From Out of Darkness, Light

November 30

The First Sunday in Advent

Read Isaiah 64:1-9 and Mark 13:24-37

Psalm 80:1-7; 17-19

1 Corinthians 1:3-9

“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father… And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”

(Mark 13:32, 37)

The Season of Advent begins with prophetic words of warning and exhortation:  Beware!  Keep alert!  Keep awake!  The Lord would “tear open the heavens and come down so that the mountains would quake…”  (Isaiah 64:1)  Watch for signs of the Lord’s coming in power and glory.  The message is clear:  God’s intervention is not subtle or hidden to those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

I don’t know about you, but this message is not an easy one for me.  It has always been a little unsettling for me that Advent always starts with words of prophetic warning, dire warning even.  How am I supposed to feel when I read these passages?  Fear?  Hope?  Anxiety?  Am I alert enough?  Will I be awake to the signs?  What if I’m not?  I much prefer the “nicer” themes of Advent:  peace, love, and hope.

I guess these passages are also hard because as Christians, we want to see God’s kingdom fully come on earth.  We want to see an end to injustice, prejudice, racism, hunger, war, hate, and abuse of power.  We’re tired of vesting our hopes and dreams in the leaders and powers of this world only to be let down repeatedly.  We wonder if we might be the generation that will finally see the master return to the household.

I also know, however, that this is the tension we are meant to wrestle with during this season of preparation.  It is not ours to know the day or the hour, nor do I believe God wants us to busy ourselves with worrying about that.  Instead, God’s kingdom and peace is brought forth in hearts that make room for him to be born again and again through his Spirit.  God wants us to be moved to be active kingdom builders and not to sit passively waiting – unaware and disconnected.

This is the message of Good News in this holy season, that despite our sin and unrighteousness, God is the potter, and we are the clay – the work of God’s hand – and God chooses to use us to bring the kingdom to the world around us.

Prayer:  Lord, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and willing hearts to serve you in ways that bring your kingdom here on earth to those around us.  Help us to keep awake to your call in our lives and hearts so that we are not caught unaware by those opportunities and blessings that surround us.  Amen.

David Schalekamp

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A Letter From a Skeptic, Getting Ready

December 1, 2014

Psalm 79

Micah 4:1-5

Revelation 15:1-8

Oh My Dear God,

We’re getting ready again, for the two thousand and fourteenth time.  We are waiting.  How long, oh LORD?  Micah is dead and gone the way of the Psalmist, and Your man John is seeing things.  Yes it’s trouble, trouble, trouble.  In a world where war doesn’t stop for the harvest, how can we spare the spear for the plow?  Sure, I’ll beat my sword into a ploughshare, but you should ask the other guy first.  You see, it’s winter, and the ground is frozen anyway, and I hear the war is still on.  The folks next door are deriding me, and have been for some time.  How long, oh LORD?  I am indeed brought very low.  The job isn’t what I thought it would be, the stock market is down, and I fear the vine and fig tree are iced through.  Yes, it’s winter in the Northeast in this, Your Advent.  We are afraid, and cold, and still Greatly Recessing. 

I guess if we’re waiting on Your son anyway, You may as well send a few of those seven plagues our way.  Let’s get them out of the way and let that wrath of Yours get ended.  Then maybe we can turn this winter of our discontent into glorious summer by this son of Yours.  We’ll have Easter, and swim outside, plow our warm fields, and listen to Shakespeare in the park.

On second thought, maybe I’m not so ready yet.  Maybe Your judgment forestalled and Your promise delayed are necessary.  Have the iniquities of my ancestors been remembered?  Have mine?  Then give me time, oh Lord.  For it‘s a big promise to get ready for and there’s work for me to do before I sit under the trees, unafraid.  So I’ll wait, and reflect, sing our songs, and pray our prayers.  For I know that from this wintery Advent, this time of promises frozen, comes a branch from the roots.  How beautiful that Your son grows first in winter when all else is quiet and dead, the first fruit from the last days of the year.

How long, oh LORD?  Will you be angry forever?  No,  You’ll send a son, an arbitrator, a ploughshare and pruning-hook maker, for whom I am not yet prepared. 

It’s December the first, the second day of Advent.  It’s cold, and the war is still on, but I’m getting ready.

