Sometimes we tell stories for entertainment.  And sometimes we tell stories because we have a point of view we want to illustrate and illuminate.  The writer of the gospel of Luke had a particular point of view when he wrote the familiar Christmas story – with shepherds, a manger,  angels and all those  sheep. But there is another Christmas Story in the gospel of Matthew that tells the tale in a completely different light, with a different point of view. What are these stories trying to tell us about faith community, values and justice? We will explore the Christmas stories of the bible because the bible is one of the single most influential books in western culture, affecting the development of both our world view and values  – no matter what one may believe or not believe about some of the claims contained within it.  Affiliated Community Minister Rev. Joan Van Beceleare offers the worship today.