Today is the beginning of Advent – the preparation time for celebrating Christ’s birth. We are here because God’s promises to our ancestors came true when Jesus was born. God’s promise is kept each Sunday when we worship because Christ is in our midst. God will keep the promise to come again in glory.
Reading of Scripture Isaiah 60:2 For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into the world. With the coming of this light there is hope. Because of Christ we not only have hope, but we believe that good is stronger than evil. God wants us to work for good in this world. 1
Light one purple candle in the wreath. O God, we thank you that Jesus brought hope into our world. By the good news of the Bible you are still bringing hope to people. Help us to be ready to welcome Jesus Christ so that we may think good thoughts and do good deeds and so that we may be a people of hope in our world. Amen.
Reflections on Hope Judy Prather
S
He came on the first Sunday of Advent, a day I loved because the church was always abuzz with energy and expectation and those five unlit candles at the front of the sanctuary. To make this year even more special, when my best friend bumped into me in the hall, she handed me a wrapped package and said, “It’s a first-Sundayof-Advent gift.” Her eyes twinkled as she added, “It’s very liturgical.“
everal years ago, I christened the coffee table in our living room my “prayer table,” and at the beginning of Advent each year, I made a special effort to clear it off and keep it that way. During a very cluttered season, the table reminded me to simplify. It usually held only a holiday candle and the church’s collection of Advent readings. However, one year about this time, another prayer reminder found a home on the table and graced it throughout the season.
Hmmm. Something purple perhaps? 2
I opened the box to a mass of white fur and pulled out a small, stuffed, white mohair bear. Now, as a lifelong Baptist, I was still fairly new to this liturgical stuff so I failed to see the connection, though the bear immediately made me smile.
couldn’t help but smile again. Most of my day, my hands had been full, my eyes focused on my computer or “to do” list. But there Isaiah sat as he had all day, childlike and hopeful, silently reminding me what Advent means. His hands were always empty, his eyes raised. Isaiah was ready to receive the Gift that would come.
“I just made that last part up,” she said, “to justify giving you your present early.”
On Christmas Eve, as I prepared for our traditional family ritual, I moved the nativity scene and the Advent wreath into the living room and turned out the lights to read the Christmas story. Isaiah was pushed aside to make room for the circle of candles, and he waited without protest in typical Isaiah style. With the story read and the Christ candle burning, the four of us sat in silence—just watching the five flames, each one a different height.
“What’s his name?” I asked. Surely a bear this charming had to have a name. We pondered for a moment, and then she suggested, “Today’s reading is from the Old Testament. How about Isaiah?” Isaiah it was. Isaiah the Advent Bear. He’s a wonderfully fuzzy little thing, wearing a blue plaid muffler, with an expression on his woolly face that can only be described as peaceful. Though he can be pretty slumpy, he prefers sitting up straight, his chin lifted at about a 45-degree angle, his black bead eyes gazing upward.
Then I remembered Isaiah. All these weeks he had waited hopefully, only to be pushed aside at the critical time. The men in my family rolled their eyes as I threw off my afghan and hopped up to turn this small stuffed bear so he could see, too. I noticed that his small, dark eyes made a straight-line gaze to the Christ candle. And I couldn’t help but smile.
So throughout Advent that year, Isaiah graced our prayer table. At the end of each day, when I paused to light the candle and read the day’s meditation, I would look over at him and 3
the people have experienced. Their hope has been founded on God.
David Bergeron
T
he First Sunday of Advent focuses on Hope. This prompts my recollection of the great Advent Hymn: “All My Hope on God is Founded,” which includes these words: God “still my trust renews / God alone calls my heart to be his own.” Advent is all about hope. This quality runs through the designated scripture for today, Isaiah 60:2: “For darkness shall cover the earth; and thick darkness the people; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.”
