Hello Folks,
     All around us are people getting ready for Christmas.  Ruth and I will be going to viist our children and grandchildren as well as some friends who are very special to us.  I am sure that most of you have particular plans for Christmas.  The eating of dinner, the opening of gifts, the celebration of family, and, I pray, the wonders of the birth of Christ will be part of your Christmas.  May we never forget in the midst of being with our families and friends that there is a wonderful Savior whose birth we are celebrating.  Make sure you plan some way to bring Christ into the midst of your time with those you love and remind them of the Savior as well.
     Every year it seems that our culture attempts to remove Christ from Christmas.  This year the governor of one of the Northeast States decided that he would not allow a Christmas tree to be placed at the govenor's mansion but he called it a "holiday" tree.  Different atheist organizations and the ACLU appear to have an agenda to make sure that Christ be excluded.  I guess we could remind them of the story of a king who attempt to exclude Jesus from life itself and failed dramatically.  We could tell them of people who have opposed Jesus and even crucified Him and then we could tell them the rest of the story about the resurrection. I realize that many will not believe it at all but know this the truth of the Savior will never be lost as long as Christians tell the story.  Be a person who tells the story to those around you this year.  Tell it to your children, your grandchildren, your friends, your neighbors and anyone else that you can.  This is the most amazing story that has ever been given to mankind to tell and may God's glorious church be the "voice crying in the wilderness".
     I pray that the joy of Christ be in your home this year.

H. G. Rudd