Dear Friends,
Merry Christmas from Scotland!
Kenneth and I, along with our entire family of 32, send you our warmest greetings and pray that you and your loved ones experience the profound joy, peace, and hope of this holy season.
As the lights twinkle across our frosty Scottish landscapes and carols fill the air, we’re reminded anew of the miracle of Christ’s birth. Yet every December, familiar questions arise: Isn’t Christmas just a reformulated pagan holiday? Does the Bible actually caution against celebrating it? Should we even observe it at all?
In our December Apologetics class, we explored “The Case for Christmas,” examining these objections with care and Scripture. Far from being a repurposed pagan festival, the celebration of Christ’s incarnation stands on solid historical and biblical ground. While no verse commands a specific “Christmas Day,” the early church’s choice of December 25 emerged from thoughtful reflection on the timing of Christ’s conception and birth—not from syncretism with Roman feasts. More importantly, the Incarnation itself is the heart of the Gospel: God with us, Emmanuel. Celebrating Jesus’ coming aligns beautifully with the angelic announcement of “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10).
These notes blessed our class immensely, and I’ve included a summary here for you. My prayer is that they strengthen your confidence in proclaiming Christ this season and always.
We’re also sharing an abundance of photos from recent joys: seven members of our Scotland choir joined the magnificent Getty Christmas Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall—an unforgettable evening of worship! You’ll also spot some of our favourite Christmas trees adorning the house, including a special one paying homage to Florida with its sunny ornaments and palm-inspired touches.
May the Light of the World shine brightly in your hearts this Christmas and throughout the coming year.
With love from Scotland,
Angela
A Prayer Tree In Our Home
An Invitation to Pray Together This Christmas
One of our favorite traditions in our home this Christmas isn’t one of lights or ornaments—it’s our prayer tree.
Alongside our Christmas trees, we have a simple tree filled with blank paper ornaments. Everyone who has visited our home this season, I’ve invited people to take a moment, write down a prayer request, and place it on the tree. I had no idea how many people would respond. Ornament after ornament has been filled with honest, tender prayers.
When our family gathers for New Years, we will hold morning and evening devotions together, and during that time we will pray over every single request on that tree. Each prayer will be lifted before the Lord with care and faith, trusting that He hears every word and knows every heart.
If you’re reading this and have a prayer request of your own, I want you to know you’re invited into that sacred space as well. You can reply directly to this email with your request. My family and I will pray over every message that comes in. It would be an honor to stand with you before the Lord during this season.
Christmas reminds us that God draws near—that He listens, that He enters our stories, and that no prayer is too small or too heavy for Him to carry. As we pray together, may we all be reminded that Emmanuel truly is God with us.
Send your prayer request to me at acm@angela.org or click the button below.
Singing in the choir at London’s Royal Albert Hall for Home for Christmas with Keith and Kristyn Getty was a true joy. They are a remarkable family of musicians, worshippers, and songwriters, and their four daughters sing with them too. I loved every moment.
Kenneth and I had the chance to visit with Dr. John Lennox backstage before the concert. He has been a brilliant teacher and a deep inspiration to me over the years. He and Kenneth have been friends for a long time.
Here are a few of the gifts we prepared for our church’s Ladies’ Christmas Tea, which I was so happy to host.
Meet my newest Christmas creation: the Ladybird Tree. It started with an idea I couldn’t stop thinking about, then became a very practical project involving chicken wire, evergreen branches, and a bit of patience. The final touch was layers of lights, ribbon, and ornaments until she felt properly festive. From inspiration to completion, this one made me smile.
In early December, I visited Budapest, Hungary, to teach a praise and worship leadership and songwriting workshop with worship leaders from across Eastern Europe.
Learning apologetics together (with friends from Scotland and Georgia, USA)
Finally, I want to share how I am so deeply grateful for the gift of my husband Kenneth. He is wonderful, and our years together have been filled with warmth, laughter, and countless new experiences and joys. His steady love anchors my days, and his gentle encouragement lifts my spirit in every moment. We pray together, sing together, talk through challenges and ideas as each days comes. I am grateful for the big things and the little things like taking me for a drive when I have had a tough day and listening to all of my stories. I am profoundly grateful for the faith we nurture as a team. The best Christmas gift I could ever receive is his unwavering love, his generous heart, and walking life’s path beside him.
Kenneth, you are my greatest blessing. I love you.
And we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