The word “hope” can be used as either a verb or a noun, which is not in itself that unusual; but it means that hope can be a verb of action, “I hope that,” or a noun of substance “I possess hope.” This prompts me to think about Pericles in a Shakespeare play by that
This chapter of the prophet Isaiah takes the form of a long poem, which never mentions the word “hope.” Nevertheless, the passage resonates strongly with hope for a people who have recently survived exile in the Babylonian Captivity and have returned to Jerusalem, determined to rebuild the city and the Temple. This scripture is itself a hymn to God’s steadfastness and to a God who has not abandoned them even in their displacement and the “thick darkness” that
4
name. Pericles, ruler of Tyre, has experienced a storm and shipwreck, a time of “thick darkness,” and has washed ashore in an unknown place. The amusing stage direction that opens Act 2 says, “Enter Pericles, wet”—not an auspicious beginning. Nevertheless, he pulls himself together, encounters some friendly and helpful fishermen, who tell him about a forthcoming tournament in Pentapolis, designed to celebrate the birthday of the beautiful Thaisa, daughter of King Simonides. Pericles, with nothing to lose, decides to enter the tournament and possibly seek her hand in marriage. He enters the tournament with a shield that contains a picture of a “withered branch that’s only green at the top.” This shield also has a Latin motto: “In hac spes vivo” (in this hope I live). Pericles clings to hope, expectant yet fearful of the consequences. He succeeds and eventually marries Thaisa; more disaster ensues, severely testing his desire to live in hope.
with him; thus, the quality of hope includes expectation but also an element of fearfulness. Simply put, hope cannot be naïve expectation; rather, it contains the possibility of not gaining what we thought. As we know, things turned out well for Elijah and the widow. Verse 16 says: “The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke to Elijah.” But hope does not come with a guarantee that all will be well; life does not seem to work that way. Here the element of “faith” also enters the word “hope.” Faith in God’s presence and steadfastness sustains our hope. God did not abandon the Israelites during their time of “thick darkness.” For many centuries the pictorial representation of Hope always displayed a woman who carries an anchor, indicating strength and fixed certainty, which we may interpret Spiritually.
The prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 17, about which Valerie preached recently, received a command by God to go to a distant place and seek out a widow, who might help him even with her meager supply of meal and oil. Elijah goes in hope that God with be
A former Senior Pastor of Plymouth regularly closed the worship service with this benediction, which has been etched in mind ever since: “Keep the faith, love one another, rejoice in hope, and live in peace, Amen.” Perhaps in 5
this Advent season we can recover a sense of “rejoicing in hope” because our hope does not depend on our own self-sufficiency but rather relies on God and the Jesus who came into the world to renew the hope that God will always be with us, through “thick darkness” and whatever else life delivers. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Laura Hurbert
L
et us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9 Though darkness covers the earth and gloom the nations, the LORD will shine upon you; God’s glory will appear over you. - Isaiah 60:2
Amen.
It is difficult in a time with so much disruption – disease, division, and social injustice – to allow ourselves to experience grief and fear but to still keep the spark of hope in 6
our hearts. It feels like “darkness covers the earth”, but we are assured that “the Lord will shine upon you” (Isaiah 60:2). We aren’t told that the darkness isn’t there or even told to ignore the darkness. We are told instead to have faith that despite the very real darkness, there is a light to look to – the
spark we need to keep our hope alive. This year has made many of us tired - tired of staying home, tired of worrying about the health of our families, tired of hateful rhetoric being normalized, tired of not being sure what to do to make any of it better. I scribbled this verse on a piece of paper and put it up on the fridge back in April… “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). It’s my daily reminder to “just keep swimming” (Finding Nemo) and keep the spark of hope burning in spite of my weariness, because “there can’t be more of them than us” (Jason Isbell).
7
Lori Herpich
M
ay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13 My favorite holiday movie is “A Christmas Carol” and its story of redemption and hope. I love watching Scrooge’s journey. He goes from someone selfish to someone who is open to the possibility of hope. Hope. That is something we need right now. Not the “I hope the Chiefs win today.” The “I hope this chore doesn’t take too long.” But the hope that brighter days are ahead for us. And the joy and peace that comes from believing that. What gets me through the hard days is hope. Whatever the storms right now, I know they will pass. I do believe better days are ahead. As Paul promises in Romans 15, God's gift of hope fills me with all joy and peace and I abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I offer a prayer for hope during this Advent season. Dear Father, we look to you for hope for the days when we are weary and storm tossed. Let our hearts not be closed but open to the possibility of hope and all your promises. Amen.
