Rev. John Demaree,
Rolando United Methodist Church, San Diego:

I am very excited about sharing the true meaning of Christmas with my family this year. This past May I married a wonderful woman and she, her two children (3 and 6 years old) and I became a family. This Advent is my first opportunity to share with my new family the love, peace, joy and hope that are at the center of Christ’s birth. We will set aside a special time once a week, usually Sunday evenings just before bed, in lighting a candle on our own special advent wreath. The kids will have an opportunity to see this tradition played out in worship Sunday morning as well. We will then share part of the Christmas story from their Children’s Bible.

Being part of a shared custody family, arranging to have the kids for normal holiday activities, even regular church attendance can be difficult. This simple tradition, I believe, will mean a lot to my wife and stepchildren and bring us closer together as the new family we have become.

Pastor Fagatua Tili,
First Samoan Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, Oceanside:

As we approach Christmas, it is a special time for many people. It’s a time when many families plan to get together and celebrate the holidays. For some this might mean they will have to make travel arrangements and travel quite a distance to share this special time with loved ones and friends. This is certainly true for our family. It is a time of not only exchanging gifts, but we get to share with one another the reason why there is a Christmas — Jesus Christ.

It’s time for us to reflect on what Jesus has done in our lives throughout the year and how blessed we are to be called His children. I can truly say that as we gather to celebrate His birth, our family gives all glory and honor to Jesus Christ for ALL He has done for us, both in the natural and most of all in the Spirit. He is our God, our Savior and Lord, our Prince of Peace and soon coming King! There are many ways to celebrate Christmas, but remember, that without Jesus, we would not have a reason to celebrate. May His blessings be upon all His people both locally and around the world. Merry Christmas!