 John Hoffman

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Swaying with the Storm

December 2, 2014

Micah 4:6-13

Revelation 18:1-10

Micah 4:6-13 “The time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will gather together the people I punished, those who have suffered in exile.  They are crippled and far from home, but I will make a new beginning with those who are left, and they will become a great nation.  I will rule over them on Mount Zion from that time on and forever. And you Jerusalem, where God like a shepherd from his lookout tower, watches over his people, will once again be the capital of the kingdom that was yours. “ (Good News Bible TEV)

Revelation 18:1-10 (*strong language present)

The Promise

To give up and fall, a choice to refuse remorse

To sit and add weight against the wind

Heavy

No care to stand, no burden realized

No peace wanted

Sin

To love and climb, a choice to seek goodness

To stand and trust the movements of the necessary storm

Light                                                                                                                         

Much hope to rebuild, lessons align

Peace in sight

Savior

As we begin the Advent season, think about how you can create more positive experiences in the world.  How can you be a part of the light and reject the darkness? God gives us the gift of his son to help us rebuild, trust, create a new kingdom. You are part of this new kingdom of peace.  Share your light, focus on the light, be the light in the storm.

Kristin Bodden 

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A White-Knuckled Hope

December 3, 2014

Micah 5:1-5

Luke 21:34-38

Sometimes joy comes easily. Sometimes life is so full and bursting with beauty and goodness that the only natural response is an outpouring of love. Sometimes it feels as if the moment you’re in now is the best one yet, and you want every day to continue in that ease, on and on and on, while you soak up the joy and let the excess pour out onto the people in your world.

You’ve been there. And it’s wonderful.

But sometimes, joy is hard. Sometimes the pressures of a single day are enough to send you stumbling to bed in the evening, praying or crying or cussing, hoping so hard that tomorrow will be different, only to wake and find yourself still stuck in the same place. Sometimes, the things that kept us from that easy joy yesterday are still here today… and we can’t see ahead, or imagine a time when they won’t be dragging on our souls.

You’ve been there, too.

We usually think of Advent as a time of hope: a kind of glowing, positive waiting. Four weeks of twinkling, silvery expectation, capped off by the bright celebration of Christmas. Even putting aside the secular excitement of parties and presents, of silver bells and city sidewalks (which, don’t get me wrong- I love!) it’s hard to imagine the weeks leading up to Christmas as anything but a happy time. Yes, the busyness gets stressful, but as a whole, most of us are not Scrooges who hate every bit of Christmas.

But I wonder if this isn’t the wrong idea of what this excitement, this hope, is: a pastel, Precious Moments sentiment, a surface-level feeling that doesn’t go any deeper than a “Merry Christmas” to a stranger. And I wonder too if we use this shallow hope —and the whole season of Advent— as a mask, sometimes. We put on our best smiles, fill our church with special Christmas decorations, and ignore whatever it is that’s been dragging on us.

Push it away. Hide it. Pretend it never existed.

But this is fundamentally the wrong response to Advent. The people of Israel were not waiting in a blind bubble of mistletoe and fa-la-las for God’s promise to be fulfilled; they were waiting in captivity, in agony, for a Savior. And they had been stuck in that waiting period, in the darkness of sin, for generations.

Joy was probably not something that came easily to them.

But that was okay. It was okay because Christ came to bring light to that dark, waiting world. And when Jesus came as the light, he gave human beings a reason for joy, whatever else is going on in the world at large or in our own immediate worlds.

Advent is a time of hope, but it is not a bubbly, jolly hope. It’s a time of waiting, but it’s not all-breathless excitement. It’s a white-knuckled hope; grit-your-teeth, hold-on-for-dear-life hope, because without Jesus, without Christmas, we are lost to the dark: to an endless waiting, to a joyless existence, and to all the things about these lives of ours that drag on our souls.

The joy that Christ brings to us, both in this season of waiting and always, isn’t an easy thing to choose, especially when we are caught in days that make us want to scoff cynically at the hope of Advent. But the joy of Christmas walks hand in hand with peace, and it is so much more than just happiness.

So much more.

Praise God for this. Praise him for the times of waiting we have experienced and are experiencing, for the times of easy joy and for those days when joy is a choice we make through gritted teeth. Praise him for this, the season of Advent… the season of white-knuckled hope.

Kate Dulmes

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God’s Rain

December 4, 2014

Psalm 85: 1-2, 8-13

Hosea 6: 1-6

1 Thessalonians 1: 2-10

I sit, head bowed in prayer asking

For forgiveness,

For understanding,

For mercy,

And, God’s rain pours down.