8
Jesus helps us to live as God wants us to live. Jesus give us peace.
The candle of Hope lighted on the first Sunday may be relighted in preparation for this service. During this order, a second purple Advent candle is lighted.
Reading of Scripture Isaiah 9:6-7
We gather around the Advent wreath today knowing that we are not perfect – that we all make mistakes and do bad things. Only Jesus obeyed God fully.
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful, Counselor,
9
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forever more. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Reflections on Peace
We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into the world. With the coming of this light there is peace, for Christ is called the “Prince of Peace.” Christ’s name is also Emmanuel, “God with us.” The presence of Christ with us gives us peace day by day.
Fred Kandeler
S
ome forty-one years ago now, during Advent in 1979, U.S. hostages were being held captive in the embassy in Iran. On Christmas Eve, four U.S. clergy were allowed to hold Christmas Eve worship services with them in small groups. One of the four, William Sloan Coffin, Jr., was pastor of Riverside Church in New York City. He told of his worship service with four of the captive marines. As they gathered at the Ambassador's residence, amid the Christmas decorations, Dr. Coffin and the four marines were constantly accompanied by two of the students holding the embassy. They called themselves Mohammed and Ali.
Light second purple candle in the wreath. Eternal God, we thank you that through all the years you have given peace to your people. Help us to have your peace in our lives. We pray that, in this Advent season, we may, by what we do, show your presence to the sick, to the hungry, and to the lonely, so that they too may have peace. Amen.
10
After trying to sing "Silent Night," they passed the Bible around and took turns reading the second chapter of Luke's version of the Christmas Story. Then Dr. Coffin tried to cheer them up by telling them how awful the first Christmas was. He told them:
tired, Mary exhausted. There was no room for them in the inn, . . . . So, they ended up in a stable and he who was to be bread of life for human beings is laid in the feed box of animals. It was a terrible Christmas." Then Coffin asked: "But you see what I'm getting at? God's love can change a no place into a someplace, just as the love of God changes a person who feels like a nobody into a somebody. This is certainly not the most joyful Christmas of your life, but it just might be the most meaningful."
"It was cold, dark, dank, and lonely. Joseph must have been
Then they all took hands, including Mohammed and Ali, and as they held hands they prayed. They prayed that they might all experience a moment of grace, a moment, when, as always in the sight of God, there would be neither captive or captor, neither American nor Iranian. They prayed that the Christ Child might find hearts wide enough to lodge in, that. . . they would be able to gather around the Holy Child, as members of one family. Then, said Dr. Coffin, it began to get really moving. 11
The men were beginning to respond. He could see Mohammed trying to fight back the tears, but he couldn't wipe them away, what with his hands being held by a couple of big Marines. Indeed, for a moment you couldn't tell who was captive to whom - - they all were captive to a moment of God's loving presence.
Given a world like ours that is ever more operating out of fear and hatred and not love and peace - - that creates estrangement, loneliness, distrust, bitterness, brokenness and death - how important our hearing again of this promise of God’s presence creating peace is for us. For us to remember the transforming power of God's loving presence and it’s gift of peace is crucial for us.
On that Christmas Eve, God's loving presence happened as moving moment of peace amidst the captivity and suffering, the anger and despair, the fear and sorrow. God’s loving presence created a peace that transcends all understanding and guarded their hearts and minds in Jesus Christ. Yet, that's always the way of God's loving presence. It changes a no place into a someplace - - changes persons who felt like nobodies into somebodies. God's loving presence brings a peace that transcends all understanding and is born again and again to us.
