From Our Pastors                                                                                   

Beloved friends, 

December always arrives like a deep breath—a moment where the world seems to slow down just long enough for us to notice the light returning. Advent invites us to wait, to watch, and to hope with a kind of courage that feels downright countercultural these days. While the world rushes toward the finish line of the year, the Church gently asks us to pause… to look for God’s presence in the unexpected, the ordinary, and the quiet. 

This year, We’ve been thinking a lot about how Advent is not passive waiting—it’s active hope. Scripture shows us that God draws near not through spectacle but through the vulnerable, the small, and the overlooked. A young woman in Nazareth, a carpenter doing his best to hold a family together, shepherds working the night shift, a child born far from home. God chooses the edges, and then invites us there with Him. 

And if we’re honest, many of us feel like we’re living on the edges right now—edges of exhaustion, edges of uncertainty, edges of what we can hold. The good news is that God’s story meets us exactly there. Advent reminds us that even in a weary world, there is still room for wonder. There is still room for joy. There is still room for us to be surprised by grace. 

My prayer for you this month is simple: 

May you find moments of quiet that restore you. 

May you notice small kindnesses that soften you. 

May you trust that the light is coming—even if you can’t see it yet. 

And may our church be a place where that light shines clearly: in our worship, in our service, in our welcome, and in our love for one another. 

Thank you for being a community that reflects the heart of Christ. I am grateful for you—your presence, your generosity, your courage, and your faith. 

A blessed Advent and a joyful Christmas to each of you. 

In hope and peace, 

Pastor Phil and Pastor Leigh

🕯️ “Advent Evening Devotional: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love” 🕯️

Title: Waiting in the Light: An Advent Evening Devotional

By Rev. Phil Richards and Rev. Leigh McCaffrey

As the days grow shorter and the nights stretch longer, we enter that sacred season of waiting we call Advent — a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. In the midst of a world that feels restless and uncertain, Advent calls us to light candles of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, one by one, until the light of Christ fills the darkness once again.

This year, we invite you to join us for a special Advent Evening Devotional, a reflective and prayerful gathering centered on these four themes that mark the Advent journey. Together we will read scripture, sing familiar carols, listen for the still, small voice of God, and hold space for the deep longing and wonder of this holy season.

Each week we’ll share:

• Scripture readings that tell the story of waiting and promise
• Reflections and poetry to stir the spirit
• Questions for quiet contemplation or group conversation
• Prayer and song to center our hearts in Christ’s coming

Whether you’re carrying weariness or wonder, doubts or dreams, Advent invites you to rest for a while in the soft glow of candlelight and remember that Christ still comes — into our world, into our hearts, and into every moment where love is needed most.

Join us for this sacred time of reflection and renewal.

📅 Date/Time: Mondays at 6:30 p.m. – December 1, December 8, December 15, and December 22

Come as you are — come and wait in the light.

December Ruining Lunch – Thursday, December 11 at 11:45 a.m. at Plattsburgh UMC

Bring a Sandwich! Soup and refreshments will be provided. 

Sign up with Diane P. – luv2garden5@gmail.com 

A Fresh Look at the Christmas Story

As we move through this Advent season, I want to invite you to join us for a special time of reflection on the birth stories found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Many of us grew up with a blended nativity scene, but when we look again—slowly, thoughtfully—we discover two unique and beautiful stories, each offering a powerful word for the world we live in today. 

Matthew gives us a story of courage, justice, and God’s guidance in times of danger. Luke gives us a story of hope, humility, and God’s presence among the poor and overlooked. Together, they reveal a God who shows up in vulnerability, invites us into courage, and calls us to create communities of compassion. 

In a world that often feels heavy—with political tension, economic anxiety, and deep division—these stories remind us that hope almost always begins small: in a manger, in a whisper, in the quiet “yes” of ordinary people doing extraordinary acts of love. 

This Advent, I invite you to rediscover the birth stories as sources of strength, wisdom, and encouragement for our lives today. We will explore what these narratives can teach us about justice, resilience, generosity, and the ways God continues to be born in our midst. Come with curiosity. Come with questions. 

Come as you are. Let’s journey together toward a Christmas filled with peace, wonder, and renewed hope. 

—Rev. Phil Richards 

This event is open to the community, all are welcome.

💙 Blue Christmas Service Invitation 💙

Saturday, December 20 • 6:30 p.m. at Peru Community Church in the Fellowship Center

The holiday season can be beautiful — but it can also be heavy. For many, this time of year brings grief, stress, loneliness, or memories that weigh on the heart. If this season feels less than joyful, you are not alone.

You are invited to our Blue Christmas Service — a quiet, reflective gathering of prayer, candlelight, music, and gentle hope.

Blue Christmas is a sacred space where:
💙 You can bring your grief without apology
💙 You can rest from the pressure to feel “merry and bright”
💙 You can name what hurts — and still trust that light is coming
💙 You can simply breathe and be held by God’s presence

This service includes Scripture, poetry, silence, music, and a ritual of light— a reminder that even on the longest nights, God draws near.

Saturday, December 20 at 6:30 p.m.
All are welcome.
Come as you are.
Come with your sorrow, your memories, your prayers, your questions.
Come find a moment of peace.

✨ New Zoom Study: “The Prophetic Imagination” by Walter Brueggemann ✨