In Episode 55 of the United Methodist People Podcast Bishop Julius Trimble shares a Christmas message of How to be Real and Encouraged this Christmas.

Bishop Trimble shares the meaningfulness of Christmas memories growing up in his own family and in raising his own children. He also emphasizes the importance of clergy caring for their own families at Christmas and how laypersons can be helpful in this area.

He talks about the redeeming message of Christmas in the light of the Covid 19 crisis and other societal pressures. He relates that Christmas is a gift worth sharing - the gift of encouragement.

Episode 55 also featured the special announcement that in January 2022 Bishop Trimble is launching his own persona podcast "Be Encouraged with Bishop Julius C. Trimble." This included the release of an audio trailer for the new podcast which will be available on iTunes and other podcast directories after January 1, 2022.

Rev. Dr. Miller concluded the episode with gratitude to the listeners for their support in 2021 and the following quote from John Wesley.

“Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can.”

― John Wesley

Robert Dr. Brad Miller here with you on the

United Methodist people podcast. This is the Be encouraged

segment where we love to talk with Bishop Julius C. Trumbull,

about the his message about being encouraged. And of course

it's the Christmas season. And we are looking forward to a

Christmas after a unique Christmas we had last year in

2020, we have a new opportunity for to celebrate the birth of

Jesus Christ. So, Bishop, welcome to the podcast and let's

talk about Christmas a little bit.

Thank you, Brad, my friend and Merry

Christmas to those who will be hearing this podcast. And

looking forward to conversation about Christmas. We often we

think of it as a day, but it's really a season bread. It's the

season of praise and thanksgiving where we give

thanks for the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. You the

story of the baby born in a manger, the baby born in

Bethlehem is literally as John's gospel teaches us. The Word of

God becoming flesh, God becoming human. Or as Eugene Peterson

says, I believe I'm paraphrasing, God comes and sets

up 10 in our neighborhood. So Christmas is certainly about the

ultimate gift of love from God through Jesus Christ.

Well, that absolutely the God incarnate

indeed. And let's talk a little bit about your personal life a

little bit in terms of Christmas, then we I know that

there's just a lot to say about Christmas. And I really want to

kind of juxtapose this Christmas to what we experienced the last

year or so with a lot of people live in all kinds of things. But

I just be interested to Bishop a little bit about what some of

your Christmas traditions How's Christmas made real for you and

First Lady in your family, how's it made real for you?

Well, Christmas, I have many memories

of Christmas growing up as a child. I'm a middle child of the

fourth of six children. And I remember worship being

associated with Christmas, Christmas Eve services,

Christmas programs and when we were going in, and our Sunday

school classes, participating in some kind of a Christmas program

or the children's choir, participating in that, and of

course, growing up and watching our own children, as a pastor

myself, you know, watching our own children participate in the

Christmas festivities, and often leading worship for Christmas

Eve service. I often think of Christmas really beginning with

Christmas Eve and, and silent nine holy night. And then

waiting anxiously for the earliest time my parents would

let us get up. I go see what was under the Christmas tree.

Well, that's a it's a wonderful experience of family

to be sure, but certainly in the life of the church. Boy, I tell

you what, Bishop, for me, at least and I think you touched on

as well. There's very few Higher Holy moments than a Christmas

Eve candlelight singing Silent Night, Would you not agree?

I agree. I agree. And I think that's when

people talk about what we've missed in this long, protracted

pandemic season. Some of what we've missed is lighting the

candle, whether it's a real candle, or it's one of those

battery operated candles, singing Silent Night on

Christmas Eve service, gathered whether we're in a small

membership church or, or large sanctuary, making a big circle

around the pews, singing Silent night, holy night.

Well, then, that is absolutely the case. And we

certainly hear we're talking to the Christmas season of 2021.

But we have now lived through the pandemic for a year and a

half, almost two years now. And certainly last Christmas and

last holiday season. Last year of 20 was a difficult one and

people still have fear people still have anxiety. There's all

kinds of things going on in life and yet Christmas is supposed to

be the season of joy. Tell us a little bit about vicious how you

feel like people can kind of make this a try to understand

what's happened last year and a half or so of fear and of

despair and anxiety. And let's live in joy now help us to make

this transition help us to get to a place of joy.

Well, Paul says we ought to give

thanks in all things it's it hasn't been easy though, because

Christmas is a reminder for many people it's a it's a solemn time

and can be a somber and solemn time because there are people

missing at the table brand. And I think we can still carve out

room to say, I think this is a good good reason to light

candles. We like candles for the birth of Christ. We like candles

in memory of those who are no longer able to sit at the table.