So this week of Advent, light your candle for Peace and open your spirit anew to the promise Paul wrote so profoundly to the Philippians in Chapter 4:7 (during an uncertain and tumultuous time): “. . . The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to god. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Are you someone who needs to hear this promise in the midst of your life's circumstances? Do you at times feel like you don't belong - that you are disoriented or dislocated from your true identity? Sometimes are you hostage to circumstances beyond your control? Do you need God’s peace in Christ that is beyond all understanding?
God's loving presence is always a source of peace in our lives. God's loving presence as the Christ, born in Bethlehem, yet continuing to be born again and again in the manger of our hearts - - is always with us. It’s a peace beyond all our understanding.
12
Natalie Norby Chen
your burden to spell you for a while.
P
eace has been hard to come by this year. Anxiety fueled by fear, frustration, and the unfamiliar holds us down and causes our hearts to race. Feelings of futility tempt us to bury our heads in the sand – or at least under the pillows.
Isaiah’s foretells One whose shoulders are so strong, He will bear the weight of the world, will drag the cross to Golgotha, and will carry your burdens. Unlike Atlas, artistically portrayed as painfully bowed under the weight of the heavens as punishment for the Titan rebellion, Christ carries our burdens willingly. In Matthew 28, He invites each of us to
Read Isaiah’s prophecy of the coming of our Savior, and find peace. 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government shall be upon His shoulders.
28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
This phrase, “the government shall be upon His shoulders,” draws to mind an image of Atlas, bent under the burden of holding the sky aloft, struggling to stay upright -- and images of each of us, weighted down with responsibility, worry, weariness. Perhaps you’re worn from keeping up with children, caring for aging parents, making yourself understood without benefit of visual cues, or keeping informed without watercooler conversations. Maybe you’re longing to hug or be held again. No wonder you're exhausted.
Prayer for Today We come to you, Lord, weary and heavy-laden; our strength exhausted and eroded. We hand this burden to you, allowing you to carry it for us. We know that your shoulders are stronger than ours, and that you long for us to find peace in your presence.
If only someone else could carry 13
Julia Gaughan
T
here shall peace…
be
endless
I put our tree up in midNovember. One of our cats is examining the tree for possible climbing routes. Our dog has already stolen an ornament from the lower branches. And here I sit typing up this devotion while refereeing the animals and listening to my son go to middle school from his room. I’ve only been distracted a dozen times with the far-frompeaceful news filling the papers and the NPR station. Reading Isaiah’s passage for this week seems as though I’m reading about a different world: For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
And in a way, I am reading about a different world. The kingdom of God as envisioned in scripture; an inspiration and an aspiration. With COVID-19, an election year that seemed to last a lifetime, and so much disruption in daily life, it can be hard to remember that God’s plan for us can hold it all: all of our grief, all of our worry, all of our fear, and all of our hope, all of our joy, and all of our care.
His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with Righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
We just have to hand it over. And
14
alignment with the life Christ modelled for us as opposed to the life sold to us on every website and media channel, the life that creates scarcity and comparison in opposition to the abundant love that makes all things possible. Imagine what the world might look like if we chose to keep handing it all over to God, time and again.
then we get back peace. Peace doesn’t depend on how good or bad things are going; rather peace depends on our willingness to be open to God’s presence alongside whatever is happening. Imagine what it might feel like to live in a community where we each hand our fears and worries all over to God and accept peace in exchange. This doesn’t mean we don’t do anything. Rather it means we act in
Endless peace, with justice upheld and righteousness established, suddenly seems more plausible, more possible. As we make our way together while apart through Advent, let’s each take a moment to breathe out our worries and breathe in the peace God gifts us. It is, indeed, always here.
well as many other “sacred spaces” where we are encouraged to turn off our cell phones, slow down, and attend to that most basic of our needs: breath.
Natalie Norby Chen
F
or unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government shall be upon His shoulders. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end. - Isaiah 9:6-7a.
