As we step into the new year, we want to pause and say thank you for making Allendale UMC part of your Christmas celebration. This season has been filled with sacred moments of joy, reflection, and connection, and we are so grateful to have shared them with you.

We began with the inspiring voices of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Tampa Bay, filling our space with the sounds of the season. Our own Allendale choir followed with a beautiful offering of music on Sunday December 8, lifting our spirits in worship. We had brunch with Santa the following week!

Together, we also held space for the seriousness and weight of this time; the social justice team gathered to support one another in light of the election results, and the church came together for our Blue Christmas potluck and service—a tender reminder that Christ meets us in both endings and beginnings. Later that week, we joined with other churches and organizations to remember the people who died in Pinellas County while experiencing homelessness.

Then, as Christmas approached, families and children brought the nativity story to life in our chaotic and beautiful Impromptu Pageant, reminding us of the messy, inclusive joy of Jesus’ birth in a manger. On Christmas Eve, we lit candles and sang “Silent Night” together in the Sanctuary, a peaceful and profound moment of worship. And just yesterday, we continued Christmastide with a truly unique Drag Gospel Service of Lessons and Laughter—a joyous celebration of God’s liberating love that brought laughter, music, and connection to all who gathered.

This Sunday, we celebrate the final service of the Christmas season with Epiphany Sunday, a time to remember the journey of the magi and the light of Christ revealed to the world. We’ll also have one more opportunity to reflect on our Christmas series, Words for the Beginning, enjoy the Echolocation music video prelude, and worship among the Christmas trees before we say goodbye to this season. Communion will be a central part of our service this week—a reminder of God’s grace and love, freely given to all. At Allendale, the communion table is open to everyone.