I sit, head bowed in prayer hoping

For peace,

For strength,

For courage,

And, God’s rain pours down.

I sit, head bowed in prayer receiving

Refreshment,

Spiritual wings,

Hope,

And, God’s rain pours down.

Cheryl MacNeil

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Out of the mouths of babes…

December 5, 2014

Psalm 85: 1-2,8-12

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Acts 11:19-26

For me advent reminds me that it is the time of year when we should all return home, in more ways than just physically.  While coming home to visit family is of great importance, I feel that Christmas is a time when we should all revert back to our sense of childlike joy.  We should truly come home both in our minds and our hearts.  Watching young children during this time of year can help remind us in this time of ever expanding turmoil that it is sometimes necessary to step back and experience the world with a childlike innocence.

Children are not born knowing how to judge others; they are not born prejudiced against those who are different.  They are taught these things as they age.  The Lord tells us in Jeremiah 1:9, “I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms…” Jeremiah is further instructed to tear down before rebuilding.  Perhaps we should take those words to heart and to allow ourselves to be torn down to our youthful innocence before rebuilding ourselves in the image that God has designed for us.  This can help us to enter the advent season with an open heart and mind.  And as in Psalm 85, allow love and faithfulness to meet together, righteousness and peace to kiss each other, faithfulness to spring from the earth and righteousness to look down from heaven. 

Michael and Wendy Carpenter

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Santa at Jesus' Cradle

December 6, 2014

Ezekiel 36:24-28

Mark 11:27-33

Our Catholic brethren hold up the lives of many Saints as examples for our Christian living. St. Nicholas' death on December 6, AD343 is one such day of remembrance. St. Nicholas, or the “real” Santa Claus, lived in the early centuries of the church in an area we now know as Turkey. He was born to wealthy parents who both died when he was young. Devoted to the poor, he used his inheritance to serve the needy his entire life.

The most memorable story of St. Nicholas, and that which continues today in many faith traditions, is of the three daughters of a poor man. Without proper dowries, each would likely never marry or worse, be sold into slavery. “Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home, providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry.” (from www.stnicholascenter.org) Hence, children the world over still remember St. Nicholas and either hang stockings or leave shoes out eager to see what gifts they will be given in the morning.

As a parent of young children, I am always torn this time and season of the year. We are trying to prepare the children for the arrival of God in the form of a baby. The one who comes to save us. The truest and best gift that could ever be given. Yet, we live in a culture of “stuff”, of “I want”, of “If I do this, can I have that?”, and the worst “But she has that, why can't I have it too?”

The struggle to parent through the omnipresent culture of "things," and to get to the point and heart of the nature of God and therefore the true meaning of the season is at times overwhelming. I am grateful for the story of St. Nicholas and the fact that he used his gold, his “things,” to help others. He gave so that others could live. This is what I strive to teach the children. The reason for the season is Jesus. To give is far more rewarding than to receive. 

So, I ask myself today and each day this Advent, how will I reflect the life of St. Nicholas' example for my children? How will I encourage their giving? How will I manage their wants? And finally, how will we prepare to do better this year than we did last year as we give of our time and "things"?

Lynn Reynolds Makrin

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To anticipate celebrating the birth of Jesus is to be reminded of  God’s promise to us… The promise of Jesus is the everlasting comfort of God’s love.

GOD’S GIFTS AND PROMISES

December 7, 2014

Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-15a

Mark 1:1-8

 Christmas is indeed a time of celebration, and Advent is a time of preparation.  It is also a time of challenge.  We are busy decorating and shopping, preparing meals and gathering together.  The earthly demands are real and important because they symbolize love; love for one another and God’s love for each of us.

In this season, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we are called to reflect on our Lord’s promise to us.  By sending His son to us, God provides a living example of how He wants His people to live and use the gifts He has bestowed.  As we struggle with our personal challenges and consider the world’s conflicts, we are sometimes overwhelmed.  The gift of Jesus’ life is God’s promise of the everlasting comfort of His love and the reassurance of his presence in our lives.  “Let every heart prepare Him room!”

Ellen Schultz

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Thankful Hearts for a Special Gift

December 8, 2014

Psalm 27

Isaiah 26:7-15

Acts 2:37-42

As we celebrate the season of Advent, our first thoughts are that of thankfulness.  God sent his only son to us, so that we may have eternal life.  He provides us each day with his abundant love and protects us with the Holy Spirit.

