News

As I consider the Christmas story, I am amazed at the love that the God has shown the world by sending His Son Jesus Christ into this world. When I ponder what Jesus left behind when He came to rescue us from this fallen word, it inspires thankfulness and worship.

One thing my family loves to do around Christmas time is to go from one neighborhood to the next and view the Christmas lights. We enjoy seeing how creative people get when they set up the decorations. My children’s favorite decorated houses are the ones where the lights are attuned to music. You can listen to the music through your own car speakers by turning to the right radio station. While the music is playing you can watch the lights dance around and sometimes you can see figurines be created by the lights.

Emmanuel – A Name Given To Jesus Meaning “God With Us” One of the church words we use throughout the Advent and Christmas season is Emmanuel – a name given to Jesus meaning “God with us” (Matthew 1:22, NIV). What a deceptively simple word to carry a shockingly beautiful and devastatingly powerful truth.

History is defined by the events of Christmas Day. Bold claim, no? Consider, however, that any point in history is referred to as BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before Common Era) and AD (Anno Domini/Year of Our Lord) or CE (Common Era). The fact of the matter is that the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is what defines the beginning of the “common era” and the conclusion of all that came before Him. There have been many calendars through time; all have come and gone and His birth remains the standard.

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

When Clement C. Moore wrote “An Account of a Visit From St. Nicholas” in 1822, St. Nicholas was barely known in the United States outside the old Dutch community. The Protestant Revolution had squelched the celebration of saints, including St. Nicholas, but in the Netherlands, the people had held onto their devotion to the saint, and they brought that devotion to the New World.

Superintendent Sara Anderson gave Principal Jeff Determan’s report at the regular meeting of the Gregory School District Board of Education’s meeting Monday evening. Winter activities are all underway, and middle school girls basketball is already done. Gregory hosted an invitational wrestling tournament on Saturday in which the Burke/Gregory Storm placed third as a team. Earlier in the day the elementary shopping day took place; National Honor Society members helped wrap gifts for this event.

During the city council meeting Tuesday, December 5, Mayor Al Cerny updated the council on four public nuisance properties that have been the subject of numerous complaints. The code enforcement officer had been in town the week before the council meeting, and the mayor discussed these properties with him.

Thanael Certa-Werner is the new pastor at Gregory United Methodist Church. He moved to the area the end of June, during which time he pastored the Burke and Herrick United in Faith UMC parishes before taking over the pastorate in Gregory at the beginning of November.

Chris Burkholder had a couple things to discuss with the Gregory County Board of Commissioners as they opened their regular meeting Tuesday, December 5. First he wanted to clarify that Andrew Yoder’s plan was always to connect the two buildings he had moved onto his newly-chased lot in the Rolling Hills subdivision, and now the proper building permit has been obtained.