The Home Page Network

True friendships and loving relationships make our lives beautiful and meaningful. For our Movin’ Together Christmas broadcast this year, I searched the Home Page vault for one of my favorites.

Pastor Rhonda Spencer has been a sister in Christ and a wonderful friend over the past several years. Whenever I called or reached out to her, she responded with grace, wisdom, and love. This broadcast from the vault initially aired on December 23rd, 2022.

She left this earth on January 29th, 2023, to go home with Jesus about a month after recording our broadcast. She looked great, and we spoke very freely about her life, so I was saddened to hear of her passing. I was not sad because she left to be with Jesus, but it reminded me again how fragile life is, so I was reminded to appreciate every moment I have with our friends and family.

During this broadcast, Rhonda and I read the scriptures together, describing the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:8-12.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
After we read the Christmas story, we then discussed the importance of the shepherds listening to the report of God and going to tell others about the birth of the Savior. The news of Jesus’s birth was a joyful proclamation of God’s love for us. The shepherds walked in their faith to share about the baby born in a manger.

That is how Pastor Rhonda Spencer lived here on earth – telling others about His love and inviting them to come to know Jesus personally.
Well, I miss her very much, but know that one day, I will enter my eternal life with Christ, and we will meet again for all eternity.

If you are looking for a Christmas Eve Service, the Vineyard Church of Wellsboro offers two opportunities for you to attend. The first service is at 4:45 pm, and the second is at 6:30 pm