Dear Church,

A new season is here. Now that we've passed Thanksgiving, we step into the Advent season. During Advent, we celebrate the first coming of Jesus and look forward to when He'll come again. In the meantime, remember that Jesus has given us a great purpose.

In his sermon on the mount, Jesus said ...

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

In this important season, there are going to be people all around you moving in all sorts of directions; worried and oriented on all sorts of different things. But I urge you to remember this good purpose from Jesus. We are the light of the world. When we shine and reflect his life in our lives, other people will see the light of Jesus and be changed. They will encounter love, hope, peace and joy. They will see a clearer picture of Jesus because He shines through you.

We often imagine that our lives are filled with unimportant moments, but when you shine the light of Jesus, no moment can be unimportant.

Joel VanderSchel, on Behalf of the Elder and Minister Team