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December 22, 2022
Dear Noblesville First Family,
When I imagined my first Christmas as your pastor I didn’t imagine this. I didn’t imagine having the flu the week of our standing room only Christmas concert or a “snowmageddon” forecast the days before Christmas Eve. No, I imagined perfect health, perfect weather and a perfect first Christmas together.
Perhaps you’ve also struggled this season with what you’d imagined Christmas to be and what it is. There may be grief you never imagined you’d feel, illnesses you never imagined you'd face, life changes you never imagined were on the horizon or expectations you never imagined would be unmet. If that’s you today, know that you are not alone. I believe that as Mary and Joseph placed their newborn in a feeding trough, they too struggled with the space between what they imagined and what was.
Yet, the hope for us today is that even when we find ourselves in a Christmas season we could never imagine — Jesus is still present. Jesus was still present with Mary and Joseph in the stable, and Jesus will still be present in the stables of imperfection life brings us to this Christmas season. And when we focus on the presence of Jesus, rather than the presence of perfection, then we can join the angels in their unending chorus of joy. Jesus has come into the world and that perfect gift is always better than anything we could imagine.
Merry Christmas!
Your imperfect Pastor,
Pastor Nicole
P.S. Please enjoy the family Christmas photo I did NOT imagine but my children love. We look ridiculous but Jesus is with us (and you) anyway!
As of today, we still intend to have all of our scheduled services on Christmas Eve, as well as our one traditional/contemporary blended service at 10:30AM on Christmas Day. We pray that snow and roads will be cleared well before Saturday evening, but are grateful for the means to worship together virtually if necessary. Please check NoblesvilleFirst.com and Facebook for any updates.