2016 Advent Devotional

2016 Advent Devotional

This devotional booklet has been put together for your use during the season of Advent. Each devotion has been written with care and love by a member of First Church. There is a devotion for every day, beginning with Sunday, November 27. We hope that the booklet will encourage a disciplined approach to scripture and inspirational reading, and will foster your own spiritual growth.

1st Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2016

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Dear Friends, Our Advent journey of 2016 is underway. Advent is a four-week time of spiritual preparation for the Celebration of the Nativity, when we rehearse again, the birth of Christ in our lives. Most often, we spiritually wake up on Christmas Eve realizing that, perhaps, there is more to Christmas than shopping and buying, decorating the house, and baking all of the traditional goodies. Our December calendars are full of the obligatory work-related parties, family gatherings, attending children’s programs or musical concerts. Many of us are overwhelmed with places to go, people to see, and things to do. Even though Advent is one of the holiest seasons of the Christian year, it is difficult to find time to be reflective and prayerful as we prepare and anticipate the coming of Christ.

These meditations are intended to focus (or re-focus) our spiritual sensitivities on the really difficult task of keeping Christ at the center of this year’s journey to Bethlehem. I encourage you to set aside ten to fifteen minutes a day, to read, ponder, and pray. Our hope is that you might meet Christ again, or maybe you will meet Christ for the first time.

Recently, I was perusing the Sunday paper and saw an advertisement for the Make a Wish Foundation that has set out to raise one million dollars for this Christmas season. What caught my attention was the “hook” phrase on the bright red ad with stars twinkling around the phrase. “BELIEVE … for goodness sake!”

It’s one thing to see a phrase, but it is quite another thing to speak the phrase audibly and then emphasize different words to get a different flavor that influence its meaning or interpretation.

Certainly the Advent message of the ages is an invitation for us to believe!

Do we believe that Christ came … that Christ continues to come … and that Christ will come again? Does that kind of belief have an impact on the goodness that is in us? Does Christ’s coming affect the sharing of goodness with our neighbors? Is there a connection between believing and doing good? Surely we could agree that there is indeed a connection between believing and doing the grace-filled work of goodness.

My prayer is not only for me, but I also pray for you: that God will guide our Advent journey so that we all are inspired to believe some part of the Advent or Christmas story that has been hard to believe in the past. And may that newly discovered belief give birth to a new vista of goodness in us and among us, unlike anything we have ever known before.

May God’s Grace and Peace be yours this Advent Season.

Pastor Bob Hundley

Monday, November 28, 2016

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The Team Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 Election season is not always the healthiest time for our relationships. We can become quite passionate and outspoken in our beliefs, and if we’re not careful, that healthy passion can overflow into argument and sidetrack into ill will. Gossip ensues, and what began as a minor disagreement in principle can suddenly become larger than life. We draw others in, and before you know it, people take sides, and instead of looking for the best in each other, we watch for any little annoying word or expression to validate our own righteousness and the foolishness of others.

The same dynamic can happen in families and with co-workers. Somebody does something that annoys me, I whine about it to a neighbor, the neighbor then elaborates on other, similar annoyances committed by that somebody, and pretty soon, the situation becomes malignant.

Relationships and teams cannot function when undermined by gossip.

We all make small errors that are easily forgivable and forgotten, but instead become major issues fanned by the crowd mentality that comes with piling on.

It’s becoming increasingly evident that in order to make any changes in this world, and in fact, to survive as a relevant Christian body, we need to work in teams. Relationships are fundamental to the success of a team. Our church consists of individuals who, in many ways and at many times, have different opinions and beliefs. These differences range from our political party leanings, to the type of music we enjoy, to how we ought to spend our money. Remarkably, we manage to set aside those differences, because we all share a common belief in the social justice, grace, and peace modeled by Jesus Christ. Paul’s words in the letter to the Philippians are timeless, focusing on the positive and praiseworthy is the way to hold together Christ’s team in a time when we are challenged by society around us. In fact, a similar sentiment is echoed again and again by successful leaders in many arenas.

“Think what a great thing it is to be a part of something that is The Team…

We’re gonna believe in each other, we’re not gonna criticize each other, we’re not gonna talk about each other, we’re gonna encourage each other.”

That was a pretty successful mantra for Bo Schembechler at The University of Michigan. It’s not asking much. Think about these things. What a great idea as we head into Advent, preparing for the arrival of Christ, and for the new year.

Peggy Thompson

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

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“And Other Duties as Assigned”

Come, let’s sing out loud to the LORD! Let’s raise a joyful shout to the rock of our salvation! Let’s come before him with thanks! Let’s shout songs of joy to him! Psalm 95:1-2 If I were to write a book, the title would be “And Other Duties as Assigned.”

This is a great phrase at the bottom of my job description. It’s led to many great learning moments, unplanned adventures, and crazy stories.

One adventure this phrase led to was helping to change light bulbs in the sanctuary. Have you ever looked up while sitting in your pew and thought: “I wonder how they reach those light bulbs?” Well, let me tell you. To get to those light bulbs, you have to go to the scary part of the attic (above the sanctuary), walk on a narrow path, then balance on the beams in the ceiling. Once you are in the right section, you lie on the beam and lean down to take out the light bulb. In some sections of the ceiling, this is a two-person job…I got to be the second person.

Another adventure involved driving around a cello. Our friends, the Sons of Serendip, were at First Church for a concert. The next day, they were visiting a local news station and school and they needed a little help. I have to admit, it was pretty fun driving around the cello and hanging out with the band. I’m looking forward to them joining us again on December 11 for two Christmas concerts.

One thing I have learned from my “other duties as assigned,” is that my attitude is what makes the difference between having to do something and getting to do something. What is your attitude this Advent season?

Do you feel like “I have to go to this party” or “I have to buy this present?” Or, are you getting to do these things? My challenge for you this week is every time you catch yourself unhappily saying “I have to ____,” switch to saying “I get to ___.” Maybe this attitude change will lead to a great adventure or crazy story.

Lord, thank you for the gifts and talents you’ve given me, even when it leads to “other duties as assigned.” Help me to have an attitude of joy and excitement for the tasks I’m faced with today. Amen.

