{"id":2116,"date":"2020-12-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cnob.org\/?p=2116"},"modified":"2020-12-22T17:52:57","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T17:52:57","slug":"merry-christmas-and-a-blessed-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cnob.org\/?p=2116","title":{"rendered":"Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Nativity, unidentified Kenyan artist, Art in the Christian Tradition, Vanderbilt University <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As we come close to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and to worship him, Tori and I would like to wish you the most joyous and blessed Christmas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has been an unusual year in so many ways. We are so grateful for your resilience, courage and leadership in these times! We are thankful for your willingness to undertake thankless tasks with grace and good humour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we come to celebrate this Christmas, we are particularly mindful of the nativity in the Gospel of John where we read:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life,and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father\u2019s only son,full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 11 NRSV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While 2021 promises a light at the end of the tunnel, it will still be challenging in many ways. As you continue to lead with grace and courage, may you and yours be strengthened and encouraged with these two promises; the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it and, the Word became flesh and lives among us. This is God’s promise to us all – this is our hope and this is our assurance!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merry Christmas and a joyous new year to you and yours!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Christ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tori and John-Peter Smit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we come close to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and to worship him, Tori and I would like to wish you the most joyous and blessed Christmas! This has been an unusual year in so many ways. We are so grateful for your resilience, courage and leadership in these times! We […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"yoast_head":"\nMerry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! - CNOB<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnob.org\/?p=2116\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! - CNOB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As we come close to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of our Saviour and to worship him, Tori and I would like to wish you the most joyous and blessed Christmas! 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