Regardless of what happens this year, so far, there are no lighted candles on main street's high electric poles. There is no santa and reindeer with rudolph's red nose high on top of The Shoppes Plaza platform on Erie Street, next to American Legion’s monument. Sadly, there is no nativity display to commemorate the birth of Jesus - the Son of God - the reason for this time of year.

Why did this happen? The threat and action of the Susquehanna Borough Council to save money - led some employees to look at other opportunities for jobs. Robbie Hall, a very good worker left several years ago with the threat of hrs. being cut back. Just before this last Thanksgiving, both Street Dept. workers left, Steve Glover and Chad Welsh. They were told that their hours and benefits would be cut back.

In these very hard financial times, if you were an employee, you would probably stay on your job. Fortunately for Steve and Chad, they were hired at other businesses. What is the Borough missing now? Steve Glover, skillfully, was able to do many amazing feats! Standing and leaning precariously in the bucket of a back hoe or on top of a boro truck to install the candles on Main St. or the flags around Main St and across the Susquehanna River Bridge and the Santa display on The Shoppes Plaza platform. Welding, cement work, cleaning over 120 street drains (that have to be cleaned at least once a year), repairing and maintaining equipment, installing street lights and signs, plowing snow, weed cutting, blacktop and new road work, etc., etc.

Finally, why do misinformed people object to the display of a nativity scene with Jesus, Mary and Joseph? God (who created the Universe 13.7 billion years ago) deserves all of us to honor his son, Jesus.

Sincerely,

Bruce Moorhead

Susquehanna,Pa.

This letter is sent to acknowledge the wonderful Christmas Dinner held on December 9th at the Great Bend Fire House. Over 250 Senior Citizens of the Great Bend and Hallstead area are invited each and every year to partake of this wonderful dinner. Music was played by local musical talent, all during the meal.

It’s a very festive occasion held each year by the Lion’s Club. They have many door prizes donated by the local merchants of the area. It’s my understanding, Rob’s Market donated over $500.00 in food for the dinner.

Many thanks and appreciation goes to the Lion’s Club and their wives and elves (The Leo Club, a younger branch of the Lion’s Club) from Blue Ridge School.

We send a big thank you to all involved!

Sincerely,

Patricia Forsyth

Great Bend, PA.

I have just returned from a ten day automobile trip to Florida. Seeing my father was reason for the journey. On the drive I bought gasoline nine times. Eight of those purchases were below $3.329. I bought gasoline twice for $3.07 and once each for $3.15 and $3.17.

 Guess where I paid the highest price? Yep! Great Bend at $3.659 on October 30th. Why is that? What is a believeable explaination for this much price differential? That’s thirty-three cents per gallon more than next highest price I paid and fifty-eight cents more than the two fill-ups I got at $3.07.

Somebody is putting the boots to us.

I see the price dropped to $3.599 on 12/09. Thanks!

Sincerely,

W. G. Dahlander

Great Bend Twp.

It is the most improbable of stories; a narrative about the birth of a man who would do more to change the course of history than all the kings and emperors who ever lived, all the wars ever fought, and all the books ever written.

Yet this man---if one can call Him such---had no possessions save the clothes He wore. He left no writings, established no organization, and never traveled more than a day's journey from His birthplace.

This one, prophesied to be the king of kings, was born under a cloud of shame and disgrace. His mother claimed she was with child by a supernatural event, an explanation which even her betrothed found preposterous if not blasphemous. They had never been intimate. He knew she was an adulteress.

But a heavenly messenger appeared to him as he did to her. All doubts vanished. Her words were true. But without divide revelation who would believe such a fantasy. Certainly not her family or friends. Did she take us to be as big a fool as the one who became her husband, they thought?

When she was heavy with child an imperial decree ordered all men and their families to travel to their place of birth. Now her hour approached. Shelter must be found. But there was no room in the caravansary for the likes of them. They were ostracized to a barn. So it came to be that in such a place He came into the world.

His attendees were camels, His swaddling blanket a rag, His cradle a feed trough. No trumpets heralded His birth but a chorus of angelic beings proclaimed it to the lowest of the low, shepherds sleeping in the field with their flocks.

There are no records of His early years except that of the messenger who appeared a third time. The father was instructed to take the newly-born child and His mother and flee from a king who feared that this infant would take his throne. So it was at the very beginning of His life there would be those who would seek to take it. In time, they would succeed.

When we next hear of Him He is fully grown into manhood at 30 years of age. His countless miracles, His regal bearing, His words convinced the crowd that He was the prophesied one, the king who would free them from the heel of Roman oppression. But the crowd wanted a sovereign not a savior. In the end, they were given neither.

He was the meekest of men. But when he stormed into the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers scattering bags of money and coins all about, the temple guard of Roman soldiers and money changers stood powerless; their blood ran cold at His wrath. “My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.”

At His arrest He quietly instructs the Roman centurion, “Take me and let these go.” The captain unknowingly obeys both commands. He is taken. His disciples freed.

Few were given to understand that the lamb must precede the lion. This lamb was coronated on a hilltop called Golgotha, the Place of the Skull.

Before the crown of gold, He would wear a crown of thorns; before a scepter, He was given a reed; before a royal rope, a cloak of purple was thrown over of His lashed marred back; before praises of glory, jeers of derision, blows, and spittle were His acclamations; before a kingly throne, a wooden cross of crucifixion was His royal seat.

Here He would reign completely naked until the appointed hour of His death. At the precise moment when the chief priest killed the sacrificial Passover lamb another sacrificial lamb commended His spirit to God. “'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When He had said this, He breathed His last.”

His body was placed in a rich man's tomb. Sealed with a huge stone. A detachment of Roman soldiers guarded the tomb least His followers steal His body and claim He had risen from the dead as He foretold. Their efforts were in vain.

But what of the empty tomb? The missing body? The resurrection? That, my friends, is another story for another time.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA