Christmas and New Year ’24/’25
“On the Move”
Bridging 2024 and 2025 with God’s mercy on a journey of Hope and Faith as we celebrate the birth of “our guiding Light: The Light of the World”.[1]
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ; our Lord and Savior.
Entering the period of Christmas and the New Year’s Eve is definitely the most reflective time of the year about God’s mercy and faithfulness, considering the fact that it is not given to everybody, as we all know and have witness it in one way or the other. Nothing indeed would be taken for granted if at this point of time, we can all breathe, we have enough to eat, we have enough clothes to wear and a warm place to live in.
Inspired by 22nd World Methodist Conference theme: “On the Move”, I have been reflecting on God’s Mercy that goes beyond what we can see, touch, feel and smell. As we enter this Christmas season, bridging 2024 and 2025, we reflect on Jesus’s words according to John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life,” Paul wrote about this accurately in Galatians 2:20: It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Christ is our only true guiding light, and He is on the mission without borders, he has no homeland other than heaven (Philippians 3:20). The mission of every true Christian is to shine God’s light where there is darkness in this world. God’s light is lighting in our journey of hope and faith. As we haven’t arrived yet, we are called to follow Him by being on the move. The painful truth about being on the move is that there are things we definitely need to leave behind so that we can embrace new hopes, aspirations, directions, insights, opportunities, visions and challenges. We are also to travel well as we journey with those who wander, holding fast to what we believe with open arms without compromising our conviction.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, as we end 2024 and begin 2025, let us inspire, encourage and challenge one another to be on the move. May God bless our words and actions, in our families, friends and communities during this Christmas and throughout this coming new year as we continue to be the light for this dark world until we arrive at His final destination.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.
Yours in his service, Deacon Marcianne Uwimana.
[1] Lesse Svensson, the President of the Uniting Church in Sweden, 22nd World Methodist Conference, Sweden, August 2024.