This Christmas, Sandra and I would like to invite you to our home to share our gratitude for your ministry, love, and support.  On Sunday, December 23rd from 4:00pm until 6:00pm come and let us show you how much we appreciate you.  There will be various Christmas time drinks like cider, hot chocolate, coffee, eggnog, and as well, a small gift for you to take home.

As I think about opening up "The Lily Pad" to you, my church family, I realize that there is something very right about opening our homes.  Revelation 3:20 tells us that if we open our hearts, Christ will come in and dine with us.  Christ died on a cross with open arms, as if to say, "I love you THIS much."  The current Methodist slogan is "Open doors, open minds, open hearts."  How appropriate that we open our home to you.

Secondly, we open our home because you have opened yours to us.  The people of Hartford have been so good to my family.  You have received us with kindness and grace.  You have blessed us with your love and support.  You have invited us into your lives for meals, family decisions, crises, celebrations, weddings, funerals, games, and fun.  You have let us see your vulnerable sides.  You have let us share with you in your celebrations.  You have let us into your lives.  You have opened your homes to us.

Please come and elt us share our appreciation for you.  We can't wait to see you and can't wait to celebrate the good news of the gospel's birth at Christmas.  come to our open house let us bless each other.