Dear Friends,
Greetings to you in the name of Jesus Christ!
This has been a wondrous Christmas! It all began on Christmas Eve at about noon. Word came to Jim that Jessica’s water had broke and they were on their way to the hospital. Jim was making final preparations for the three Christmas Eve Services and the one on Christmas Day. Karen was at St Vincent Hospital as the day & night chaplain. Everyone was waiting for the word that Charlotte had been born – but just before the first Christmas Eve Service at 4:30 pm Jim called to see how things were progressing. Charles answered and mentioned they were all settled into a room and things were moving forward.
Just like we had been doing with Advent we continued to WAIT with a growing amount of anticipation. But no word came from Troy as the second Christmas Eve Service was getting underway. This was the Spanish service and the children helped Jim tell the Christmas story. By the end of this service it was close to 8:30 pm and still no word about the birth of Charlotte.
The last service was to take place at 10:00 pm and included the Atonement Choir sharing the Christmas Story through readings and music. Charles did call to say it was going to be soon. WOW! The waiting was almost over. I gave my cell phone to one of the ushers asking they take the call for me.
The 10:00 pm service had just begun and I saw the usher step out of the worship area. I looked to see where he was and noticed he was standing in the hallway. He saw that I was looking and gave me the thumbs up that all was ok and Charlotte had been born. It was at about this time that Karen arrived from the hospital for worship and found out from the usher that we were grandparents! WOW! Praise God! It was at about 11:30 pm after worship that we finally talked with Charles and found out that Charlotte Elaynne Gerth had been born on Christmas Eve at 9:45 pm at Anderson Hospital. 5# 13 oz. and 17” long.
It was after Christmas Day worship that we (Karen & Jim) got into our car at about 12:30 pm and drove 514 miles to arrive at Anderson Hospital around 8:15 pm to see and hold our very first Granddaughter! What a joy to see this little one that God has created and blessed us with on this Christmas Eve. It was a joy to also see how excited Jess & Charles are about their first baby.
Karen & I had breakfast with Charles & Jess & Charlotte on Monday morning as we spent time holding and taking pictures of Charlotte. We went over to the house to see the nursery and then stopped back at the hospital to see Charlotte and the blessed parents one more time. We then drove to Chicago to see Nathan & Laura as Nathan was to be in the air going back to Russia on Tuesday morning for another 5 months.
Yes – this has been a remarkable Christmas! We thank God for all the blessings of this Christmas time as we see the wonderment of God’s love and creative grace in our Granddaughter!
In Christ,
Pastor Jim Gerth (P.J.) and Karen