These words from Isaiah lend themselves to breath prayer: a simple practice whereby you meditatively breathe in one word or phrase, hold it, and then breathe out another. Try one, or all, of these approaches:
It’s been months since we’ve been able to enjoy entering a yoga studio or church sanctuary, as 15
Use the names by which the given Son will be called. Breathe in: Wonderful Counselor Breathe out: Mighty God Breathe in: Everlasting Father Breathe out: Prince of Peace Use the names by which the Son might call you, or which you long to hear attributed to you. Those listed below are just a starting place. Feel free to create your own. Breathe in: Joy Spreader Breathe out: Life Sharer Breathe in: Beloved Child Breathe out: Capable Adult Finally, as we walk through this Advent Season, use breath prayer to move from one week’s focus to the next. To transition from last week’s theme to this week’s: Breathe in: Hope Breathe out: Peace And as you transition from this week’s theme to next week’s: Breathe in: Peace Breathe out: Joy May the practice of slowing your breathing while meditating on the attributes of the Child born unto us, situate you on holy ground, and bring you ever closer to the Prince of Peace. 16
Christmas Day: “Behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people.�
The candles representing Hope and Peace may be relighted. During this order the third (pink) Advent candle is lighted.
Reading of Scripture John 15:9-11
Soon we shall celebrate the birth of Jesus. We worship God with joy in our hearts as we are reminded of the words the angel said on that first
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my
17
commandments, you will abide in my love just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
Reflections on Joy
We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into this world. With the coming of this light there is joy, joy that is ours not only at Christmas but always.
Judy Prather
Light the third (pink) candle in the wreath.
I
remember one morning when my children were small. It must have been early October because we were all tired of being hot. School had begun, but the Texas summer was still with us, and we were all ready for sweating to end and sweaters to begin.
O Holy One, as Christmas draws near, there is a sense of excitement in the air. We can feel a joy in our lives and see it in those around us. Still, for some of us this is a sad time because of unhappy things that have happened in our lives. Help us to have the joy that does not depend on earthly happiness but on you. Help us to be filled with your joy so that we may share it with a joyless world. Amen.
Our younger son was now in kindergarten, and I had started a new job. That meant our mornings involved getting mom, dad, and two sleepy, slow-moving children dressed, breakfasted, and out the door on time. After several years of staying home with preschoolers, I was still adjusting to the new routine, and I missed my mornings. I missed having time to
18
see the world through morning eyes when a day stretched out ahead of me to be lived and enjoyed. I missed sitting back down to a less-rushed cup of coffee and taking some deep breaths once the others were gone for the day. I missed the spacious sense of time for noticing small things, for reflecting on my life and feeling grateful.
Mom? Don’t you SEE!?”
We were running a bit late that morning. I had just shooed both boys with their backpacks out the door and was rinsing the last cereal bowl when Keith called out, “Mom! Come here! You just gotta see this!” The children in my life have shown me some wondrous things, and I have learned to look when they point. However, I remember feeling a bit impatient that morning, thinking “What now? We don’t have time for this!” Drying my hands, my onefoot-in-front-of-the-other attitude still firmly in place, I stepped out the back door to see what could possibly be so important.
When I reflect on great joy in my life, I usually remember it in simple moments like that one.
And for the first time, I noticed. He wanted me to see the air. It was cool and slightly crisp. Fall had slipped in while we were sleeping; summer had finally packed up and gone. And my wide-eyed son was bursting with joy that he got to show that wondrous event to me!
I’ve learned that there’s a difference between happiness and joy—like the difference between costume jewelry and pearls. Both may be beautiful, but one is flashy and fun—the other more lasting, more precious. God drops joy pearls around me, hoping I will notice them, gather them up, maybe put them on a string and wear them close to my heart. Even when preoccupied or unhappy, joy is quietly waiting. I think one has to choose joy; one has to stop and see.
My five-year-old was standing in the driveway, his little face beaming. I looked around to see what he wanted to show me, but his eyes never left my face. When he realized I wasn’t getting it, he spread his arms wide, threw his head back, and began to slowly turn in a circle . . . “See, 19
Darryl Bertsch
T
he kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. - Matthew 13:44 The fleeting pleasure of... A Note A Sight A Touch A Smell A Taste A fleeting moment... Of a leaping heart beat Hair raising on arms Tear on the cheek Riveting sound A writing... So clear in meaning Honed to perfection Chilling in it’s clarity Obviously timeless Relief after... A grief fully appreciated An anger fully felt An impulse fully understood and managed well A nightmare understood
A myriad… Yet to be harvested moment by moment while sleeping or awake.
