Children Again

There’s a phenomenon that refers to warm water currents from the South American coast that affect weather all over the world. The pattern got its name from Peruvian fishermen who noticed that the warm waters arrived around Christmas time. They named it El Niño. The baby. The Christ Child.

Soon people began to say that El Niño was responsible for much more than floods, droughts and tropical storms. Economy declining? Must be El Niño. Arthritis acting up? El Niño. Stocks go up or down? El Niño. Late for work? Gotta be El Niño.

Ask any parent: The coming of a baby into the world is disruptive. Several friends of mine gave birth during the pandemic, adding disorder to a chaotic year.

2020 has blown like an ill wind, upending businesses and family gatherings, ultimately causing over 230,000 deaths and counting. The pandemic has been pervasive, harsh and bitter. Everything has changed, but not for the good.

Those Peruvian fishermen knew that the coming of the Christ Child changed everything, too. His presence would topple the mighty, lift up the humble, bring good news to the poor and call out the rich for injustice.

Mary’s song at the birth of the Christ Child (known as the Magnificat) is recorded in Luke 1. From The Message translation: “What God has done for me will never be forgotten … His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him. He bared his arm … scattering the bluffing braggarts. He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.”

Those words are hard to believe in 2020. It may be that the death of George

Floyd was the most tragic and jarring event of the year. One human being with the knee of another on his neck, snuffing out life — we saw that. In his final breaths, Floyd cried out, “Momma … momma, I’m through!” A sacred invocation. Many of us witnessed that act and thought, “This can’t be happening. This is not the America we want to be.”

All of us were babies once. We are never far from our own infancy. Maybe

CLIFF TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH / 125 Sunset Ave. / 214.942.8601

Serving Oak Cliff since 1898 / CliffTemple.org / English and Spanish

9 am Contemporary Worship / 10 am Sunday School / 11 am Traditional

GRACE TEMPLE BAPTIST Come to a Place of Grace!

Sunday Worship: English Service 9:30am / Spanish Service 11:00am 831 W. Tenth St. / 214.948.7587 / gracetempledallas.org

ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC PARISH / ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC PARISH / StCeciliaDallas.org / 1809 W Davis St. /

Saturday - Bilingual Mass 5PM; Sunday –

English Masses 730AM & 11AM; Spanish Masses 9AM, 1PM & 3PM

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

it’s about all we can do to remember that, and pray to have the eyes and trust of children, as we move into a very different holiday season.

So many have distorted the words and work of the Christ Child, but his kingdom is about peace and life and breath. It’s about good for everyone. One day those who follow the wind of his Spirit will bring their weapons — swords and guns and ammo and billy clubs — and all of that will be melted down and beaten into tools to make food for the whole earth. There will be no more war or hunger. Isaiah 9:7 says, “His government and peace will never end.”

All that because of a baby. The baby. El Niño. Hallelujah.

BRENT MCDOUGAL is the senior pastor of Cliff Temple Baptist Church. The Worship section is underwritten by Advocate Publishing and the neighborhood businesses and churches listed here. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH / ChristChurchDallas.org

Sunday School: 11:15am /Mass: 9am & 10am English, 12:30pm Español

Wednesday Mass: 6pm English, 8pm Español / 534 W. Tenth Street

KESSLER PARK UMC / 1215 Turner Ave./ 214.942.0098 I kpumc.org

10:30am Sunday School/11:00 Worship /All welcome regardless of reed, cr eed, color, culture, gender or sexual identity.

KESSLER COMMUNITY CHURCH / 2100 Leander Dr. at Hampton Rd.

“Your Hometown Church Near the Heart of the City.”

10:30 am Contemporary Service / kesslercommunitychurch.com

TRINITY CHURCH OAK CLIFF / Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.

Sundays 10:00 am / Worship & children’s Sunday School 1139 Turner Ave. / trinitychurchoakcliff.org

PARK CITIES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH/ 4124 Oak Lawn Ave

Sunday Worship 9:00 & 11:00 A.M.

To all this church opens wide her doors - pcpc.org

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