A Nativity Message

January 6, 2026

In this season of the Nativity of Our Lord, we remember with all thankfulness the gifts of support we have been receiving here at Holy Transfiguration this past year and beyond.

As the Ultimate Gift to mankind is celebrated by God’s Gift of His Son, Our Redeeming Savior Jesus Christ, we also must reflect on how blessed we are by the gifts we have received at the hands of our neighbors in the town of Woodstock and in the surrounding area.

In the past 18 months or so, we have been amazingly blessed by these helpful neighbors, who from a love of this culturally historic place, have offered and provided much needed support for the chapel.

Some are friends from the days of Deacon John Nelson (and earlier). Some are new friends. Without being asked, these friends have been offering time, material and money towards the physical survival of Transfiguration. Some dedicate mostly to the condition of the building itself. Some offer money. Some offer the work of their hands with craftsman skills.

May God be praised by their offerings!

With these contributions we have sourced a new roof for the chapel, crucial to the survival of the building itself. New front steps, a new porch roof and exterior tiles were also important ‘reclamations’. Most notably, restoration of the ancient stained-glass windows are in the works. The grounds have been freshened with the removal unnecessary accumulations, fallen trees, etc. All these key maintenance necessities have been offered up by these friends and neighbors. And this, all for the love of the chapel and as a testament to the chapel’s histories in the lives of so many of the people of the Woodstock area.

May the Lord Bless them all!

We are but a tiny congregation of mostly retired people, without the support of larger and secular church organizations, as are prevalent in the West. We pay for what we can, which is usually not much.

Although spiritually we are to see ourselves as beggars, we are not comfortable with holding our hand out for money, publicly or otherwise. We find small money in the offering box which is always welcome and sometimes surprising. However, the true rewards are the messages they leave in the guest book. That is one of our favorite treasures!

I would love to shout out the names of these patron angels for all to hear. However, Our Lord says about charity: “Do not let the right hand know what the left hand is doing”. By this teaching, we will let what is offered by each to be secret offerings from the heart, which Our Lord has said he prefers (requires).