The Full Power of Christmas

Okay, I am willingly dating myself by making reference to chief engineer Scotty on the Starship Enterprise. While James Doohan was Canadian, as Scotty he would tell Captain Kirk in an urgent Scottish brogue that the problems with the dilithium crystals meant that he couldn't get maximum power out of the warp drives.

There are lots of congregations in Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada of different denominations whose pastors and priests, female and male, are Scotty today, trying to figure out what to do under difficult circumstances because of the weekend ice storm. They are engineering make-shift worship services, combining with other congregations which are back to full power, changing times for worship. The celebration of Christ's birth, God who entered our human existence will happen, just not the way folk had anticipated.

We might pray for them, and the Christians of the Philippines whose church buildings were destroyed, although not their spirit. And for the Christians of Syria and Pakistan and Somalia and so many places where the followers of Christ are persecuted and displaces.

As we celebrate family services with lots of focus on kids, we can remember the kids of war-torn countries and refugee camps. Somehow God, enter in to their circumstances to give them hope.

Yes, there is a lot to do today, and we will be weary by midnight, but so many of us are blessed beyond measure.

Will you be worshipping somewhere this evening? Are you taking part in a service in some way? Will you pray for those in need? Christ be with you!