The Rev. Geoffrey Black: A Christmas Message
Grace and peace to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, whose birth we anticipate and celebrate anew!
It has been a little less than three months since I embarked on this journey of service leadership as General Minister of the United Church of Christ. During these initial months, I along with staff colleagues have devoted significant time to visiting and listening to UCC people as they share their visions for the future of the church. These experiences have been inspiring and informative for me, and I also have been the recipient of very gracious hospitality and, what we like to call, extravagant welcome. For this enriching start to my new work, I am very grateful.
Advent is a time of reflection, penance and holy anticipation. It is a season to rekindle our hope and renew our commitment to the quest for peace - inner peace and peace among people and nations. Yet, as Advent approached this year, our nation continued to be engaged in two armed conflicts, with the war in Afghanistan being one of the longest in the history of the nation. Moreover, early in the season, we learned of a decision to escalate this war with the stated hope of bringing it to an end. This was a course of action with which I did not agree, and we will continue to press for alternative paths to achieve a lasting and just peace.
During this Advent season, we are also aware that the movement to reform health insurance so that all Americans might have access to adequate care is at a critical point of deliberation and decision. Similarly, we know that the global community is engaged in serious negotiations regarding climate change and the need for the world community to reduce greenhouse gases.
Surely, the peace among nations that we yearn for in this season is not on the horizon. We also know that inner peace is often unattainable for many of our friends and neighbors, because they cannot afford access to health care. Although concerns about the natural environment are shared by people around the world, we have not yet committed ourselves to meaningful action that would forestall environmental disaster. These are aspects of life where our Advent reflection might lead us to repentance.
Yet, Advent is a time of holy anticipation. It is a season of looking forward with the expectation that God will reveal the Divine presence here on earth, in our midst. For that we prayerfully wait not in despair, but in hope and active preparatory engagement.
The wonderful reality of Advent is that it segues into Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, Jesus. For us, he is the fulfillment of God's willingness to be with us, thus blessing our lives with renewed hope. Our hope is grounded in God's presence in Christ, and the Holy Spirit enables and emboldens us to take initiative to persist in the quest for peace among nations and to seek to be at peace ourselves, to press on for health care for all and to grow as stewards of God's creation.
For me, God's enduring presence is the source of the joy of this season. In the face of all we know and all that challenges our wellbeing, we are reminded that we are not alone. In Jesus, our Emmanuel, God is with us.
This year, I join with all of my coworkers and colleagues here at the United Church of Christ National Offices in prayerfully wishing you blessed and joyful Christmas season!
Geoffrey A. Black
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ
[Adapted by permission from the website of the United Church of Christ.]