The Reason For The Season
A long time ago, a young woman named Mary lived in a village called Nazareth. One day, an angel appeared to her.
The angel spoke to Mary and said, “Mary, you are blessed by God and will give birth to a son and name him Jesus.” Mary said to the angel, “I happily serve the Lord, and His will be done.”
Mary married a man named Joseph who was a carpenter. One day, Joseph had to go to a town called Bethlehem to pay his taxes. Mary went with him on the long, hard journey, even though it was almost time for her to give birth to her baby.
When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, it was crowded and they looked for a place to stay. Joseph led Mary to the stable where she gave birth to a baby boy.
Mary said, “His name is Jesus.”
Nearby, there were shepherds in a field watching over their sheep during the night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and told them the good news. A child is born today in Bethlehem – a savior who is Christ the Lord. A bright star appeared in the sky. The angels said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Soon, wise men arrived in Bethlehem. They had been following the star. They brought the baby Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh.
The birth of Jesus brought hope to many people; he grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with both God and man. He was the Son of God, sent to save all those who believe in him from their sins.
Merry Christmas from the staff of the First United Methodist Church of Herkimer Christian Education Department.