An Advent Message from Bishop Graves: A time of waiting
Greetings to my brothers and sisters in the South Georgia Conference.
Here we are just about to conclude another year, and 2024 is upon us. It seems like ever since Covid came on the scene we've been waiting. We waited to get through Covid. We have been waiting for a General Conference. We have been waiting for so many things in the Annual Conference. We have been waiting for people to make decisions. For all of us, this has been a time of waiting.
Now here we are in December – the Advent season is upon us. I don't want us to miss a moment of waiting on the Christ-child to come. Sometimes we want to move so quickly to Christmas that we miss what God wants to give us in this moment of waiting. We read this all through the scriptures of God's people who sometimes grew impatient, but it was in those moments of waiting that God did wonderful things.
It's been a blessing to serve the Alabama West-Florida and South Georgia Conferences. This is my eighth Christmas with the Alabama West-Florida Conference, and it's my third Christmas with the South Georgia Conference. It really is hard to believe that we've been in this partnership almost three years, and what a blessing it has been for me. I have met so many wonderful people over these many years. I often say that I have more people praying for me than I ever have in my life, and I truly feel the power and the presence of the Lord.
On behalf of Nancy and myself, I want to wish you a blessed Christmas. But, more importantly, it is my prayer that in these moments of waiting during this Advent season that you don't miss a moment of what God is doing in our lives. In the midst of all that's happening in our world, we still believe in the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit that comes, and it came as a Christ-child.
Friends, thank you for all the ways that you have blessed me. I pour blessings upon you and wish you a Merry Christmas.
May we not miss what God is doing in our midst, and may you have a Christ-filled Christmas!
David Graves