Good morning on this Saturday, December 22nd. I'm covering a potpourri of items in this week's blog.

Tomorrow's Sunday Christmas service is one you won't want to miss. The music, drama and message will make this one of the finest Christmas holiday services you have ever attended. The service will continue the theme of an Unexpected Christmas.

The 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm services on Monday, Christmas Eve will help your family to put Christ in the center of your Christmas celebrations. I've long cherished the focus that observing communion on Christmas Eve brings to our congregation.  In reviewing this year's program, I believe it will be the best Christmas Eve service we've ever had in my many years at Edgewood. This year after the service we'll send you on your way home with a cup of warm cider or hot chocolate. The services will warm you spiritually and the hot drink will warm you physically - that is a winning combination for sure!

My daughter, Lori and I have been delivering Christmas baskets together since she was a little girl (Since she is now a middle-aged woman, that has been for many years). This year we added a new dimension, my granddaughter, Kaitlynn (age 10) joined us for the visits. What a blessing that was! After our visits we continued our long-standing tradition of sharing a meal together to celebrate the completion of our mission.

This year the Browns will again all assemble at our house for Christmas. Tim arrived last night and Cheryl and her brood will arrive later today. We'll all attend the Christmas Eve services at Edgewood, then head home for a buffet and open our gifts. How great it always is to have all of our children and grandchildren together for good food, good fun and good fellowship. On Christmas Day we play games, share meals (with considerable grazing all day of all the goodies) and have lots of conversation and fun. We'll all take our turns at playing pool, ping pong, board games, and some video games as well. I always enjoy being full time in the father/grandfather business.

Between Christmas and New Year, Lord willing, I'll be cleaning out my office, emptying my desk, purging my files and transferring my library (I've donated the best of my 6000 volume library to the church). I had hoped to have all of that done by Christmas but my busy schedule did not permit it - so it will become a major project post-Christmas instead.

If for any reason you will not be able to attend our Christmas services, I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Mel Brown