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By Omid Rahmanian and Kay Larson Baha’is of Wrangell Looks like Christmas started for Wrangell after the storm visited us, as so many arose to show loving kindness, forgetful of self and finding time for others. By serving each other, lending a hand, offering hospitality in absence of heat, taking hot food for those without power, checking up on the elders, giving a ride to the stranded — the list goes on. Isn’t that the spirit of Christmas? Love in action. Every time we love without expectation, every time we give unconditionally, it is Christ...
Pastor Sue Bahleda Island of Faith Lutheran Church The best Christmas gift of all is that it comes. Ready or not, December 25 dawns, and Christmas is celebrated. It doesn’t matter if all the gifts have arrived or have been wrapped. It doesn’t matter if the turkey is thawed or the last batch (or the first batch) of cookies have been baked. It doesn’t matter if the outside lights got hung, or all the doors of the Advent calendar have been opened. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas...
By Rosie Tollerud The Salvation Army Growing up, I just wanted to be with my family for Christmas. That may seem so cliche, but it really was all I wanted for Christmas. We didn't have a lot of money, so I didn't want to hope for a present. I know I most likely wouldn't get. People though would come out of nowhere and have a meal with us. Family members I hadn't seen all year were all of a sudden laughing and hugging each other for the holidays. Joy and peace would fill the house and our hearts. God created us to be with people. I know people...
By Sanoe Harrison Branch President The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints When I was a very young bishop in 1950, there was a tap at my door and a good German brother from Ogden, Utah, announced himself as Karl Guertler. He said, “Are you Bishop Monson?” I answered yes. “My brother and his wife and their family are coming from Germany. They are going to live in your ward. Will you come with me to see the apartment we have rented for them?” On the way to that apartment, he told me he had not seen his brother for something like 30 year...
By Pastor Nettie Covalt Presbyterian Church Lights, decorations everywhere, trees all decorated, presents abounding, parties galore, budgets blown! Seems that this is the modern day Christmas. Or does it? Living in Wrangell we get to see Christmas, the real Christmas, all year long. We are so fortunate. During the recent wind storm, people were helping each other in ways that can't be counted. When someone loses a loved one, the people of this town seem to go out of their way to help in some way. Even if someone gets ill, the Meal Train always...
By Kem Haggard, pastor Harbor Light Assembly of God It’s that time of year again. The time when you have choices to make. What gifts will you give? A tie, socks, underwear, a ring, a puppy, maybe just play it safe, get a gift card. Whatever choice you make, you need to make it soon. Time is running out. Get it, wrap it, and place it under the tree. In the book of Matthew, Chapter 2, we read of “wise men from the East” who, in Verse 11, presented gifts to the newborn King. How did they decide what to get? Perhaps that is a great reason they...