As children of God, we wait with anticipation for the coming of the Lord.  When we were young, we waited for Christmas in expectation of receiving material gifts.  Now that we are older, we remember God’s promise for all of us, both near and far, realizing that the real gift of Christmas is Jesus, God’s only son.  It is also a time of relationships with family and friends to share the love of God’s special gift.

On this ninth day of Advent, may we pray to God, and thank him for all that He has given us.

Thank you, God.

Russ and Claudia Garrison

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The Big Tent

December 9, 2014

Isaiah 4:2-6

Acts 11:1-18

“God’s own glory will be like a huge tent that covers everything.”  Isaiah 4:5

How large is your community?

This depends upon what we each view as our community.  Glenville has about 29,000 people.  Our church community has about 300 people.  My own neighborhood probably numbers about 150.  The population of Schenectady County tops 155,000.

Each community has its own diversity:  ethnicity, age, education, income, social beliefs, religion.  Such diversity adds great value to our community.  Regretfully, many people are judged, segmented, even discriminated against due to their differences.

The early Christians were guilty of this.  Following Christ’s resurrection, the disciples ventured out to spread the story of Christ.  But they initially harbored the belief that a follower of Christ could only take the first step by being a Jew.  They could not fathom the notion that a Samaritan, a Judean, or – God forbid – a Roman could become a Christian. 

Peter broke this barrier.  He tells of a dream in which he had a vision of a multitude of animals, and a voice from heaven told him that they were fit to eat – regardless of the Jewish law about eating anything unclean.  Peter stayed in the home of Gentiles and ate with them.  He spoke with them about Jesus’ power to save through the Holy Spirit.  He convinced other disciples that the message of Christ could be brought to all people.

Peter said very simply, “Now I am certain that God treats all people alike.” (Acts 10:34)

Peter and the early Christians broke social and religious barriers.  They did so because Christ offers peace to all.  It’s a big tent.

 Prayer:  God, be with me as I live in my neighborhood.  Help me to break down barriers, to refrain from judging, and to be your presence of peace.  Amen.

 David Walsh

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God, Found in the Crises

December 10, 2014

Psalm 27

Malachi 2:10-3:1

Luke 1:5-17

“Most of life is not lived in crisis – which is a good thing.  Not many of us would be able to sustain a life of perpetual pain or loss or ecstasy or challenge.  But crisis has this to say for it:  in time of crisis everything, absolutely everything, is important and significant.  Life itself is on the line.  No word is casual, no action marginal, and almost always, God and our relationship with God is on the front page.”

The above is from ‘The Message’ by Eugene Peterson as an introduction to Malachi.

This was one of those crisis-filled weeks.  A huge sycamore tree across the street blocked the drive for two days.  Five craftsmen worked for 3 full days to make a bathroom and laundry facility on the first floor so that Myron could come home after 2 months of medical crisis.  A niece and her 3 sons were being evicted from their home by her former father-in-law.  A granddaughter was wished “Happy Birthday” by her fiancé who added, “I don’t want to get married” – 10 days before the wedding.

Any one of these events was enough for the psyche.  Where was God in all these ‘crises’?

Ah – in the resolutions!

The tree was safely removed.  The bathroom was ready 2 days before the homecoming.  The laundry had power and water.  The niece found a suitable motel that included 2 meals a day.  The granddaughter and family decided to go to the Hawaiian resort anyway to restore their sanity.  Myron came home – something we did not think would be possible.

And then we were quietly informed that another great-grandchild is coming in the spring!

Advent is a time of preparation.  Most important to remember in all the times of stress is that THE CHILD is coming, showing God’s love to all.  Let us prepare our hearts for the coming and help us find God in every aspect of our lives, particularly during the crises!

Alicia Hermance

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December 11, 2014

Readings: Psalm 126

 Habakkuk 2:1-5

 Philippians 3: 7-11

Advent Psalm

Praise be to God!

LORD of Lords, King of Kings, Creator of heaven and earth.

We give thanks and rejoice for soon it will be Christmas;

The time that we sing, Joy to the World, the LORD has come!

But for now, the season of Advent is here;

The season when the sun bids us good bye,

The darkness surrounds us more each day;

Often it seems that only the stars and moon are there to guide us on our way.

As each day leads us closer to winter, the rivers cease to flow.

