Editor, Gazette-Journal:

On Sunday, Dec. 10, I had the pleasure of preaching at my church, Emmaus Baptist Church, North, where Rev. John Winston Redmond is the pastor. I am grateful that I had the pleasure of preaching on the topic of Great Expectations. The sermon came from Luke Chapter 1:26-38.

In the biblical text, an angel made a proclamation of a great expectation—the birth of Jesus. The sermon discussed that in the world many today lack expectation. However, despite all the wrong things that are taking place today, we can expect greater because greater is coming. The advent season is not about the birth of Jesus but the expectation of the Second Coming.

While we are in our expectancy, we need to maintain our Faith, by keeping our Hope, and extending Love to everyone like God showed love through the birth, death, resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mathews County, we have been experiencing a great deal of strife, and differences of opinion. In our meetings, I have witnessed (a...