December
General Superintendent
Max Edwards
9, 2025
Christmastime Across the EMC
We have a wonderful, willing servant that comes and decorates our offices for Christmas. She’d probably rather remain anonymous, so I won’t brazenly reveal her identity, but her initials are T.H. � One thing she’s been doing for the last several years is to build a decorative church display on the meeting table in the General Superintendent’s office.
Not only is it a sweet Christmas panorama, but I see it as a visual allegory of the EMC. Mrs. H has been adding a few churches each year - - some large, some small. Some of them are traditional, while others are modern looking. Actually, the one thing they have in common is that they are unique – no two are exactly alike. This is also true of every church across the EMC
Over the last 7 years, I have had the privilege of worshipping in nearly all of our churches, from Pennsylvania to Port Townsend, and from Marietta to Mt. Shasta. They are all quite unique, beautiful, and precious. We have coastal churches and mountain churches. We have large churches and intimate churches. Some of our congregations are in rented, or borrowed spaces, while others have built beautiful houses of worship. Some of them are praying for revival and are patiently persevering, and others are experiencing real growing pains, looking for larger spaces or planning additional services.
The differences are many, but there are commonalities that bind us together too. All our churches understand and proclaim the authority of God’s Holy Word. In all of them, there are disciples who truly love Christ, and love the community in which God has planted them. The Gospel is preached without apology, and holiness of heart and life are pursued passionately
I’m thankful for the decorations, and for the reminder that our churches are both diverse and lovely. I’m thankful for pastors and congregations that make up the EMC tapestry that God is weaving And I’m deeply thankful for God’s abiding love, and for the gift of Bethlehem.