Happy New Year from Navajo

Dear Friends in Christ,

Merry Christmas, or Blessed St. Stephen’s Day.

As a part of Christmas, for the last two years, we have had confirmation students pack and pass out boxes to elders in the community. This year we don’t have a confirmation class, but we do have young people in the church, and they still passed out boxes, sang carols, and prayed with senior citizens and their families.

At a time of year when it easy to lose sight of God’s gift to us in Christ, these young people put into practice Jesus’ words that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 19:35).

We had a wonderful group of 40 children that worshipped with us on Christmas Eve. Some came with their parents and others came on their own. Many of them returned from activties we had over the summer, like Vacation Bible School.

We had a Christmas program with Angels, Wise Men, and Shepherds. It was a great celebration of Christ’s birth, the good news of great joy for all people.

Earlier in the fall a church, who had previously visited, returned. Trinity Lutheran from Wahaiwa, HI came for 4 days and did devotions and crafts with the families at church. They also shared a little bit of Hawaiian culture with a hula and Hawaiian food.

In between the major events our days are filled with being a part of people’s everyday lives and showing them how God is present through it all. This includes going with them as they haul wood, sporting events (volleyball and basketball), Miss Navajo pageants, kinaldaa (coming of age ceremony for young women), and our main focus of worship and Bible study.

Two more people were baptized this past fall, and for that we praise God.

Please thank with us for:

• The Group from Trinity Lutheran in Wahaiwa, HI and their visit.

• The Children attending worship and V.B.S. that the seeds of faith would grow

• The man and his daughter baptized in September.

Happy New Year!
The Norton Family