20
Fred Kandeler
To Rejoice! is not to gloss over life with a veneer of religion or look at life through rose tinted glasses. To Rejoice! was Paul's way of discovering amid every human experience the reality of God's life, love and being. This spiritual reality was revealed to us in Christ Jesus. It alone gives us true life and sustains us.
R
ejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, Rejoice.” This was Paul's characteristic stance as a Christian toward life in whatever way, shape, or form he experienced it. Rejoice! This word opens for us the way of joyous living that was Paul's.
For Paul, God's presence in Christ could be trusted in every situation of life - - for Paul, the Lord was at hand no matter what. “Rejoice!” was Paul's response to God always being present with us to strengthen our hope, to enfold us in God's love, and to embrace us with God's peace. Celebrate this reality says Paul. Rejoice and any event of life will be transformed into an experience of God's presence with you. As Christians, we are called to be a people who Rejoice! 21
He dined with sinners in all their grime, turned water into wine.
We are called to be celebrators of life, like Paul, who with all our heart, mind, soul and strength - always and everywhere and for everything give thanks for our life that is given to us and the presence of God in and through all of life that sustains us.
He did not wait till hearts were pure. In joy he came to a tarnished world of sin and doubt. To a world like ours, of anguished shame He came, and his Light would not go out.
We are called to rejoice for no matter what our circumstance may be, for God’s all-embracing love is present to us.
He came to a world which did not mesh, To heal its tangles, shield its scorn. In the mystery of the Word made Flesh the Maker of the stars was born.
We are called to rejoice for the greatest possible wish which any of us could have has already been given to us. I have always found Madeleine L’Engle’s poem, “First Coming” to be a powerfully profound witness to our calling as Christians to Rejoice!
We cannot wait till the world is sane To raise our songs with joyful voice, for to share our grief, to touch our pain, He came with love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
First Coming by Madeleine L’Engle He did not wait till the world was ready, Till men and nations were at peace. He came when the Heavens were unsteady, and prisoners cried out for release.
This Advent, may you find these words a source of joy that unleashes your rejoicing!
He did not wait for the perfect time. He came when the need was deep and great. 22
The two purple candles of Hope and Peace and the pink candle of Joy may be relighted. During this order the fourth Advent candle (purple) is lighted. As we gather around the Advent wreath today, we rejoice that Christmas is a time of prayer, and of open hearts when we sing songs of joy. Christmas is a time of worship – the moment when the busiest of us pause in wonder. Christmas happens when God comes to us in love through Jesus Christ and fills us with love for all humankind.
Reading of Scripture 1 John 4:9-11 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love another. We light this candle to proclaim the coming of the light of God into the world. With the coming of this light there is love. Such great love helps us to love God and one another.
23
Light the fourth (purple) candle in the wreath. O God, we thank you that Jesus showed your love for every person – babies and children, old people and young, sick people and those who were strong, rich people and those who were poor. Come to us in this Advent season, and give us love in our hearts for all people. Amen.
Reflections on Love and she was the little old lady next-door. She seemed lonely to me, but wasn’t easy to befriend. Gruff and solitary, she had even seemed reluctant to except my invitation to tea, and I wondered what had happened in her life to put the hard edge on her.
Judy Prather
A
s I try to summon an Advent spirit during these difficult days, I sometimes think of a poem by Madeleine L’Engle, The Risk of Birth, and my mind goes to a kitchen-table moment that I shared with a neighbor almost forty years ago.
While we visited, my two sons – one still a toddler and the other not yet walking – played around
I was the young stay-at-home mom, 24
our feet. She paid them little notice, until she stopped, looked down, studied them a while, and finally said, “I can’t imagine wanting to bring a child into a world like this.“
closer to my neighbor’s age than to that young mother that I was, and – given the news that assaults us each day about this chaotic world we live in – I understand her response better now than I did then. It would be so easy to become hopeless and cynical, to agree with the line from L ‘Engle’s poem that says, “This is no time for a child to be born, with the earth betrayed by war and hate.”