And break bread or carved turkey or, or have ham and, and all of

the fixings with us. So it has been a season to remember. But

this is, this is a year in which we can really celebrate

Christmas as the ultimate gift of God's love for us. And God

has seen us through to this point. And so we have no other

reason than the fact that Jesus Christ is born than to give

thanks for that.

Well, absolutely. And we do have always the

opportunity to experience joy even in the midst of, of

difficult circumstances, which many people have had the last

year or so. And I know and by church, and many churches last

Christmas met Christmas Eve over zoom call or over Facebook Live

or something like that. And that's, and I thank God for that

type of technology. And thank God that you and I are able to

share in a podcast and other ways that people can hear our

voices. And that's a great thing. But there's something to

be said about being in community being in fellowship to be in

person. And so let's talk about that a little bit about the

meaningfulness of fellowship and community is, many of our

churches are starting to reconnect and reform with

whatever that means for them. Now, how are we different now

than we were a year ago?

Well, we are satisfying a deep need a

deep seated hunger and a deep need that we all have bred and

that is the need to be in relationship with other people.

I thank God actually for the technology and the platforms

that have allowed us to, to see each other or hear each other,

even during this this long, protracted, COVID season. But I

do think people are giving thanks for the ability to

actually come and look across the table or look across the

pews and see see other people that they have missed being in

the same space with. I often say whenever we whenever we gather

in the name of Jesus Christ to worship, or to break bread, it's

a unique and unrepeatable moment, it's a gift of God. Some

might even some might even claim it as a, the sacrament of

presence, the presence of being with other people. So that's a

deep seated need that we have. You know, our souls, hunger for

the presence of God.

Absolutely. And that's a good thing. And yet we

have the opportunities to be transformed ourselves. And

there's nothing more really no more transformational for a

Christian, United Methodist, Christian than understanding

that Jesus Christ was born. And that made all the difference in

the world. Tell us a little bit about just that fact. You know,

I know that you've also been privileged to travel to the Holy

Land and see some of the sites there. Tell us a bit about the

impact for you personally, but to know Jesus Christ is a real

he's a real human being real human child. Totally, totally

divine, totally God incarnate, speak just a little bit

priestess, a little bit of a friend.

Well, well, I've been to the bends of

Bethlehem, as you have on a number of occasions. And there's

nothing like being in the place being in a place where Jesus was

born and walked, and was raised. Being on the Sea of Galilee,

where he called people to put down their net center, come

following become fishers of men, women, boys and girl, girls, but

But Jesus can actually be felt in a real way, even when we

share for example, the sacrament of Holy Communion. When we share

the Gospel reading, when we sing Christmas, we call them

Christmas carols and Christmas hymns. But I actually feel a

connection with with the living Christ when we when we sing when

we sing our theology brand, as well. But there's nothing I

would desire more we're in fact, in 2022, we are planning to take

folks to the Holy Land in December before Christmas. So

we're hoping that people who even on this podcast might might

take advantage of that opportunity to travel to to

Bethlehem December 2022. That would

be awesome to be in Bethlehem at Christmas time. I

know that times I was there was in like in the springtime and it

was awesome to be there then. But I just think it'd be really

so cool to be in Bethlehem at at Christmas time. So that's good.

You said earlier that Christmas is not just a day, it's not just

a birth date, so to speak. It's a season and so it is with all

of us. We all have birthdays, you know we all have you know my

Birthday you have yours and and that's a day to be marked as

special for every one of us personally. For all of us,

though, we have Christians have this date as a special day kind

of transformation between Why was and what is. Hmm. And I'd

just like to speak a little bit now about, about that

transformation about Jesus makes for us when we allow that Him to

come into our hearts that in transformation.

That is that's that's a great question.

