The Baby Jesus was laid in a box (“manger”) when he was born in a dusty outpost of the Roman Empire 2,000 years ago. We know the stories about wise men, wandering stars and inns with no vacancies. But what was he doing before he was born? And what’s he doing now, 20 centuries after popping out of another box, the grave? What will he do in the future, if anything?

These are the questions that the Apostle Paul answered in an ancient letter to Jesus loyalists living in the Lycus Valley in Modern Turkey. His letter is for us, too, as we enter the holiday season. The truth is, despite what the advertisers say, a merry Christmas comes down to understanding who created, who’s controlling and who’s carrying history to a merry conclusion (at least for his loyalists). Come and join us for “Out of the Box: Jesus, Before and Beyond the Manger.”