Christmas Letter 2011

2012-01-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Pasadena!

Rebekka and I arrived back recently from Germany after spendingthe Christmas holidays with Rebekka's family. Our trip fulfilled a very important purpose- introducing Immanuel to our extended family and friends in Germany. Ofcourse, the big news for us this year was the birth of our son, Immanuel LeeStutzman. He was born on November 2, 2011 at Arcadia Methodist Hospital andsure is a cute little fella. The birth and hospital stay was truly a smoothexperience and we are really thankful that Immanuel came into this world undergood circumstances.

You can see pictures of Immanuel and of the Stutzlife by following us on our tumblr blog.

We chose the name Immanuelfor several reasons. We loved the meaning of the name - God with us – as it reminds us of thenature of God both as present in our lives and as incarnational in revelation.(Yes, Rebekka and I are both in seminary right now.) The name also has ahistory in the Stutzman family as David grew up in two churches, one in Munichand one in Harrisonburg, that had Immanuel in the name of the Church. We chose Lee after Dave’s brother, Jonathan Lee,and we came to learn after the fact that Lee was the middle name of Dave’sgrandfather and uncle. That means with Immanuel Lee is a middle name now forthe fourth generation.

We couldn’t be happier with Immanuel and the new life we findourselves in as parents. Already, we have experienced a small taste of the upsand downs of parenting and the way the responsibilities, challenges and rewardsof parenting shape your life in unexpected and meaningful ways.

On the whole our year was very busy. Last year we did notwrite a Christmas Letter so we will start with our move to California at theend of the summer in 2010. After almost a year of being gone from SouthernCalifornia, through travel and helping out with the Middle East cross-culturalsemester with Eastern Mennonite University, we returned to Pasadena so thatRebekka could continue her studies in the MA in Global Leadership and Davecould wrap up his studies. (Yes, Dave did start waaay back in 2006). After ayear’s hiatus, the first order of business for Dave was to find a job and aftertwo months of searching a position opened up in his old department at FullerSeminary and he began working mainly with the Doctor of Missiology program asthe Cohort Coordinator, where he works closely with students and professors inorganizing their on campus seminars. Dave is enjoying the work and is verythankful to be working with his old colleagues and in a cutting edge programlike the DMiss.

Rebekka resumed her role as the Youth Pastor at Maranatha Christian Fellowship in the Fall of2010 and remained busy with church all the way up till the last throes of herpregnancy. (Yes, she even preached a sermon the week before she gave birth!) Davecontinues to support her with the youth ministry and both of us have taken onsome new responsibilities this past Fall as Maranatha is now offering anEnglish and Indonesian service simultaneously on Sundays. The church will stillhave monthly joint services, but it became more apparent that their needed tobe space for both languages in order for the church to continue to be meetingthe needs of the members and for the church to be invitational to newcomers.

Highlights for the year revolved mainly around family visitsto LA. Elias and Isaak, two of Rebekka’s brothers, came in March for threeweeks. We had a wonderful time with them traveling around California, visitingZion National Park and Bryce Canyon. They were even with us when we found outthat we were pregnant and it was special to enjoy that news while family was intown. Miriam, Rebekka’s sister, came in November and was able to be with us thefirst week after Immanuel was born. She made that first week go by so much moresmoother. Also, Dave’s family made a trip to Pasadena for Thanksgiving in order toenjoy the presence of the first stutzgrandchild. It was neat to see how Immanuel became the occasion tomuster a dispersed family. Dave’s parents flew from Virginia, his brother andwife from Chicago, his aunt from Bangkok, Thailand, and his grandmother fromOregon.

To all this New Year, may the LORD bless you and keep you; may he shine his face upon you, be gracious to you and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).

Grace and Peace,

Dave, Rebekka and Immanuel

StutzBlog

Christmas Letter 2011