These children brought untold joy and light into my life. And I knew in my mother’s heart that as they grew, they would do the same for others in this dark and lonely world. I sat unspeaking, wondering how to tell my neighbor that it was because the world was “like this“ that it so desperately needed children and the Love they give.
But doesn’t our current chaos make the poet’s remaining words even more timeless and true? “That was no time for a child to be born, In a land in the crushing grip of Rome; Honor and truth were trampled by scorn— Yet here did the Saviour make his home.
That crawling baby will turn 38 during this Advent season, and he has two little boys his own. I’m
When is the time for love to be born? The inn is full on the planet earth, And by a comet the sky is torn— Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.” Irrational as it may seem, Love still takes the risk of birth. Thanks be to God.
25
does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Marcia Powers
T
he First Commandment.
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. - Mark 12:28-31
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. - I Corinthians 13.
The Gift of Love. If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
If you have ever seen the 1984 Movie “Places in the Heart”, starring Sally fields, you may remember the last scene. It is a small southern church, in which the Pastor reads 1 Corinthians 13 and then communion is served. As the communion trays are passed around, we see a man who has been killed, passing the tray to the young boy who accidentally killed him. Also present are several characters who have struggled with the commandment to “love one another” and one by
Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it 26
with whom I’ve been frustrated and angry. And yet, they take the tray and smile. And then, I look down the row, it is a mix of people whom I find easy to love, and a few, who challenge that feeling. And so, I consciously begin to run with this. I place in the pews family members with whom I disagree, Facebook friends who post annoying political diatribes, and lastly, politicians who have driven me to distraction this election season. Somehow, in this context of communion, the feeling of peace and love, continues to hold up. This sacred space and activity has placed a wall around my anger. I must admit, when I awake in the morning, I have not had a magical transformation to universal love. But I have returned to the sanctuary and the practice of “virtual” communion more than once and each time, the feeling of love returns.
one, we see them sharing the sacraments. It is, for me, one of the most powerful movie scenes of all times. A friend on social media posted recently, “If you are feeling anxious, say the Lord’s prayer very slowly, breathing deeply with each line”. As I lay in bed, anxious for the events of the day, I have taken to this practice regularly. Our Father (breath in), Who art in Heaven (breath out, very slowly), Hallowed be thy name (breath in). Often, by the third or so line, the anxiety begins to dissipate. On a recent night, however, I had made it all the way to “Give us this day our daily bread”, when an image popped into my head. I am at Plymouth, serving communion. As I pass the tray to the first person in the pew, it is not a Plymouth member, but someone
Dear God, you have given us ceremonies and sacraments to help us connect with your most important commandment ”Love thy neighbor”. Help us to practice that love, in hopes that the practice will manifest itself in the feeling.
27
28
None of the candles should be lit in advance of this order.
From the Prophet Isaiah For a child has been born for us, A son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
On this Christmas Eve we are gathered as God’s people to celebrate again what Christ’s coming means to the world. We join with Christians all over the world who are celebrating tonight.
From the Gospel of Luke But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: “Glory to
Reading of Scripture Now hear these words of Scripture:
29
God in the highest heaven, And on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
So, we light the Christ candle now, as we think about what Christ’s coming means to each one of us.
From the Letter to the Romans
Light the central Christ Candle.
Hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
We thank you, God, for your gift of Jesus Christ to the entire world. We thank you that Christ’s coming makes hope, peace, joy, and love possible for every person in every nation. Encourage us to do our part to bring goodwill and peace to our families our churches, our neighborhoods, and the world. Now let your Spirit put us in touch with you, The living God. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Lighting of the outer candles of the wreath. Tonight we relight the four Advent candles and recall what the good news means. (As each purple/pink candle is lit, please say the word corresponding to the meaning of each candle) Hope (purple) Peace (purple) Joy (pink) Love (purple) Jesus Christ is the greatest gift who makes all these other gifts possible.