The animals huddle together to find warmth.

The leaves, which were once glorious, have fallen and faded to a dull, muddy brown;

The flowers bow their heads to the ground, dropping their seeds of hope.

All the universe is whispering,

Be still and know that I am God…

Be still and know that I am…

Be still and know that…

Be still and know…

Be still…

Be.

This Advent let us be still and find the hope that bears your name.

Then we will truly rejoice when it is Christmas.

We will rejoice and sing Joy to the World, the LORD has come!

Praise be to God! LORD of Lords, King of Kings. Creator of heaven and earth!

Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us during this season of Advent to be still and listen. Quiet our souls and hands when we become so busy with holiday preparations and activities. Create in us a quiet heart so we can hear the hope you have given us. Amen.

Sunny Baldwin

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I Press On 

 December 12, 2014

 Psalm 126
Habakkuk 3:2-6
Philippians 3:12-16

 I must admit, when I first read my passages I thought I was in trouble.  What did any of these passages have to do with Advent and getting ready for Christmas?  After rereading and rereading and thinking and praying, some thoughts did come to mind.  "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward what is ahead.  I press on toward a goal to win the prize for which God has called me." (Philippians 3:13-14)  Advent is the beginning of the Christian calendar, a time to forget what is past and look forward to a clean start for a new year in the glory of the new baby Jesus who came to take away our sins.  God sent his son so we could see, in the flesh, how to live and what was expected of us, so we could more clearly see what God has called us to do.  "The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy" Psalm 126:3.  Indeed we should be filled with great joy for Jesus came to save you and me.

That is what Christmas is all about. Jesus is the greatest gift!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, "I stand in awe of your deeds.  The ancient mountains crumbled and the age old hills collapsed - but you march on." (Habakkuk 3:2,6)  We thank you for your great gift of your son, Jesus Christ.  Help us forget our sins of the past and renew ourselves in the year to come.  Help us see what you have called us to do and trust in your almighty power.  Let us always remember that you are by our side and let us feel your love.  In your name we pray.

Amen

Diana Ackner

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Hard Labor
December 13, 2014

Psalm 126
Habakkuk 3:13-19
Matthew 21:28-32

We work differently today than people did many, many years ago.  Work was hard and much more physical.  Hard labor often came with suffering, sweat and tears.

That hard labor may also have brought great joy---gratitude for the harvest, a greater connection to the land, a greater connection to oneself and a greater connection to God.

We remember Mary’s labor this Advent season.  Think about Mary riding a donkey a long distance, about to give birth.  Hard labor.  But what joyful labor knowing she was carrying Jesus.

Think about Joseph, mentally laboring in preparation for Jesus’ birth.  How does one parent the Son of God?

Hard labor.  But such joyful labor.

In Biblical times, people labored over stone tablets with a hammer and a chisel.  Important messages were inscribed.  Hard labor.

Today, we labor over a very different kind of tablet.  What messages do we take away from that tablet today?  What messages do we impart?

Do we connect with the land the way our ancestors did?  Do we read and reflect on God’s word?

Do we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s birth?  (Or do we really celebrate the “Holiday Season”?)

Do we live our faith by example so that others may know God?

Hard labor.

But such joyful labor.

Tee Munson

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Here Comes the Christ

December 14, 2014

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11

Luke 1:46b-55

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

John 1: 6-8, 19-28

As is so often the case, the prophets in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah, prophesy or foretell what is to come in the New Testament.   Such is the case with this passage from Isaiah.  In verses 1 to 4, we read:

“He has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed…

to proclaim liberty to the captives…

to proclaim the year of the LORD’S favor…

the planning of the LORD, to display his glory.”

All of these words from the first four verses may be easily read as a prediction of the coming of the birth of Jesus.  Now read verses 8-11 and compare with the Magnificat in Luke.

The verses from Luke make up Mary’s Song of Praise, usually referred to as the Magnificat.  While this song has to do with Mary, in a deeper and larger way it has even more to do with Mary’s son, Jesus.  There is rejoicing [verse 47], but not the rejoicing which she herself might do, but which might be done by him who was to be born.  God will bring salvation through Jesus, but the “great ones” of the earth will not welcome this kind of salvation.  This salvation was to challenge the selfish powers of the earth and exalt those of low degree.

