“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:30.
Dear Friends,
Do you believe in angels? Scripture is filled with accounts of angelic encounters, and many today share similar experiences. A 2023 Pew Research survey found that 80% of Americans believe in a spiritual reality beyond the physical world, and many report moments they cannot explain.
Whether we call them guardian angels or the presence of the Holy Spirit, these experiences often occur unexpectedly—through dreams, in times of crisis, or when we lose someone dear.
Lee Strobel’s book Seeing the Supernatural recounts stories that defy scientific explanation, including one from a former Secret Service agent who sensed an unseen embrace just hours before learning of his mother’s passing. That moment deepened his faith in God and the power of Jesus.
This Advent, we’ll explore angelic appearances in the Christmas story—through Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds—each bringing the message: Do not be afraid. These encounters remind us of God’s presence and the good news of Christ’s coming.
Join us this season as we reflect on “Angels Among Us.”
Wishing you a joyful Thanksgiving and a blessed Advent.
I thank God for you,
Pastor Kathy Nealand
Books you might want to read:
- Angels of Christmas
- Seeing the Supernatural: Investigating Angels, Demons, Mystical Dreams, Near-Death Encounters, and Other Mysteries of the Unseen World
Join Us This Advent Season
- Advent Series: Angels Among Us
Sundays at 10:00 AM | Beginning November 30, 2025
- November 30 - “Make Ready a People: #morehope" - Synopsis: It was just another day at the temple for Zechariah. It was his priestly turn to make sure everything was done properly and in good order. But it turned into something quite different when an angel showed up at the altar. Have you ever had a moment in your life after which you knew nothing would ever be the same? In the midst of great change, hope is always a welcome thing. Advent can remind us that God makes us ready for whatever unknown may come our way and calls us to be messengers of #morehope in an ever-changing world.
- December 7 -“Nothing is Impossible: #morepeace” - Synopsis: Zechariah freaked out when the other-worldly creature appeared to him. But Mary was simply “perplexed.” Why would such an incredible message come to a common girl just barely a woman? Then her reply to such a foretelling about her purpose in life was also simple: “Let it be so.” Have you ever struggled with finding your purpose and being at peace with it? Or are you yearning for more peace in your life and relationships? #morepeace in the world happens when all of us feel #morepeace within ourselves and live out that message each day.
- December 7 - children's Christmas Pageant.
- December 14 - “Do Not Be Afraid: #morejoy" - Synopsis: Every angel seems to use “do not be afraid” as an opening line. But perhaps no one needed to hear it more than Joseph. What was happening to him was the stuff that ruins lives. As a man, he had all the rights to abandon Mary and preserve his dignity. The stakes were high–who would believe this? Worrying about what might happen in the future can rob us of our #morejoy today. Let us be messengers of encouragement and steadfast support, as Joseph was, for that which the Spirit is birthing in the world.
- December 21 - “This Will Be a Sign: #morelove" - Synopsis: The sky was brighter than usual that night, making it easier to keep track of the sheep. And then it got really bright. You would have thought that all that “glory” shining would have been “the sign.” That’s what most of us look for–great big obvious clues about God’s presence. But instead, the angel says that a baby… a newborn helpless baby in a feeding trough was it–the sign. In a flash, the message was that #morelove is found where you least expect it and perhaps is already there residing in the ordinariness of your life.
- December 24 - 7 pm - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
- December 28 - “Get Up and Go: #morelife" - Synopsis: By now Joseph was used to angels. And now he needed their timely warnings more than ever. Jesus was barely a toddler and his trouble with the Roman Empire had begun. Jesus, the Savior of Humankind becomes a refugee–forced from home by oppression and violence. We ask ourselves how we might usher in #morelife in the face of that which feels destructive. One last time in this series we hear the message #DoNotBeAfraid to get up and go–leaving those things that weigh us down and moving into the new year with new life.
“Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness. I have taken you by the hand and kept you, a light to the nations, “ (Isaiah 42:5-6 NRSVYE)
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and each will receive wages according to their own labor. For we are God’s coworkers, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 NRSVUE
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)
“So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!’” (Acts 5:38-39a)
"We also celebrate in seasons of suffering because we know that when we suffer, we develop endurance, 4 which shapes our characters. When our characters are refined, we learn what it means to hope and anticipate God’s goodness. 5 And hope will never fail to satisfy our deepest need because the Holy Spirit that was given to us has flooded our hearts with God’s love.” Romans 5:3-5(The Voice)
“So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
“ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20
“So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
“Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” Matthew 21:42
