth’s old age had to have been a painful and scary process. Despite this, Elizabeth chooses joy in knowing God had heard her prayers for a son, and chosen her and Zechariah to give birth to John, Jesus’ cousin, who would prepare the way for Jesus’ coming.

Most of us make plans for how we want our personal and professional lives to go. But when life doesn’t go according to plan, we can be thrown into confusion, frustration, and we often feel far from God. Joe Riffe discusses how God is with us in these confusing seasons of life.

Pastor Angela discusses how throughout Scripture God uses the lowly, the poor, the unlikely, the vulnerable, and the foreigner to do his good work. While society may shut these voices down, it’s God who takes the time to appear to them, comfort them, give them purpose, and call them loved.

Bekki Fahrer discusses how the process of rebuilding our faith isn't complete until the community we are a part of reclaims God's promises. Rebuilding can't happen alone, but within authentic community. 

Pastor Angela talks about the ability to see the temple when there are ruins surrounding us.