The First Christmas of Two Growing Faith Communities

December 2023

By Kelly Mehee Shin

Christmas celebration at Athens Grace Church, December 24, 2023.

On Sunday, December 24, 2023, the members of Athens Grace Church gathered to celebrate Christmas together.

Following the worship service, we shared a meal, exchanged gifts, and enjoyed a simple Christmas program. It was a joyful time of fellowship as our growing church community celebrated the birth of Jesus together.

This Christmas became especially meaningful because of an unexpected connection with our church community in Kırıkkale, Türkiye.

At the time, Pastor Harpak of Grace Church Kırıkkale was in a hospital in Ankara recovering from kidney surgery. Although he could not be with us in person, he joined us through a live online connection and shared a Christmas greeting from his hospital room.

His message made this Christmas especially memorable.

Pastor Harpak of Grace Church Kırıkkale shares a Christmas greeting from a hospital in Ankara while recovering from kidney surgery.

Though separated by distance—and despite the difficult circumstances—our two growing faith communities were able to celebrate Christmas together.

It was a simple but meaningful reminder that the church is more than a building or a gathering in one place. In Athens and Kırıkkale, God was forming communities of believers connected through faith, prayer, fellowship, and a shared hope in Christ.

As we celebrated Christmas together, we were grateful to see how God was continuing to grow these two communities and strengthen the relationships between them.