I think one of the books that has been helpful for me is a

book by Kyle Idleman, not just a fan, and where he talks about,

there's a difference between being a fan and a follower of

Jesus. I think the difference for me was, even though I was

raised in the church as a child and baptized as a child, it came

a point where Jesus became so real to me, this was long before

I ever even knew I would go to the Holy Land. But Jesus became

so real to me, understanding that Jesus loves me, this I

know, for the Bible tells me so. And not only does Jesus love me,

but Jesus is proof of God's love for us. Because as we know, God

so loved the world. And it wasn't just some neighborhoods

in the world. That translation God so loved the world from John

316. Jesus didn't die first, he was born first. And born of a

Virgin Mary, a mother, born of the Virgin Mary, meaning that

God so loved us that God made possible what others would say

is impossible, in order to forgive our sins and to give us

life with full meaning. I was I was a teenager, when I really

accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. And I continue to

accept Jesus as a new gift, every Christmas bread. Mike

slaughter Pastor Mike slaughter some years ago, wrote a book

little book entitled, Christmas is not your birthday. And I

think he wrote the book that really encourage people to

remember that it's Jesus's birthday. And so we think about

the wise men or the Magi who brought gifts of gold,

frankincense, and myrrh. When we give gifts, and I'm looking

forward to putting lots of gifts under the tree for our

granddaughter this year,

the authors are giving gifts. This year,

she really knows about Christmas,

he's already talking about it. So but the greatest gift we have

received is indeed love that cannot be snatched away for from

us Brent, nor does anybody have to vote on it at their

conference or in the Congress. We don't need Republicans and

Democrats to agree on it. God has already stamped with

approval, our gift, and everybody receives the gift you

remember that Oprah Show where you get a car you get every

everybody receives the gift of Jesus Christ, if we receive

Jesus in our hearts.

And that's a gift that is sustained if if we allow

that to be sustained any other gifts we get, you know, a

sweater in your under your tree is going to wear out eventually

that toy you get that bicycle you get is going to kind of wear

out this is the gift that keeps going, as you said earlier, it's

about the season that keeps on keeps on giving here. Speak to

us for just a minute though Bishop here about the people who

are hurting this Christmas time, the people who are really

broken, you know, and how, you know, how can we share those of

us who have the joy of Christmas share that joy in their life?

Because there are people who have been really beat up, you

know, just really beat up this Christmas time? And how can we

be the church, you know, how could be the church and share

the joy of Jesus to people whose lives are a little bit messed up

and broken this year?

I think we best do that, Brad by by

pausing, and saying and then I see you and literally seen

people and not rushing past the hurt and the pain, the sorrow

the sadness, but but carving out space for that. Because that to

that too is part of the gift of community. Part of the gift of

community, according to the Bible in Galatians, six and two,

I believe it is, is that we are to bear each other's burdens,

and so fulfill the law of Christ and I would, this is my

paraphrase. We bear each other's burdens and so fulfill the love

of Christ. So I cannot really celebrate Christmas, and not

acknowledged when we raised asked the question Is it well

with your soul? Some answers are it's not well, it's not my soul

is hurting, my heart is hurting someone I love is not with us.

I'm estranged from a child who is who has gone astray. I'm

caught up in an addiction that I can't get free from. I'm

homeless without a place to call home. I'm visiting a shelter to

get my holiday meal. We have to not just see people but

acknowledge them and sit with each other. And indeed, that way

we are sharing I believe the greatest gift. And that is the

gift of Christ with us.

That appreciate that so much in terms of those

hurting people. And let's address some of you and I are

some people you and I are quite close to let's talk about

pastors and pastors families at Christmas. What I mean by that,

Bishop is that you We already talked a minute ago about how

both you and I have led on many occasions Christmas Eve services

for instance. And sometimes that means kind of balancing you

know, church activities and family life and things like

that. But pastors and pastors family spouses or children are

often under a lot of stress or under the spotlight at Christmas

time and need a little joy in their life as well. Sometimes it

gets a little a little crazy what kind of a word of

encouragement you know you you'd love to your your phrase you

love to say and you're all about as being encouraged and we're

going to be looking forward to before too long you a whole new

podcast called Be encouraged with Bishop tremble. But what

word of encouragement this Christmas would you give to

clergy and clergy families who have dealt with an awful lot for

you know, for a long time, but especially last year or so.

I would say to our to our clergy and

clergy families, we love you. I think my wife and I first lady

reseller, she is she is quick to say, you know, we need to love

the people love the people, but also love the pastors and love

the pastor or families and be unapologetic about it. So we're

praying for you this season. Sometimes you can be leading and

be lonely at the same time. I know as a pastor, you know,

sometimes I was leading worship services. And yet there was a

sense that even amidst your responsibility, there you were

standing alone. And we are all called not just to our

congregations and to our jobs, but to our families. And I would

say to during this this Christmas season, that a special

shout out of love and appreciation to pastoral

families in Indiana and across the globe. You are a treasure,

you are a blessing. You are the source of encouragement for so

many others. My wife often says that we can't feed others unless

we are eating ourselves. So I would just say branded view and

I even in this podcast broadcast that we send a blessing out a

shout out to every pastor and pastor's home those who are

living in parsonages. Or in your own residence those who are in

appointments outside the local church chaplains and hospital

workers and counselors and all kinds of persons but

particularly pastors who will be leading who are leading churches

and you're navigating wearing masks and involving the

children. I hope you find reason and find time to be unavailable.

