It is Christmas! Christ is born! It is my great joy to welcome all of you this holy night to Saint Ann Church and to express my warmest wishes to you and your families for a most blessed Christmas and joyful New Year.
To all of our parishioners who so faithfully take part in the life and prayer of the parish throughout the year, I want to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation for all that you do to bring about the Kingdom of God in our corner of the world in the Tenleytown neighborhood. So many of you are volunteers who graciously devote so much time and energy to our many parish ministries, organizations, and activities. The Parish comes alive in the Spirit through you and continually depends upon you and your generosity to sustain it.
To all our friends and guests who come tonight, know that you are most welcome now and throughout the year at this gem of a church at Tenley Circle. I also look to you to help us by your prayers and generosity, which enable us to continue our many programs and activities and the on-going maintenance and restoration needs of this magnificent edifice in which we are all so privileged to worship.
Help us to extend this hospitality to so many other visitors who come here and allow us to remain a strong witness of the faith in upper northwest Washington. Thank you for joining us this evening. May the Lord bless you now and always with the love of Jesus, born of Mary this day in Bethlehem.