Written by Nanci Hoffman from the Village Church.
MEDITATION:
I asked my daughter Tami, who now lives in the U.S. if she were asked to write something for a Christmas memory, what would it be? Without hesitation, she said it would be about the Christmases we shared with our church in Tokyo many years ago. It was in the 70s and 80s when we attended the Tokyo Baptist church in Shibuya, Tokyo. I think the total attendance on a Sunday morning was about 100 to 150. Many of the congregants were young, new, Japanese Christians, the only Christians in their traditionally Shinto or Buddhist families. Some congregants were expats mainly from the U.S. or Britain, doing business in Tokyo with their families. The Staff of the church were missionaries mainly from Texas. Because we had what would have been considered over there a large home, we often opened it up to the church for Bible Studies and other activities. The happiest of all was when annually we invited the whole church by an invitation in the Sunday bulletin to our home for a Christmas Carol sing and fellowship. The church organist, Darrell Mock, would play my piano, and probably 60 to 70 of our church friends would sing around the Christmas tree, many sitting on the floor, all crowded together. We would sing from the little books of lyrics I typed up. Darrell would play some special music for us. Then we would share in the goodies that everyone brought. It was glorious. It is one of those memories that when brought to mind fill our bodies and souls with light, laughter, lightness and such thankfulness, as times with friends, music, good fellowship, and praise to our Lord evoke. Thank you, Tami, for bringing this memory to us again.
SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 145:18
“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
LINK TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC/VIDEO:
Pathways Press.com 
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