Dear Friends,
As we gather to celebrate the joyous season of Christmas, I want to extend my warmest greetings and blessings to each member of the Antler River Watershed Region. As we travel through the Advent Season, we reflect on the profound gifts of Hope, Peace Joy and Love that the birth of Jesus Christ brought into our world.
Those gifts often feel lost with the hustle and bustle of our daily lives and it is easy to feel disconnected—from our loved ones, our communities, and even from God. Christmas is a beautiful opportunity to pause, reflect, and renew these essential bonds.
This season, I invite you to reconnect with each other and with God in meaningful ways. Reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Share a meal, a story, or simply a moment of your time. Maybe you are missing seeing your neighbouring churches or colleagues, why not reach out and get together support each others events, form a cluster or just have that coffee that we keep talking about having but never quite set a date! The new year is the perfect time for new and renewed relationships. When we connect with one another, we embody the spirit of Christ’s love and hospitality.
Let us also take time to reconnect with God. Through prayer, scripture, and worship, we can deepen our relationship with the Divine. Remember the humble manger where Jesus was born—a symbol of God’s profound love and presence in the simplest of places. God is always with us, inviting us into a deeper communion.
As we light our Advent and Christ candles, may they remind us of the light of Christ that shines within us and guides our path. Let this light inspire us to spread Hope, Peace, Joy and Love in our communities of faith and beyond.
May your hearts be filled with the wonder of Christ’s birth, and may you experience the true meaning of Christmas through the warmth of reconnection this holiday season and beyond.
Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with grace and peace.
In Christ’s Love,
Rev. Cheryl Bolton
President, Antler River Watershed Regional Council