Sami Marasigan

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

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Songs of Peace “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV And in the words of The New Living Translation, “I am leaving you with a gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

Song: Don’t Be Afraid - Iona Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger, my love is stronger than your fear.

Don’t be afraid. My love is stronger and I have promised, promised to be always near.

After I facilitated my Disciple class on Sunday evening, October 30th, I attended the Prayer Service for the upcoming election. The service was truly a time of peaceful contemplation as the group gathered in the candlelit Upper Room to pray and sing, accompanied by piano and violin, in the Taizé tradition. Before the service, I wondered how in the world we could ever experience peace in anything that had to do with this election. But here it was at our prayer service, bringing our focus back to God, who promised to bring us peace, not as the world gives, but as God gives.

Song - Come and Fill Our Hearts – Taizé Come and fill our hearts with your peace. You alone, O Lord, are holy.

Come and fill our hearts with your peace, Alleluia!

Just to hear the voices of the people in the room singing in beautiful quiet harmony was like a prayer and made peace seem almost reachable - if only for that moment.

Song - Give Peace to Every Heart – Taizé Give peace to every heart. Give peace to every heart.

Give peace, Lord. Give peace, Lord.

That night I woke up in the night to those same voices singing the songs we sang. It was like angels singing songs of comfort and peace. Magical.

A Prayer for Every Human Heart (taken from the Election Refresh service): Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pigeon Hundley

Thursday, December 1, 2016

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Coloring The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10

I am addicted to coloring - adult coloring, that is. Coloring has become an interesting phenomenon with seniors recently. We enjoy the relaxing, stress-relieving, peaceful, inspiring way to express our artistic abilities in coloring books with colored pencils. The finished product may be worthy (hopefully) for display on our children’s refrigerators.

The four weeks of Advent may be hectic and become stressful and we may forget the “reason for the season.” Our expectations are colored by our anticipation of what is to come.

Lighting candles on the Advent wreath gives us the opportunity to prepare to welcome Christ’s coming. On the four Sundays of Advent we light three purple and one pink candle to signify hope, peace, joy and love. The white Christ candle in the center of the wreath is lit on Christmas Eve and we hear the Christmas story once again and are reminded that God is good. God loves us and has commanded us to share the good news and to spread anew the glad tidings of great joy to all people. Jesus Christ Is Born. Hallelujah!

Thank you, God, for sending your son to earth to give us the hope of eternal life with you. Help us to share with others the hope, peace, and joy of your everlasting love. Amen.

Luci Baer

Friday, December 2, 2016

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Purpose But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus.” Luke 1:30-31 He is not here, he has risen! Luke 24:5 This year I will celebrate my 69th Advent season and a quick glance of our congregation gives evidence that many of us are of the “baby boomer generation.” I recently read Being Mortal by Atul Gwande, MD, who is the author of three bestselling books, a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a staff writer for The New Yorker, and a professor at Harvard Medical School. In Being Mortal he speaks to the issue of caring for the terminally ill and elderly and how “Medical professionals concentrate on repair of health, not sustenance of the soul.” He goes on to conclude that with medicine’s focus on prolonging life with little understanding of human needs, we have failed to provide a life of worth and purpose for patients during the waning days of life. He is particularly critical of our institutional care of the elderly and terminally ill wherein there is such a focus on safety and protection to the neglect of meeting the patients’ needs for a life of meaningful purpose. He refers to innovative changes in nursing home care that encourages residents to have purpose by bringing in animals for them to care for and arranging for child daycares to be adjoined to the nursing homes so the young and the elderly can interact. He cites how nursing home residents, even those with advanced dementia, have had quality of life improve simply by having something to live for beyond themselves. He identifies that “…we all require devotion to something more than ourselves for our lives to be endurable.”

Advent and Easter as the foundations of our faith represent the fundamental purpose outside ourselves that make living meaningful and worthwhile.

As Methodists we acknowledge John Wesley’s call to: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” A life of meaningful purpose clearly demands that we rise above our self-interests and embrace a life of service, hopefully, to causes we feel passionate about. Having recently retired, I am aware of my need to find such a cause and I am reviewing my options.

Dear God, may we live a meaningful and worthwhile life in the service of others acknowledging that we, too, will benefit from this experience.

Amen.

Jim Wood

Saturday, December 3, 2016

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Being A Good “Soldier” My military regiment (38th Infantry, 2nd Div.) had many Medal of Honor recipients in the Korean War. I wondered what guided those men in their training to perform so gallantly. The highlighted words below indicate what the Army manual provided as a guide for them. Our desired spiritual parallel follows each entry.

Reliability: being there for yourself, for others. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2Tim 3:16) Fearlessness: reintegrating the spiritual and the everyday is the key. For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

(2Tim 1:7) Discipline: makes us spiritually fit. Don’t waste time arguing over foolish ideas and silly myths and legends. (1Tim 4:7-8) Consistency: the confident knowledge of what we can rightfully expect of ourselves and the people we associate with. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1Cor 15:58) Courage: spiritual courage means accepting that you are unlikely to find the answers, but asking questions anyway. Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Jos 1:9) Motivation: we become motivated to go on a quest, a search, a journey, in order to find this newness of renewal. The ancient wisdom, however, is that this newness has to happen inside us. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. (Prov 3:5) Skill: developing spiritually is a sense of purpose, a feeling of inner peace. Religious observances, working toward the greater good, helping others achieve these things. You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house. (1Pet 2:1-25) Exceeding your abilities: become a disciple of Christ by growing toward spiritual maturity through the knowledge of and obedience to the Word of God and submission to the Holy Spirit. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Ph 4:13) Completing tasks: Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8) Focus: you have to work at it all the time, you have got to give your energy into your spiritual life to have one. Jesus said, “I no longer called you servants, but I call you friends. (John 15:15) Help me Lord to use these guides to become closer to you in my spiritual life. Amen.

Jim Strohmer

2nd Sunday of Advent, December 4, 2016

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The Créche This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger. Luke 2:12 Preparing for Christmas can be a harried and exhausting business. There are Christmas cards to send, gifts to be purchased, the tree must be trimmed, special events to attend, and on and on and on. But I make lists … lots and lots of lists and somehow… it all gets done.

