Pastor’s Letter
Sweet Baby Jesus …
Jesus wasn’t born in a fancy palace even though he was born the king of our hearts. He wasn’t famous then even though he became the most famous person who ever lived as an adult. He wasn’t extraordinary in any way as a baby at first glance, but for those who looked more closely they saw heaven’s light in his eyes and felt the love of heaven in his presence. He was just a baby but, in truth, he was so much more.
And for those of us who follow him and his ways of love and kindness toward all – we are much more than we appear as well. Each of us – born with the image of God’s Spirit in our souls – we are special. We may not be able to do all the things that Jesus did and continues to do today in our lives – but we are good and we do good as best we are able. That makes us important and necessary to fulfill all of God’s hopes and dreams for his people.
But that calling is not always easy for us. We often feel that we’re on our own because even though we aim to do what is right the world around us feels like it is falling apart and drifting away from everything God intends for us. But the truth is that we’re not alone or forgotten – God is with us. And we know that to be true because of what we experience once again at this time of the year.
At Christmas, that sweet baby Jesus comes once again and is born anew in our hearts. It’s not just a story to be told. It’s more than one night out of the year when we think about him and have good intentions to become more like him. It’s real and it’s lasting and it changes everything about who we are and who we will become.
I remember the first time I really understood the Nativity Story. That year, I heard the story in a different way. I saw the baby in my imagination, I heard him cry, I smelled the hay in the manger, I touched his little face – I saw the heaven’s light in his eyes just like the shepherds did on that first Christmas. I felt the love in his presence just as the Wise Men did when they came to visit. And my arms longed to hold the little helpless child and take care of him just as Mary and Joseph felt as they welcomed sweet baby Jesus into this world that so desperately needed him then – and we still do.
Wise people still seek him – that’s what they say. And those who find him and accept him into their hearts are better people from that time on. This Christmas, may that sweet baby Jesus be born anew in our hearts and make us new and better and happier people forevermore. Let us pray as he taught us, follow his ways as he showed us, and live our lives as he calls us now and always. Amen.
May Blessings of Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love be yours in this season and always, Pastor Susan
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.