The Magnificat speaks of three of the revolutions of God:

(1)   He scatters the proud in the imagination or thoughts of their hearts [verse 51].  Christianity is the death of pride, because if a person sets their life beside the life of Christ, it tears the last vestiges of pride from them.

(2)   He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly [verse52].  Christianity puts an end to the world’s labels and prestige.  When one thinks about what Christ did for all, it becomes impossible to speak about a common man or woman.  The social ranks are gone.

(3)   He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty [verse 53].  With a Christian society, no one dares to have too much while others have too little.

On December 14, the Sanctuary Choir will sing a version of The Magnificat. I hope as you listen, that you will think about some of these points above.

 Ken Nelson

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The Armor of God

December 15, 2014

I Kings 18:1-18

Ephesians 6:10-17  

I have been studying The Armor of God from a preacher-woman named Joyce Meyer, so Ephesians really spoke to me.  What struck me is all the ACTIONS we must take in order to be strong in the Lord:  put on, prepare, stand your ground, stand firm, take up!  The Greater One lives on the inside of us…God has equipped us with what we need to fight the enemy, but we must retrieve it, and DO it.  Satan will attempt to disrupt our lives and mess with our feelings, but we can’t live by our feelings…they are too fickle.  We may not always FEEL strong or courageous, but by putting on the armor of God, we can access His strength.

If we are not prepared, we open the door for the enemy.  It’s not a matter of IF evil will come…it will! So we must be prepared for attack by putting on the FULL armor: from the helmet down to our feet, along with the shield and the sword. II Corinthians 6: 7 says, “in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left...”

Jesus wore the armor of righteousness...and peace was His spiritual warfare.  God sees us as righteous since we believe in his Son.  Therefore we ARE righteous even though we don't do everything right.  But from that, we learn to do the right things.  We have the robe of righteousness, but we must put it on (and the Bible never tells us to take it off).  The robe is a weapon against the enemy, not just a garment that covers us. When the evil one stirs up our souls we may feel guilt, condemnation, fear, worry, jealousy, depression, and so on.  We must make a decision to take action!  We can't get it from anybody else, but thank goodness it is already IN us.  In Job 29:14 it says, "I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban."  Deciding to forgive, deciding  to stop feeling sorry for ourselves, or deciding to make our mess into something good are examples that help us to defeat evil and move on to the next spiritual level.  As Christians, we know how prayer can also be a weapon:  James 5:16 says, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."  Prayer and studying the word of God helps us to be strong!  I Corinthians 16:13 states, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."  We cannot afford to be wimpy children of God!  Since we are already righteous, we have the power to CHOOSE to put on the armor.  It's not always easy, but we MUST do it if we want to have the life Jesus died for us to have.

Joanna Desilva Clark

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Blessed to be a Blessing

December 16, 2014

Psalm 125

2 Kings 2: 9-22

Acts 3:17-Acts 4:4

Friends,

My name is Bill, I am 41-years-old, and I rely too heavily on hydrocarbons and other consumptive and pollutive practices.  I don’t know if it is midlife wisdom or if I am just tuned into environmental harp chords, but I am really worried about how climate change, resource depletion, economic disparities, and our pollutive consumption are changing the world we know.  I think about climate change, how a stable temperature window, one which we have had for tens of thousands of years, is closing with great rapidity and at great cost: species depletion and extinction, for evolution takes time to adapt; severe “acts of nature” such as floods, storms, hurricanes, and droughts; suffering and loss of life; wars.  I am worried about the pain, the injustices, the loss that has occurred and will even more greatly occur as we are forced to change.

Today’s scripture encourages me.  In 2 Kings 2:9, I hear a call to action when Elijah says to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.”  We all have a limited time; what will we do for one another in that time?  What positive legacy will we leave for those who are yet to come?

“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers . . . repent, therefore, and turn to God,” (Acts 3:17) reminds me how God gives us the chance to change and to turn from paths we have ignorantly and destructively taken and to turn onto paths of grace in order to have a life-affirming, personal, inclusive embrace of God.

“And in your descendants, all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” (Acts 3:25) brings me to wonder - how will we bless one another and the stranger?  And since this is a continually forward-looking statement, how can we insure that our future generations will have an opportunity, a place to play their part in God’s unfolding plans?

In Psalm 125:1, with faith, we can be strong and steadfast like a mountain.  Psalm 125:4 makes me reflect on what it generally means to be good and upright but also how it applies directly to the injustices and challenges, like climate change, that blatantly confront us now.

