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December 2005
Dear Editor:
This may not be considered politically correct but I desire to wish my neighbors a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. It seems that there is a concern this year about offending someone and so people are simply saying Happy Holidays. Christians and Jewish people celebrate specific historical events at this time of the year and have done so for generations. Those of us who are Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of the year. It may not have actually been in December, but that doesn't make any difference to most of us. We know that it was a historical event and we celebrate the fact that God became a man in the person of Jesus and was sent to redeem us from our sin.
This is a special time for those of us who take the Bible seriously and so we wish others a Merry Christmas. We want to see others experience joy at this time. We want others to join together with friends and family and to reflect upon the significance of this special time. It should be a time for us to turn away from our selfishness and reach out to those who are in need. It should be a time for hospitality and drawing close to one another. Hopefully the walls of division will come down and we will minister to one another.
My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah. This celebration remembers the rededication of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 B.C. It is believed that the oil of the lamp did not go out for eight days during this celebration. It was believed to be a miracle and so like Christians Jewish people believe that this is a time of miracles. We Christians believe in the miracle of the Virgin Birth and so we believe that Jesus was not just a prophet, but the Son of God. We believe that He lived, died, arose again and will one day return to earth to reign.
I hope that everyone will find their way to a church or synagogue during this season and join the celebration. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah. Don't be afraid to express your belief. We live in a world that needs to believe in miracles and those of us who still have faith must not be ashamed to express it.
May you all experience God's richest blessing.
Sincerely,
Dr. Anthony L. Gibson, Pastor
Calvary Baptist Church
Darien, CT 06820
203-655-0318
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