We're so often expected to be available. And I say this

without apology and I'll take on any flack that's coming my way.

be unavailable so that you might be available to your family

might be fully available to God. And you know, that's why I say

Christmas is a season if we only celebrated as Christmas Eve and

Christmas. I say celebrated as a season and part of that season

includes when if you have children in school while they're

out of school, making sure we carve out time for that. That

was always a challenge but we always made it happen we had

three children as I was pastoring local congregations

they were small and then get get get get older and older now

they're adults. So thanks be to God for our pastors a shout out

to you this Christmas. Make sure you you exercise your soul and

and Exercise your bodies as well.

Well appreciate that. And let's just encourage

our lay folk who may be listening to us to maybe just

give a good word to your pastor or your spouse or kids for that

matter. And you know, whatever Christmas cookies, any number of

things could be just a small token of appreciation, it is

appreciate I know it is for for me, Bishop one more thing I know

every year you give a very impassioned Christmas message to

folks who who want to hear what you have to say. And I would

like to give you an opportunity to share anything you'd like to

share about the power of Christmas in in your life and

how you share that with others. And then after that, maybe we

can we can pray together and ask God's blessing to be with us for

this Christmas season.

Well, this year, my focus was on

Christmas love is a gift to share. It's not something just

for one single household, or one single congregation. Christmas

love is a gift to share. I think, I think the baby born in

Bethlehem is a confirmation that God's love for us cannot be

interrupted. It cannot be denied. And it is indeed comes

to us as both insurance as well as assurance. The baby born in

Bethlehem who brought us insurance for us all also

brought us assurance. Well, what do I mean by that? Well, Isaiah

says that a child will be born and that child, the government

will rest upon that child's shoulders in that child shall be

called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. I

remember a few weeks ago, President Biden was saying that

he talked to the CEOs of Walmart and Target, and they promised

that the shelves would be full. And you didn't have to worry

about a shortage. On any toys are things you were looking for,

where there is a gift that everybody can receive, and not

worry about going to Walmart or Target that is the gift of Jesus

Christ and His love. I am here to tell you that we need in

today's world, that wonderful counselor, that mighty God, that

Prince of Peace, or Emanuel, which means God is with us. So

if you're listening to this podcast, don't give up. Don't

give out. Don't fret. Don't forget that the love of Jesus

Christ is for you. And for me, because of the major comes

because of the baby born in a manger, your insurance of

salvation has been adopted, your assurance of love has been

grant. Because the baby was born in Bethlehem, you have insurance

of forgiveness, and you have assurance of grace. You have

insurance of possibilities. And you have your assurance of hope.

And One writer says hope comes Brad when you invite the God who

made you, the Christ who redeemed you, the Holy Spirit

that unfolds you to grant you Christmas Joy. Not only

Christmas joy when I said it's the season, but New Year's mercy

and something we can all use every day gratitude. So that's

why we seen I don't know what your favorite hymn is, but I

don't know if you can you have Christmas without singing George

to the world. I was gonna

ask what exactly I was gonna say.

Yeah, let it let it Let earth receive her

King, Let every heart prepare Him room. And I like to refrain

and heaven and nature sing and heaven and nature sing. We need

bread for heaven and nature to sing. to seeing that the earth

is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. And all who dwell there

in if we're committed to climate, creation, care and

climate crisis response. We need heaven in nature to sing. We

need to have an a nature to sing. Let the weak say I am

strong, that the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord

has done. We need heaven and earth to sing. From the rising

of the sun to the going down of the same. The name of the Lord

shall be praised. We need heaven and earth to sing. Oh, come, O

come. Emmanuel, the little child of Bethlehem God with us. We

need heaven and earth to sing in order to purify our hearts

discipline our tongues, sanctify our souls, liberate our love,

and connect our minds and we'll with the will of God, in

obedience and love to Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas. And God

bless you.

That's awesome. And just as you share that there I

just reminded about, about the incarnate God about the words of

Wesley I believe he, he said that the best news of all is

what God is God is with us. God is with us. And that's a that's

kind of a Christmas message as well. And we thank you for your

Christmas message. Misha tremble, and how about having a

prayer for us to close our time, Chris, a blessing when all who

hear our voices

Holy God, heaven and earth I met this day

in the newborn child, the Savior of the world, we celebrate the

birth of Jesus Christ. God's love confirm for all times. In

Him, you come to choose us that we might choose you. We give

thanks for every family, for all the clergy for all the laity for

all who do not know Christ in the forgiving of their sins. Do

not know him as their personal Savior. May they receive the

gift of Jesus Christ, this Christmas season, this Christmas

season. Christ is born. We give glory to Him. Christ has come

down from heaven. We receive Him. Christ is now amongst us we

exalt Him. heaven and nature scene. Amen.

Amen. This has been the Be encouraged program on the

United Methodist people podcast with Bishop Julius treble and