We have big challenges to face, but, with faith, determination and action, for our time to act and our time on earth are limited, we can positively engage and change the world.  We are blessed to be a blessing, which is even more poignant as we anticipate the birth of the Christ Child.

What a hope.  What a gift.

May the Peace of Christ be with You,

Bill Faulkner II

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Threats, Fire, and Brimstone

December 17, 2014

Psalm 125

Malachi 3:16-4:6

Mark 9:9-13

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, a letter to the people of Israel.  It begins simply:  “I am Malachi. And this is the message that the Lord gave me for Israel.”

He then goes off on a full-throated fire and brimstone rant to those people of Israel. He quotes ‘The Lord All Powerful’ who condemns them for witchcraft, infidelity in marriage, lies in court, stealing from workers, mistreating widows and orphan. According to Malachi, the whole country is under a curse!

Yikes!  It would seem the Old Testament winds down with a red flag of the Lord waving over the land of those who have cheated God!  Malachi wags his finger, warns his audience that judgment will come, that the Lord has ‘their names written as a reminder in his book.’

And yet…and yet.  Malachi’s last word promises that the Lord will send Elijah ‘before that great and terrible day comes’ and brings ‘doom to the land.’  A coda of hope ends the first testament.

Fast-forward to a few generations later.  Jesus has revealed himself to three of his disciples on the mountaintop, and the voice of God has said, “This is my Son” – a direct designation if ever there was one.  But Jesus orders the disciples to tell no one of what they have seen until after he has risen from the dead.  The disciples remember the words of Malachi, instructing Israel that Elijah must come first to restore all things.  They don’t understand why secrets must be kept and why the Son of Man must suffer before that happens.

The hope of the world is standing among them, the coming of Elijah.  They have not put it together yet. Peter, James, and John weren’t ready yet.  They don’t know yet.

We know.  We have read the words, heard the stories.  We are able to celebrate the beginning of the story, the birth of that hope, because we know the message, the lessons the Christ brings for all of us.

David Walsh

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Preparation for Worship

December 18, 2014

Habakkuk 2:20

2 Samuel 6:1-11

Hebrews 1:1-4

How do you prepare to offer worship unto God? Advent is a time of preparation, but we all prepare in different ways. Reading a cookbook helps to provide you knowledge of how to make a meal, but if you don't have the right equipment or ingredients the results are harder to achieve or less than stellar. As we heard not too long ago, the bridesmaids trimmed their wick and filled their lamps with oil, though some did not and were found to be unrecognizable to the bridegroom. In the same way, our worship of and to God should be made as an act of preparation as much as an act of proclaiming the blessings and glory of our Lord.

Every Lord's Day, I am privileged to lead worship in a way that requires much preparation and sensitivity to not only the lectionary, but also the life and events surrounding our congregation. Singing the Psalms, reading the lessons, and conversations with the members of First Reformed help me to plan and practice accordingly; but the biggest guide to leading worship is knowing that I need to help to prepare those who need to listen, who are listening intently, and those who may not be able to hear God at five to ten minutes before worship begins get to a point where they can hear the message that God has for them. The prelude is part of my worship to God, as it helps to prepare his people to offer their praises as well.

So, as an exercise, consider some of the following as you drive to, walk to, or sit preparing for worship: What is going on in my life that I need to listen closer to God? How can I better help my neighbor prepare for worship? Am I ready to offer my best to God?

The Lord is in his Holy Temple; Let all the earth keep silence before him...so that our praise and adoration may be the best because we have prepared our minds and hearts to hear and respond to God's living word.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Justan Foster

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Listening with New and Receptive Ears

December 19, 2014

Psalm 89: 1-4, 19-26

2 Samuel 6:12-19

Hebrews 1:5-14

Scripture provides many foreshadowing and predictions of the birth of God’s son.  In addition, the psalmist says, “I will sing of the great Lord’s great love forever.”  We are told of David’s dancing and the sound of shouting and trumpets.

The events described in these scripture readings occurred over two thousand years ago, and we approach the birth of Jesus and all that implies yet again.  All the distractions, the trees, the decorations, the presents, the hearty greetings, the parties, and the messages of Peace on Earth – Good Will to Men – all this, unless we guard against it, becomes ritual, an exercise that, when all is said and done, has little real emotional or intellectual impact on our lives.

