 Hello, I'm Mike McKee, the Bishop of the North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church, and I want to wish you a happy New Year. No, I'm not confused. The New Year for the Christian Church begins on the first Sunday of Advent, December the 3rd, and the four Sundays leading to Christmas are the season of Advent. And we mark that season by gathering to worship and lighting candles around an evergreen wreath. But I want you to prepare for it in a new way also. I want you to be aware of the many sightings of God or the Christ child you may have in your own lives during this season leading to Christmas Day. I want you to be aware of the stranger. The stranger who may make an appearance in your admits, and you'll begin to recall those important words of Jesus. When you've done it to the least of these, you've done it to me. I'd like for you to prepare for the birth of Christ child by just listening. Listening to the voice of God or the silence and moments and how it is that God may be speaking to you through the pains of human suffering in our world or through the joys of children around you. But I want you to prepare. Prepare your hearts and souls to receive the most important gift that you will receive. It's not one that you'll open on Christmas morning or Christmas Eve around the Christmas tree. It's not the exchange of cookies or cakes or the celebration of parties. It will be the receiving of the gift of the birth of a Savior. It is the reason that we really celebrate this time of the year, that we mark once again and remember that over 2000 years ago in a humble place in a barn in Bethlehem, a baby was born. And his birth was heralded by the angel singing, for to you is born this day a Savior. Friends, I want to wish you a happy and blessed new year. And the year can be a joyful one and a blessed one. If we begin to remember the reason that we gather together and celebrate the Christmas season. So I invite you to prepare your hearts for the reception of the birth of the Christ child. God bless you and happy new year.