Pastor’s Letter – This Christmas
This Christmas
I’ve been reading online some words from various religious leaders, saying what a terrible year this has been. Various people online are saying that things have been very bad; that we’ve gone through “dark days.” I kept reading to see what they meant, but they never really explain their description of this past year. I can’t say that I agree with them. In fact, sometimes they would go on with such words, as if it was a given, to the point that I thought I was taking crazy pills.
Economically, the country has done pretty well over the last year. Sure, prices for the things we buy every day – gasoline and groceries in particular - are too high, and that’s no small thing. On the other hand, unemployment is down, which means more people are working and have dignity and can take better care of their loved ones. Manufacturing and construction projects are going strong all around the country. The stock market broke records many times. So, economically at least, this past year has not been too bad, compared to many other times in our country’s history.
Immigration is an ongoing issue that needs much more work, but immigrants, since the early days of our country, have always been a boon to our economy. Sure, they should become legal residents – so let’s help them do that instead of condemning them. And let’s remember that Jesus and his parents were immigrants themselves when they fled to Egypt after the Wise Men visited them. I’m looking at the facts and they just don’t add up to “a terrible year”. There is plenty of good for us to celebrate.
On the other hand, two thousand years ago things were truly hard in the time of Jesus. The Roman Empire used their power to oppress people to the extreme. The religious leaders wielded their power in ways that weighed on the people even more. Those people needed a champion. They needed nothing less than a Savior. And that is just what happened.
On a cold night in the little town of Bethlehem, a child was born. God sent his own Son, his own Self into the world in human flesh. He did this because he loves his people and wants to help us to overcome the darkness caused by human deceit and the diminishing of people’s worth. He sent to us the very light of the world to guide us out of the darkness of human greed and ignorance and hatred and into the light of a better time – of being better people – of being “light bringers” ourselves.
As for us, if we were to describe this last year as “dark days,” as I heard it described by some religious leaders, it wouldn’t so much be because of economic reasons. It would be because we live in a country divided. We live in a society filled with suspicion, even hatred, even neighbor against neighbor; sometimes family against family. We live in the same world as in the time of Jesus when it comes to the fallenness of humans, causing sin and suffering.
About Our Pastor
This is our pastor, Reverend Susan Hanson,
She was ordained in the United Church of Christ at her home church, St. John's UCC in Lansdale, PA on January 9th, 1994 in the middle of a winter weather event of snow and ice. That storm didn't stop their celebration that day - and she hasn't stopped serving in the ministry since then – no matter what. We like that about her - and you will too when you get to know her.
Pastor Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Florida State University; a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary; and a Master of Arts
degree in Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary.
And she completed her certification as a Reiki Master in 2013 – the same year she came to our church. She's also participated in specialized training through the United Church of Christ to serve as an intentional interim minister to churches while they are in transition from one settled pastor to the next.
Early in her thirty year career as an ordained minister, it became her calling to assist churches during these times of transition, taking her to twelve different settings in local churches, as well as chaplaincy positions in nursing home facilities. She'll tell you that she “has seen it all, heard it all, been through it all” with the people she's met – and even so, she still likes people and loves working with them in ministry settings.
That love is what brought her here to St. Vincent UCC – her “lucky number 13” setting as she likes to call it. When she arrived, it was to serve as a temporary supply pastor while we were in transition. But, we liked each other so much, we decided to just stay together on a permanent basis. In April, 2018, Rev. Hanson was installed as our settled pastor.
Our pastor believes that ministry is something we all do when we strive to be like Jesus and follow his ways. Her job, as she sees it, is to help all of us be the heart and hands and voice of Jesus in our own time and place and in our own way – so that we will do good; make a positive difference; and leave the world a better place for us having been here. She says, “That's the way real ministry happens – one gracious thought, one good word, one act of kindness - one moment at a time”.
Susan and her husband, Doug, who is also an ordained pastor at St. Peter's Pikeland UCC, live in Chester Springs. They have three grown children – their daughter Laurabeth and son Eric live in the local area. Their daughter Lindsay and her husband Charlie live in Alabama where they're raising the two grandchildren of whom Pastor Susan will be happy to show you pictures and tell you how wonderful they are – just like any other proud grandparent.
Come, join us – and meet our pastor. If you are looking for a worship experience which makes you feel good for having been here – then, come and meet us. We worship together every Sunday to share the spirit, the light, and the love of Jesus and become empowered to take it with us when we go back out into the world in which we live and for whom our ministry really matters.