Happy New Year! Today we begin a new Church year with the first Sunday of Advent. This is our time to prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas. As much as we buy and receive gifts the ultimate gift we all share is Jesus. Two thousand years ago the long- awaited promise from God to send a Savior was fulfilled as Jesus, the Son of God, came into our world. A good thought to contemplate as we get ready for Christmas is how much of a gift is Jesus to me personally, to us as the Church communally, to our nation, and to our world. We are challenged to focus our thoughts on the ultimate meaning of Christmas when we get too caught up in all the activities of gifts, cards, presents, and gatherings. Christmas is the birth of Jesus. He is the ultimate source of our hope, life, and peace.