Bishop Brian Cole reminds us that God is with us at all times, especially in this Christmas season. Merry Christmas from Bishop Cole and the East Tennessee diocesan staff.
Filming and music by Bro. Andrew.
Transcript
Hi. I’m Bishop Brian. God is with us. That is the Christmas message. For the past several days, clergy and lay leaders have been preparing, choirs have been preparing, extra bulletins are being printed, sermons are being written, all of that effort and all of that welcome will be intended to say one thing in all kinds of ways, but to say this same message again and again, God is with us.
God chose to become one with us in flesh, in a vulnerable child born to a vulnerable family who then lived life as refugees and immigrants in exile. He grew up to be a poor preacher who gathered folks with him and proclaimed good news, which was destroyed by the Empire on the cross, but we believe was not destroyed, but on the cross was made manifest to the whole world through the empty tomb.
So, God being with us is the message that you will hear throughout every parish church in East Tennessee over the next several days. I hope you find a warm welcome to hear again the message of God being with us. God being with us means God remains with us always, that there is no God forsaken place nor God forsaken person because of that.
In the coming year, I would invite you, would encourage you, I would challenge you to live out that kind of Christmas spirit every day, to see in the person, particularly the vulnerable person, the stranger, the face of God, the face of the Christ, born to us in a vulnerable child, to a vulnerable family. God being with us is good news and God being with us is the news we are called to proclaim in 2025, in this diocese, in this region. Join me in proclaiming that good news that God is with us. Thank you.