For me, that “Christmas feeling” begins when I start hauling out the Christmas decorations from the attic. But first, before the decorations are brought out, way back in the corner of the attic, under the eaves, is an old box with ragged corners. I pull it out, blow the dust off the top and gently carry it downstairs. I take our old crèche out of the box and carefully arrange the figures in its place of honor.

The traditional créche, or re-creation of the nativity scene, is one of the oldest of our Christmas traditions. Sometimes the figures are made of wood, like those the children receive at our First Church Christmas Eve services. Although there were re-creations of the Nativity scene as far back as the fourth century, the tradition as we know it is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi in the thirteenth century. St. Francis wanted to remind people of the joyful, humble origins of Christmas. In his own words St. Francis said, “I desire to represent the birth of that Child in Bethlehem in such a way that with our bodily eyes we may see all that He suffered for lack of the necessities for a newborn babe, and how He lay in the manger between the ox and the ass.”

Perhaps you also have a crèche in your home. Maybe it’s one like ours, one that has survived many years, a bit the worse for wear with the paint fading and the edges chipped. But no matter what it looks like, when the crèche is set up, it is an invitation to look beyond ourselves and remember once again what Christmas truly means.

During this season of Advent as we go about preparing our lives and our homes for the coming of the Christ Child, may God walk with us, filling our lives with love, joy and peace. Amen.

Pat Hiler

Monday, December 5, 2016

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A Shelter in the Storm You, Lord are my shield! You are my glory! You are the one who restores me.

I cry out loud to the Lord and he answers me from his holy mountain. I lie down, sleep, and wake up because the Lord helps me. Psalm 3:3-5 As we move through the seasons, there are some seasons we like better than others. Some bring memories of happiness and love and others bring memories of pain that we would rather fast forward through.

As we move through November and December there will be many opportunities for good times with friends and families. There will be opportunities to give to others through the many programs that we can participate in at church like Casey’s Breakfast and a Different Kind of Christmas.

But when we get home from festivities and celebrations, there is a time for many of us when we grieve and look longingly, or with regret, at things that have happened in the past. These moments are somehow more poignant at this time of year.

We had a guest speaker in November, Roberta Bondi, who talked to us about writing Psalms when our hearts are breaking. Pouring out our souls to God, who is the maker of our hearts. God is our shield – protecting us from harm. God is the one who restores us, the one who understands.

If you are struggling this Advent season, take time out of your busy schedule to sit quietly and reflect on the peace God can restore to your heart. Ask God to give you a grateful heart as you ponder God’s mercy for us. And yes, pour out your fears, anger, and disappointments to God. God is the one who restores us.

Our great and merciful God, thank you that we can come to you with anything that is on our minds. We will not shock or surprise you, but we can count on you to understand and restore us. At this Advent season help us to renew our awe of you and the great gift you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Betty Mounts

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

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The Lamb of God Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night.

The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful joyous news for all people. Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:8-12 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29 The most vibrant memory of my Holy Land trip years ago was standing in the Shepherds’ Field and looking at the immense sky above. It was easy to visualize a “host of Angels” calling and calming the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth.

When we question why the angels first presented this good news to the shepherds rather than anyone else, we often turn to the fact that shepherding was considered to be the lowliest profession of the time and, because they lived in the fields with the sheep, they were very dirty. The good news was revealed to the common person. But I suggest there might be another reason.

Remember the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22? God told Abraham to go up on the mountain and “Take your son, your only son whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him up as an entirely burned offering.” Can you imagine? Abraham did as he was told.

When they arrived Isaac asked his dad, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the entirely burned offering?” Abraham said, “The lamb for the entirely burned offering? God will see to it, my son.”

In the time of Jesus’s birth, who was it that saw to the birthing of lambs?

It was the shepherds. Who better to receive the first announcement of the birth of Jesus, the ultimate “Lamb of God”?

Gracious God, “God will see to it.” “Don’t be afraid.” Good news and comforting words to a hurting world. May we take them into our hearts and ponder how they can impact us and our outlooks for the better so that we can truly witness our faith to others. Amen.

Patsy McGillivray

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

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The Lord is My Shepherd; I shall not want…

The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; he keeps me alive. He guides me in proper paths for the sake of his good name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff— they protect me. You set a table for me right in front of my enemies.

You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over! Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the Lord’s house as long as I live. Psalm 23

I treasure this famous old psalm and recite it each night with my prayers.

I depend on its promises. I am comforted as I feel myself lying down in green pastures and think about what that means for sheep to have their needs provided.

Sheep are skittish animals, fearful and nervous—too nervous to drink from a bubbling brook. Our Shepherd knows they need still waters to feel safe. As He knows his sheep, He also knows our fears and our need for assurance, our need to have our waters “still.”

Our Shepherd provides for us, the way we are; He knows our needs. And Bonus! After I’ve fed and drunk, He restores my soul! How can I serve Him? What does He want from me? He will tell me when I listen. He will lead me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. I need to listen and He will show me, day by day, moment by moment how and when to serve Him. As a child, I feared the rod and staff were to discipline (in a scary way) but the shepherd doesn’t strike the sheep cruelly. He tap, tap, taps the sheep’s nose to keep them on the path, to keep them from falling off the hillside. The hook of the staff is used to lift them out of danger. What a comfort.

And now the dinner before my enemies. The culture at that time required all be civil at the table…no quarreling no squabbles; no one behaved as an “enemy.” I am safe in the presence of my enemies. And that my Savior anoints my head with oil! Yes, my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Thank you, my Good Shepherd, forever and ever. Amen.

Jane Zwiers

Thursday, December 8, 2016

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New Seasons There’s a season for everything and a time for every matter under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1 My maternity leave was not what I expected. I had anticipated being able to go for walks around Reeds Lake, take weekly trips to the farmers’ market, have a beautifully manicured garden, and make delicious homecooked meals. Well, we never went for a walk around Reeds Lake – to be honest, Parker and I rarely went for a walk even around our neighborhood.

We did not make a single trip to the farmers’ market all season and the garden was a beautiful display of the finest weeds. We didn’t eat many homemade meals – we ate a lot of mac & cheese and take-out instead.