30
Rev. Michael Vollbrecht
tance. We discover ourselves.
nd the shepherds said, 'let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened.’ - Luke 2:15
I have noticed in my life that I often look to what is to come at the expense of what is right in front of me.
A
I look to moments yet to come, post-COVID moments.
"It is a serious thing / just to be alive / on this fresh morning / in this broken world." - Mary Oliver
I look to the next President to solve all of my problems, or create them.
There have been bitter moments this year.
Yet, what is right in front of me these days is an incarnation of holy humanity on display. And if I look carefully, even in these difficult months and difficult moments, there is joy, and hope, and love, and divinity.
Plans deferred. Celebrations postponed. Reunions rescheduled. There have been moments of loneliness, isolation, and quarantine.
And I know that I am not alone. And I know that we are not abandoned.
Moments where I have felt as if we in the world might have been‌abandoned?
Because Jesus is with us, now. In these moments we are creating, together. In these precious moments.
Perhaps God had decided that we should fend for ourselves. But then a phone call arrives just when it's needed.
And the bitter cold gives way to warmth, and peace.
We discover we can "Zoom" into our events.
"Jesus Christ is born this day in the city of David," and in our hearts, and in you, and in me.
That not every meeting is necessary.
After all, we are the hands and feet of God in this world, are we not?
We begin to adapt. We learn how to celebrate while at a dis-
31
In these winter moments, on these cold nights, I can open my eyes and look out on the world, and I can see Jesus looking at me. He looks through your eyes, and mine. I see you, O little, tiny Child. Can you see me?
“CHRIST’S COMING: WORDS TO PONDER” Fred Kandeler
C
hrist’s Coming through the birth of the child, Jesus, is announced to the Shepherds by an angel of the Lord as told in Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 2:10-12: “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a savior, who is the messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” These words are then repeated by the shepherds to Mary and Joseph - - words that Mary pondered in her heart.
human life in the Christ Child, Jesus of Nazareth. The words, which Mary ponders, say to her and to us all that her child is not simply a baby lying in a manger, but is the very life of God alive in human form. Mary ponders the stunning reality that her son, Jesus, is at one with the being of God from whom and to whom all human life comes and returns. She ponders a life changing moment in which she realizes that God’s life in and through Jesus, the Christ, is the same life, love and being to whom we all belong and in whom our hearts find peace, wholeness and rest.
These words affirm and proclaim to us that the essence and nature of God, the very heart of God, the very ultimate meaning of all of life is born into
We are not called to reason about the words Mary ponders, to try to grasp them intellectually, to try to prove them 32
to be the truth. No, we are called only to ponder them and let them touch us. That is what Christ’s Coming is all about - - letting our lives be touched with God’s life, love and being.
love, he wanted her love, not fears that would lead to her submission. He wanted her glorification, not his. What a dilemma when to declare your love means the end of your beloved, and when not to declare your love means the end of love.
One favorite, brief story that I deeply ponder about Christ’s Coming is one by Soren Kierkegaard, “The King and the Maid”:
Night after night the King paced the floor of his palace pondering, until at last he saw love’s truth: freedom of the beloved demands equality with the beloved.
Once upon a time a king fell in love with a maid. Yet, the King did not see the matter easily resolved. Wracking his mind and heart was the question: how to declare his love? Unable to answer it, he summoned to his palace all the wise people of his kingdom and put the question to them. As one, they responded, “Sire, nothing could be easier. Your majesty has but to appear in all your glory before the humble abode of the maid and instantly she will fall at your feet and be yours.”
So late one night, long after his courtiers and counselors had retired to their chambers, the King stole out of a side door of the palace and appeared before the humble abode of the maid dressed in the garb of a servant. God comes to us as one of us. God comes to us as the Christ Child, Jesus of Nazareth. Our lives are touched with God’s life, love and being. Indeed, the Christmas Story.
But it was precisely that thought that so troubled the King. In return for his
33
34