And I actually forgot to feed the dog and myself on numerous occasions.

Initially, I struggled with the difficulty I had in achieving my predetermined “perfect” maternity leave - staying home and losing track of every day was not what I envisioned. But what my mind envisioned and what I actually needed were two different things. In this season of new motherhood, I needed my days to be filled with sweet baby cuddles. Now, when I think of my first weeks home with Parker, I’m thankful that I lost track of time with a baby asleep on my chest and let the errands, housework, and weeds pile up. There will always be other summers for trips to the farmers’ market and for a beautiful garden, but there will only be one summer with my Parker as a newborn baby girl.

As the holidays approach and I think of all the places to go and people to see, I remind myself that there is only so much time in this new season that’s approaching. There are only so many hours in each day and in each week. Karl and I must balance obligations with friends and family with our obligations to Parker as our first Christmas as a family of three. In this season we will have our first snowfall, our first Christmas tree and our first opportunity to set the traditions that we will follow for the rest of our Christmases as a family. And those memories will be much more important than running to buy one more gift or going to one more party.

Lord, as the busyness of the holiday season approaches, let us remember that every season doesn’t need to be filled with running to and from holiday events and that our season may call for us to slow down and surround ourselves with love. Amen.

Angela Norton

Friday, December 9, 2016

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Working Together Now I encourage you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Agree with each other and don’t be divided into rival groups. Instead, be restored with the same mind and the same purpose. 1 Corinthians 1:10 This past summer, our vacation travels included a tour of ancient Ephesus, Turkey and the magnificent Theatre of Ephesus where the Apostle Paul preached to the citizens about our one true God who guides us and blesses us through the trials of our daily lives. It was truly an awesome experience to walk the pathways traveled by the apostles during the evolution of our Christian faith.

According to biblical accounts, in the 1st century AD, the apostle Paul spent over three years in Ephesus preaching the Gospel. He delivered a sermon condemning pagan worship in this theater, and according to the Acts of the Apostles (19:23-41), the theater was the site of the “riot of the silversmiths” in which those who made silver figures of Artemis rioted because Paul’s preaching was bad for business.

Paul struggled all his life spreading the word of one true God and teaching that Jesus was truly the Son of God. He faced persecution, imprisonment and death in his mission to teach and convert.

Today the church continues to struggle as societal changes evolve and present new and challenging issues that threaten to divide Christians according to our beliefs and traditions.

The apostle Paul also reminds us that each one of us has been given gifts that are to be used in the service of Christ. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul describes the gifts of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We all possess valuable gifts, unique to each individual, which can be used to serve the common good of our congregation in building the future of our church. We need to pray and meditate on the gifts we have to offer one another.

Heavenly Father, bless our church congregation as we deal with progress, change, and differences in working toward agreement on the issues that affect us all. Help us to remember the struggles of our ancient ancestors in the formation of our common bond in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Richard Johnson

Saturday, December 10, 2016

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God’s Gift of Love Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Colossian 3:14 Today may just be another Saturday to most people in the church. But love is in the air for me and will be with me for the rest of my life. I will bond myself in unity with someone special to me. We will be starting our life as husband and wife. I have felt close to God since we met. I know I helped her to feel closer to God as well. I would like to thank her for being there for me when I needed someone to talk to and I am looking forward for being there for her, too. Today is the first day of the rest of our lives together as a couple, best friends, and soul mates.

I encourage you to say a prayer for, or with, the special people in your life thanking God for love and the perfect unity we all share together. Share God’s love with the special people in your life.

So to my dearest Kathy, I love you and I’m proud to make you my wife today. I look forward to you being my wife now and forevermore.

God, thank you for bringing love into our lives. Help us to share the greatest love of all, the love given to us through your son Jesus. Amen.

Thomas A. Johnston

3rd Sunday of Advent, December 11, 2016

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Angels!

On this day angels sing; with their song earth shall ring, praising Christ, heaven’s King, born on earth to save us; peace and love he gave us! (Piae Cantones) I love church windows! I especially love the vibrant colors when the sunshine streams through them! I grew up in a church full of Tiffany windows which chronicled the life of Christ from the annunciation, to Jesus’ birth, to his time as a youth in the temple, calling the disciples, standing at the door and knocking, praying in the garden of Gethsemane, to Jesus appearing on the road to Emmaus. And there were windows filled with angels, lots of angels! I remember as a young girl picking out the only brunette angel (they were mostly blondes) and choosing her to be my special angel. When my youngest brother died and at other difficult times in my young life, I could look up at “my angel” whose presence was a comfort to me.

The shepherds feared and trembled, when lo! above the earth, rang out the angel chorus that hailed the Savior’s birth. (John Work Jr from Luke 2:8-20) Years later as I was looking for a new church home, I visited several churches, some that felt more like being in an auditorium than in a holy space. When I came to First Church I was immediately drawn to the Resurrection Window with its angels (no brunettes though) and three women, a wonderful reminder that Christ is alive. I also glanced at the side windows and quickly noticed a nurses’ lamp and … Florence Nightingale! I thought what a wonderful church this must be if they value nurses so much that they have one featured in a stained glass window!

After just a couple weeks, I knew I had found my new church home and officially joined on Christmas Eve day in 2001.

Both the churches I have been members of celebrate Christ’s resurrection front and center in stained glass as well as in what they preach and do. Isn’t that how it should be? In celebrating Jesus’ birth, we are also remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection. This Advent, let’s sing as the angels did, both “Noel” and “Alleluia!”

Still through the cloven skies they come with peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats over all the weary world. (Edmund Sears from Luke 2:8-14) Dear God, as we journey together to Bethlehem and the birth of our Savior, may we truly hear the angels as they proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem” for us all! Amen.

Marj Timmerman, RN Congregational Care

Monday, December 12, 2016

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Interaction Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13: 1 Family Promise has been a program that has partnered with our church for almost 20 years. Darren and Ashley McKnight are leading and keeping this incredible partnership alive. Their mission is to help homeless families find the means to succeed in permanent housing solutions.

When Maria and I arrived to be overnight hosts on a Saturday night, there were ten kids in the common room. Three boys played the Wii with enthusiasm. Maria joined in with small children building Legos and asked open questions, wriggling her quiet way into their hearts. I noticed one 14-year-old boy on the sofa, watching Stephen Curry videos on shooting 3-pointers. I honestly felt lonely and without a place. I do not muster passion for watching basketball. But Charles, the 14 year old, eldest brother of 7, seemed to welcome my presence. He was studying Stephen’s style to incorporate the skills for his own basketball performance. We shared stories – I told him about Michael Jordan visiting the Children’s Hospital when I was in Chapel Hill. I recalled seeing the Harlem Globetrotter’s in 1969; laughing at the antics of Meadowlark Lemon. He then told me his family was moving into their home the following morning. With the move, he would change schools, try out for a new basketball team, and find new friends. Charles was nervous to leave the Family Promise program, where he had felt support. He worried how his mom would pay their rent. His worries, challenges, and concerns were so different from my own.

I appreciate Nadia Bolz-Weber’s understanding of Matthew 25:40, where she acknowledges, “Christ comes not in the form of those who feed the hungry, and not AS the poor and hungry. We all are equally as Sinful and Saintly as the other. No, Christ comes to us IN the needs of the poor and hungry, needs that are met by another so that the gleaming redemption of God might be known. And we are all the needy and the ones who meet needs. Placing ourselves or anyone else in only one category or another is to tell ourselves the wrong story entirely.” I would recommend her books!

I believe Christ was present IN Charles’ interaction with me.

Dear Lord, please let us feel your presence in our interactions. Be with Charles and his brothers, sister, and mother in every day and every interaction. Amen.

Deanna Mitchell

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

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Assurance So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17 This past year I have been attending Cornerstone University in the ministry leadership program. I will graduate in May with my bachelor’s degree. Through the classes and readings I have learned more about God. I have grown closer to God spirituality. I also feel I have learned more about how I can have faith in God and spread God’s word.

Faith is a gift of God. When things seem to be collapsing around me and I feel I have nowhere to turn it can be difficult to have faith. I had some of these moments when trying to balance school homework and the daily responsibilities of my job. I felt that my praying paid off and my faith in God became stronger. I believe God is pleased with me for going to Cornerstone to answer God’s calling for my life. I am assured God hears me and that God is with me in every step I take to complete my calling in ministry leadership.

Lord Jesus, increase our faith as we learn to depend on you and trust you more and more. Help us to crave Your Word: to read it, to heed it, and to test it, so it can truly become part of our lives. We long to be doers and not just hearers. Lord, we desperately need more of you and less of ourselves. Thank You for Your faithfulness in always keeping Your Word.

Amen.

Kathy Gillette

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

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Come With Haste So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. Luke 2:16 As I am thinking about writing this devotional, my mind is also on preparing for a week of vacation with my family. My daughter and I are leaving on Friday morning and our first stop will be in Pennsylvania for the wedding reception of my great nephew and his new bride. Then we will be going on to West Virginia to be with other family members.

Of the seven children in my family, there are just four girls left. This will be the first time in a number of years that we will all be in the same place at the same time. So this trip will be a time of reunion and also meeting a new grand niece who will soon be six months old.

As I think about all the things we need to prepare for, it is quite consuming: stopping the mail and the paper, finding someone to check on the cat, making sure we have the right clothes for the wedding reception, the weather, etc.

Then my mind goes back to the story of Jesus’ birth. The shepherds were out on the hillside watching over their sheep. Suddenly a multitude of angels appeared to them in the sky telling them a baby had been born who would be their savior.

It does not say they spent a few days preparing for their trip to go see the baby. They weren’t thinking about how they should dress. They didn’t plan who they would get to watch the sheep or if they would just take the sheep with them. They just went in haste to see the baby.

How are we going to celebrate the baby Jesus this year at Christmas?

Are we going to have our minds on all the preparations for the parties, shopping, baking and wrapping gifts? I am praying my heart will be more on visiting people who will be spending the holidays alone, sending cards or making calls to old friends, not worrying about what I need to buy for someone, or how I need to dress for the occasion.

I pray that our church with open minds, open hearts, and open doors will make everyone who comes through our doors feel the love and friendship that I have felt over the years. Let us come with haste, everyone from every corner of our city, to worship the baby Jesus.

Heavenly Creator, thank you for sending your Son to save us all. Please keep my mind and my heart open to the real reason that we celebrate this blessed holiday season. Amen.

Sherry Gates

Thursday, December 15, 2016

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Being Good “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.” Mark 10: 17b-18 To me this verse is striking because it seems to go against a basic premise with which I grew up, and that was that Jesus was about as good as anyone could get. I guess we live in a world that freely labels whatever or whoever we want as good or bad. No shortage of that in the election cycle we just went through and no shortage of that in our fascination with sports where a victory confers the glory of having bragging rights until at least the next game comes around.

2016 Nobel laureate Bob Dylan gives his reflection on being good in these lyrics: You’re the one I’ve been looking for, you’re the one that’s got the key. But I can’t figure out whether I’m too good for you, or you’re too good for me.

I also like a joke that Ellen DeGeneres told at an Academy Awards ceremony a few years ago where she told the nominees that they should remember that just because they don’t win the Oscar, it “does not make them a bad person - just a bad actor.”

Growing up in a small town in Indiana, goodness was defined in religious terms. I remember being in an elementary school class where the teacher asked who in the class went to church over the weekend. Not much separation of church and state back then in that town. That wasn’t a problem for the vast majority in the community that had a church home and attended regularly. Though I didn’t give it much thought at the time, it probably was a problem for Danny Herman. A classmate, he was an outlier who had an alcoholic father, was prone to getting into fights at school, and didn’t really have a church connection. He didn’t have much of a chance of having a place in that community.

Jesus had a lot to say about the superficiality of the scribes’ and Pharisees’ goodness. In Matthew 23 he says, “they do all their deeds to be seen by others,” and they “clean the outside of the cup and plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” To get hung up about whether we are good or not, or how good we are, is a self-indulgent, nonproductive state that Jesus saw right through. It divides us as a people, and it obscures from us the inclusive, unconditional nature of God’s great love.

It is in those divisions that we find Christ reminding us that it is love that transcends any of our attempts to be good.

Dear God, help us remember, “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.” Amen.

Gary Rich

Friday, December 16, 2016

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Graduation Day Some people brought children to Jesus so that he would place his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded them. “Allow the children to come to me,” Jesus said. “Don’t forbid them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people like these children.” Then he blessed the children and went away from there. Matthew 19:13-15 Today, we celebrate the move of our Grand Rapids Community College Preschool to their new building. Some 44 years ago the Community College opened a preschool in our church’s new educational wing. The preschool was designed to help support students with much needed child care and to be an early childhood educational center for college students. Every weekday for all these years, we heard the little feet of children coming to our church for care and learning. Today we celebrate this partnership between the church and the preschool. Say a prayer for the children and the teachers who have given them guidance.

We have known that this day would come for awhile. Over the past few years, the preschool has had an average of 70 children and 20 or more staff caring for them. Now this successful program needs space to grow so more children and GRCC students can be served. In January, the preschool will be in a new building that can handle 120 children. The space will be bright and large. New possibilities for the program will occur because of this change.

This also gives us an opportunity for growth and change in our facilities.

Over the last 18 months, we have developed a strategic plan for our future and how to use our buildings. Our excitement is just about to begin with new opportunities.

Therefore, this Advent season, we celebrate the history of our church– preschool partnership and anticipate the new possible uses for our building. This is a season of new birth as we focus on the Christmas story.

Dear Lord, we give you thanks for our relationship with our preschool children as they embark on a new place of learning. Be with them and their teachers as they graduate to a new building. Be with all of us as we work though change. Amen.

Emil Jensen

Saturday, December 17, 2016

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Two or Three “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Matthew 18:20

There have been many moments in my life when this verse has been comforting to me. As vice president of a small volunteer club at my school, I find myself frustrated with the little amount of people who show up to our meetings. It can be disheartening when four people come to a meeting when you were expecting ten. Recently, I met with an urban minister to help think of ideas of service projects in which our club could participate.

He gave me so many wonderful ideas and I felt ecstatic after we talked.

This is when I realized when “two or three gather” God is present. The verse does not say “where as many people as possible gather,” nor “when a group of people attracts the most popular, liked, prestigious people.”

The verse simply notes that two or three people coming together brings God near, which speaks to the value of human connection.

During the holiday season, if you find yourself lonely, sometimes finding one other person to share things with can bring God nearer. Appreciating fellowship with close friends instead of wishing for a bigger number of people will bring the presence of God to simple, everyday interactions.

It is exciting to connect with another person on any level, especially if it is a passion for a particular type of service or action to be taken. I recently heard writer and former pastor, Rob Bell, speak at my school. He talked about the loneliness of innovation—how when you have a new idea or passion for ways to serve God, it can be pretty lonely at first. It would not be lonely if it were not a new idea. If you have an idea or desire to serve, but feel fearful of the initial loneliness, hold onto the conversations and connections made with one or two other people. I like to think there is a “spark” that occurs when two people are mutually excited about a cause and the hope is that if this spark is noticed and attended to, it eventually becomes a fire. There is great beauty in appreciating the quality of an interaction as opposed to becoming frustrated with lack of participation or interest.

Dear God, help me to not get discouraged when I have difficulty gathering a lot of people together. Help me to appreciate the beautiful moments of connection between two or three people. Amen.

Lindsay Rich

4th Sunday of Advent, December 18, 2016

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What God Must Have Instructed Angel Gabriel Luke 2:1-20 While Mother Mary was giving birth to her first-born Son, God summoned Gabriel to carry another message to earth. You remember it was first given to shepherds. “I bring you good news…your Savior is born today…” But let’s back up. What do you suppose God the Father first instructed the angel Gabriel? (Stay with me, folks, whether or not you believe in angels.)

God spoke, “You remember that there is to be a baby born in Bethlehem to save my people from their sins?” “Yes! Yes!” said the angel. God continued, “I want you to go back down and announce it to some shepherds in the field.” “I will!” said Gabriel. Again God the Father continued, “But he will NOT save them by destroying his enemies. Nor by hate and exclusion.

Nor will he save them by subjecting them through political coercion nor economic suppression.”

“I didn’t believe that either!” said Gabriel. “But how? How will your Son save earth’s peoples? How will he do it? Pray tell.”

God the Father spoke so tenderly, more graciously than any human father could ever speak of his son. “I will send my Son, who has been with me from eternity, into the world to live a human life, and I will be with Him…indeed I will be within Him. For he and I are one. (John 10:30) There is only one way for him to save earth’s peoples. He shall bring my love to all people who will receive it. I have tried love before. But this time I will come in person through my Son. I will bring them love so intimate, so kind, so close to them that they will love one another as I love them. That is the only way I know of to save my people.”

Then God the Father went on, “Even so, they will have to choose. I cannot make them love. If they want to reject love, if they want to destroy their precious human relationship, their resources, their peaceful way of life, their world, they can. I have created them to be free. But I give them the only creative agent I have; that is Love.”

The holy angel, filled with the glory from God the Father, delivered the message. He tarried long enough to be stunned to hear the door of an inn closed in front of the holy family, but then he saw them huddled together in the stable receiving the shepherds who were praising the new born babe, Christ Jesus, Lord at his birth and our Savior.

Thank you, God for coming to us in Person. Amen.

Richard Youells

Monday, December 19, 2016

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Gifts

God gave us memories so that we might have roses in December.

My sister, Carol, was in foster care for two years. Because she was so unhappy, I finagled an apartment for her at March Ridge where I live.

Faced with the fact that we had previously disposed of all her furnishings except some special decorative items, I put out a call for help. Nel Kastner responded with a small table, two chairs, and a beautiful entertainment center with a large TV on one side and a china cabinet with a glass front and large bottom drawer on the other side. Many others donated furnishings of all kinds for Carol’s apartment.

Carol lived one year and six months and thanked me frequently for making her so happy. On her 93rd birthday I gave her $100 to purchase what pleased her most. To say the least, I was disappointed when she showed up with a very beautiful tea set that cost $106: four cups and saucers and a tea pot of bright red with lots of gold trim. “Just think, I can entertain friends!” she said. Needless to say, she never gathered that many friends to entertain.

At her death I kept the things she cherished most, including the tea set and entertainment center, one side of which has been made into a threetiered book shelf. The china cabinet now houses the tea set. When the sun streams in it highlights its beauty. Seeing the tea set brings fond memories of Carol and I plan to invite my friends to a tea party soon.

On the top of the cabinet is my new thirty-two inch flat screen TV, given to me at Christmas by my daughter and son-in-law. Next to that is the Faith in Action clock given to me in 2009. Draped on that are prayer beads made for me by Judy Beals, my Stephen Minister. On the other side are two of Carol’s items: a bust of a Bengal tiger and a bejeweled Indian elephant. There is also a statue of a lighthouse given to me by Luci Baer.

Its roof is removed to reveal prayers and inspirational messages. Last but not least are small-framed pictures of my mother and father who gave me life. This may look cluttered or tacky but these are all gifts that are meaningful to me. What would I do without my FUMC friends?

Dear God, Christmas is a time of gift giving but what we all must remember is that we are celebrating the birth of your son, Jesus Christ, whose sacrificial death gives us eternal life. Amen.

Elaine Youngs

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

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That Little Light When Jesus spoke again to the people he said “I am the light of the world whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 Light fills the darkness and brings us a sense of warmth and well-being.

During the Advent season light prepares the way for peace and joy. Light leads us to the birth of Jesus.

When I was a child my mother would set up our Advent wreath every Christmas season. She would carefully place each candle in its place and our journey would begin. She would light the candles each day and she would read the passages from our Advent book. There would be stories from the Bible as well as stories about Christmas traditions and how people would celebrate the coming of Jesus. At the end of each story there would be a prayer.

I would watch the candle flame light up our dining room. Each week another candle would bring more light and the room would become brighter and brighter. I would think about Joseph and Mary in the stable and about the shepherds on the hillside. How did it feel to be in a strange and dark place waiting for a baby to be born? What was it like to be sitting around a small fire watching over the sheep waiting for the dark of night to become the light of day? Did they know that the light of the world would soon arrive? Were they afraid, peaceful, hopeful? Were they filled with awe and wonder?

I deeply love attending a Christmas Eve Candle Light service. I am filled with that same wonder I so often felt as a child when our Advent wreath was placed on the table. My favorite part of the service is when it is time to light the candles and sing Silent Night. The lights in the sanctuary darken and the Christ candle lights the way. The light is passed candle to candle and soon the darkness is gone, the music begins and we sing those familiar words. I remember the birth of our savior and how his light fills each of our lives every day…we become Jesus’ little lights shining bright in our world.

Dear God, as we celebrate Advent, help us remember your gift of Light.

May we shine bright and share the love of Jesus in our lives during this season and all the days that follow. Amen.

Margaret Bulgarello

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

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Observing The Longest Night It is no accident that we celebrate the birth of Christ in close proximity to the Winter Solstice, that moment when the sun “stands still” at its lowest point of descent before it changes directions toward its highest point at the Summer Solstice. Here in Michigan, we are fortunate to have four seasons, and I think that watching and observing these four seasons is an aid to our spirituality. We can observe a balance in the world without that can help balance a world within. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, there is a natural introspection that we should embrace. To embrace this natural experience is to allow for ritual and prayer that can help connect us to God. Light a candle, sing a song, say that the shadows shall not cross Make an oblation out of all you’ve lost in the longest night Right away, the song-writer describes a simple ritual with light, music, and prayer. An oblation is an offering, given in thanksgiving, and here, in thanks for all that has been lost.

Gather friends and cast your hopes into the fire as it snows And stare at God through the dark windows of the longest night of the year.

You don’t have to go through difficult times alone: gather your friends, your tribe, your community around. There’s no agenda, other than to be still and know that God is present.

A night that seems like a lifetime if you’re waiting for the sun So why not sing to the nighttime and the burning stars up above?

Yes, the night is long. Embrace the night and its length. The song speaks of an invitation: You are here, the longest night will happen whether you like it or not… make peace with it and embrace the gift that is found within.

Come with drums, bells and horns; Or, come in silence, come forlorn Come like a miner to the door of the longest night There are no rules for observing the longest night: do what seems right, whether raucous or silent. But seek the treasure that will surely be revealed.

For deep in the stillness, deep in the cold; Deep in the darkness, a miner knows That there is a diamond in the soul of the longest night of the year Recall the words of Isaiah 45:3. I will give you hidden treasures of secret riches, so you will know that I am the Lord the God of Israel, who calls you by name.

Maybe peace hides in a storm; Maybe winter’s heart is warm And maybe light itself is born in the longest night…

The heavenly light now enters into this darkened world. May the light of Christ be your light in this new year.

Eric Strand (The Longest Night – Peter Mayer. Find it on youtube!)

Thursday, December 22, 2016

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Gold, Frankincense and Baggy Matthew 2:11 Today’s musings: kings’ gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The precious nature, effort to deliver, spirit of presentation, how thank you may have been expressed.

I’ve always shared homemade gifts, recently quilted items. Admittedly, it’s easier, cheaper and certainly less time consuming to pluck registry gifts. But I derive great satisfaction from considering the recipient, pondering a design, selecting appropriate fabrics, constructing, quilting, binding and adding personal sentiments to the back. For whatever reason, in recent years, written thank yous haven’t been part of the equation.

I’ve frequently thought 10 minutes required to write a note pales in comparison to time spent creating unique gifts.

Last night Chris discovered some three year old messages he’d missed from people searching him on Facebook. One sought me through Chris.

Dodi, a dear friend, I’d lost contact with 45 years ago wrote, ”This is Dodi.

I was good friends with Jer back in the Crary Jr. High days! I think of her a lot because of the bear my grandson is rocking with (adorable photo).

She made it for me…way back then! My 2 kids and now my grandson have cuddled with it. He has been named “Baggy.” I thought she might get a kick out of seeing that it has been well loved!”

This message struck me on a couple of levels. First, about two years ago I heard from a mutual friend that Dodi had died of cancer. I had no family information, so couldn’t convey how I appreciated Dodi’s friendship growing up. Second, she reached out, years later, saying thank you for something I created especially for her. More importantly, she expressed the impact of that homemade bear on her children and grandchildren. She took the time to search for me. I missed it in time to respond and reconnect.

Rewind to details of Jesus’ birth … many missed the star’s celestial message, yet years later felt the kinship of Jesus’ love and passed it on.

We know the generations he touched, as we are part of that rich heritage!

In a way, Dodi’s message was a gift when I was feeling unappreciated.

The impact of gifts we give, especially those requiring great thought and time, may be hidden for years. The gift of Chris finding that long lost cyber message caused me to think about wonderful friendship, generations I unknowingly touched and the power of expressing thanks.

The onus is on me to cyber search and connect with Dodi’s family to express her importance to me. Yes, the impact of saying thanks is great, no matter when.

Lord, thank you for the life of Jesus. Through the love he shared, we have learned to love and appreciate others. Amen.

Jer Hon-Hawkins

Friday, December 23, 2016

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Good News Luke 2:8-19 I stand in the living room illuminated by the Christmas tree lights. The house is quiet other than Silent Night playing softly in the office and the sound of the refrigerator running. I know the sounds of this house having worked here for almost 10 years. At times, I catch myself saying I am going home when I mean I am going to the shelter to work. I started working for domestic violence shelters through an internship and it became my career and passion.

Earlier in the evening, it had been controlled chaos with 4 families celebrating Christmas Eve. While the children were all busy with the volunteers decorating cookies and opening small gifts, the mothers and I spirited the bags of presents to their rooms or cars depending on where the family was going for the night.

Even though the women are grateful for a safe place to stay, no one wants to be in a domestic violence shelter on Christmas. Tonight, most of the women have left to be with family or have retreated to their room trying to get children to sleep.

I walk the house at 4 AM making sure everything is secure. Watching the snowflakes fall illuminated in the streetlights, I realize how quiet the street is tonight compared to other nights. I start thinking about those shepherds who stood watch over their flocks in the quietness of night only to have an angel and the heavenly host appear to tell them of Jesus’ birth. There in the dark they decide to go see for themselves. I wonder about the sheep. Did they leave them or take them or have someone stay behind?

I understand that dilemma as I stand guard in the night to make sure families are safe. I create a safety plan with each woman who leaves. I let them know that they can call or come back tonight at any time. We will be here. We are here in case another family needs to flee a dangerous situation and be in a safe place. Holiday emphasis on family is a struggle.

Family is something dangerous and threatening. I started working holidays to cope with my own family. That internship helped to save my own life.

Our church supports the work of YWCA Domestic Crisis program. Our gift goes to provide shelter including referrals from JFON. We help provide a place to start redefining family. I am beginning to understand what those shepherds felt that night in the terror, wondering and journeying to see the new savior. I glimpse the glory of that night.

Oh God we thank you for places of safety in a violent world. Help us to offer the good news that came in the night. A savior is born. Hallelujah!

Amen.

Jan Miller

Christmas Eve, December 24, 2016

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Heavenly Messengers …They had to be Very Important Angels, this trio of heavenly messengers, heralds from God in Christ’s earthly life … the angel of the annunciation telling Mary she would bear God’s son; the angel hovering over the shepherds telling them Christ was born in Bethlehem; and the angel standing guard at the tomb proclaiming Christ’s resurrection to eternal life.

Whenever I can, I lose myself in our beautiful chancel Resurrection window; imagining myself part of the scene.

I find a place to stand, a tiny space just for me; there in the lower left corner behind two of the women, next to the roses and lilies, facing the magnificent angel and his smaller companion.

Dawn’s pearly sky blooms above me; Distant mountains, meadows and a softly rippling stream surround me.

Gentle dawn breezes carry bird songs, stir palm fronds, waft flower fragrances and ruffle angel wings.

I hear the women’s muffled weeping and the reassuring voice of the angel messenger; “He is not here, He is risen.”

Suddenly I’m drawn back to the present by the reverberating thunder of the organ rumbling beneath my feet, accompanying blaring trumpets and joyful voices singing “Joy to the World!

The Lord Is Come!”

Anne Zimmerman

Christmas Day, December 25, 2016

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Mary Did You Know?

Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. Luke 2:19 The Message I first heard the song Mary Did You Know when I was planning and teaching children’s church school. During Advent the children enacted different events from Jesus life and illustrated this song in a short video.

We showed the video to the children and their families during our annual Christmas pageant. A year later, we showed the video to the congregation during Lent. The Christmas story found in Luke became richer when experienced through an Easter lens. Just what did Mary know?

In the days of diapers and bottles, sniffles and scraped knees, I never much thought about my children as adults. I mostly lived in the moment, caring for my babies’ immediate needs and hoping for a good night’s sleep. Each day was filled with joy and tears, love and frustration, energy and exhaustion. I treasured the small things, first smiles, first steps, and first words. I suspect that is true for most new parents. I suspect that was true for Mary. I wonder what she held dear, deep within herself.

I’m glad I did not know the pain and struggles that my children would experience later in life. If I had known, I surely would have wanted to trade places with them and carry their pain for them. I suspect that is true for most parents. I suspect that was true for Mary. I’ve often wondered what Mary really knew about the path her son would take to the cross. It is one thing to promise to obey God and carry one’s own cross.

It is quite another to watch your child carry his cross. Did Mary know?

Was this knowledge of pain and struggle something Mary held dear, deep within her?

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nation?

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?

That sleeping child you’re holding is the great I am.

When I truly experience all that Christmas is, I must be prepared to move beyond the stable to the cross. Christ’s birth is meaningful only because we know the end of the story. This beloved child will save the world through his death and resurrection. We can all hold that dear, deep within ourselves.

God of Love, we thank you for Mary’s story and the gift of your son.

Help us to wonder anew at the miracle of Christ’s birth and to hold the knowledge of his redeeming love deep within ourselves through the Christmas season. Amen.

Laure Mieskowski

First United Methodist Church

227 Fulton St E Grand Rapids, MI 49503 (616) 451.2879

www.GrandRapidsFUMC.org