This year let us listen to the Christmas story with fresh and receptive ears.  Let us sing “Hark the Angels Sing” and “O Come All Ye Faithful,” for the hundredth time, but let us listen to the words as if we had never heard them before.

When King George III stood up during the first performance of the “Hallelujah Chorus” it was not tradition that made him stand – custom and tradition had nothing to do with it.  He stood because he was so awed and moved by music and text that he had to respond.

As we celebrate the arrival of the birth of our Lord this year, may all of us reach inside to feel and express all the awe and wonder that the birth of Jesus brought more than two thousand years ago.

Bob Atwood

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WATCH

December 20, 2014

Judges13:2-24                                                                                                                       

John 7:40-52

Have you noticed how often stories about miraculous births appear in the Bible?  Take Abraham and Sarah, our grandparents in faith, for example.  God promised them that a great nation would come from their offspring, and that through them the world would be blessed.  But they grew old and children never came.  The Bible delicately puts it like this: “It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.” (Genesis 18:11)  God’s promise grew old along with Abraham and Sarah; it appeared empty.  But God said, “Trust me,” and God was faithful.  Sarah gave birth to a son and named him Isaac, which is like the Hebrew word for “Laughter.”  Sarah’s tears of doubt became the laughter of faith.

There are others.  The prophet Samuel anointed Israel’s first two kings, King Saul and King David.  He was born to Elkanah and Hannah in their old age (1 Samuel 1).  And in today’s lesson from Judges 13 we learn about the birth of Samson, the son born to Manoah and his wife who had waited a long, long time.  (It’s interesting to note that even though the ancients considered Manoah’s wife one of 23 righteous women in the Bible, she is nowhere given a name.)  In my day, Samson was a favorite character for young boys.  After all, the Bible says that he killed a lion with his bare hands, and, in a grand heroic dying act, he pulled an entire temple down upon himself and his people’s enemies.

But five days before Christmas, when we read accounts of miraculous births it’s hard not to think about the miraculous birth of Jesus to Mary.  Mary was not old, but she was a virgin.  So Jesus’ birth was likewise surprising and unexpected.  There is a certain pattern to these stories of our faith.  God enters the lives of his people in unexpected ways.  People don’t see it coming.  Think of all the expressions of surprise in the scriptures:

“Surely God was in this place and I didn’t know it,” says Jacob in Genesis 28:16.

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” wonders Nathaniel in John 1:46 upon hearing about Jesus of Nazareth.  Then Nathaniel met him and became his disciple.

“What good are five loaves and two fish?” think Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 14:17 when faced with a hungry crowd and Jesus’ command to feed them.

So here’s the Advent message for the day.  Don’t lose hope.  God breaks into human life, and often in unexpected ways.  God breaks into your life, very likely in ways and in circumstances you’d never guess.  Watch.

Craig Hoffman

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Mary’s Song

December 21, 2014

2 Samuel 7:1-11

Luke 1:46b-55

Luke 1:26-38

Today is the Winter Solstice. In my house, this is the day that we hold a great open house with people traveling from near and far to see each other, eat good food and drink homemade liquids and howl around a campfire in the yard. It’s an old pagan tradition and one that our early Christian ancestors co-opted pretty early on.

We do it because it allows us to bypass the presents and glitter and jingle bells of Christmas to stand together on the darkest day of the year to remind each other that the darkness has not won. Whatever has happened throughout the year has not been able to break the world or those of us dwelling therein. We all need reminders at this time of year.

Mary stands at such a time: unwed, teenaged, pregnant and she sings a powerful song of hope to all those for whom life has been hard. Mary’s song in her time of darkness is one of the most powerful recorded in Scripture. It still echoes in a world where the darkness seems to be growing daily.

Step outside tonight. Howl at the moon (though you won’t be able to see it). Remember Mary, the Christ bearer. If life is hard, hold on. Dawn will come. If life is good, lean into the song of Mary and help make her vision a reality.

 Kent Busman

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Verses

December 22, 2014

1 Samuel 1:1-18

Hebrews 9:1-14

Samuel 1:1-18

When we call out to You, O Lord,
And wait for answers to our prayer,
Give us the patience that we need
And help us sense Your love and care.  Sper

Hebrews 9:1-14

1  Glory be to Jesus,

Who in bitter pains

Poured for me the lifeblood

From His sacred veins!

2  Grace and life eternal

In that blood I find;

Blest be His compassion,

Infinitely kind!

3  Blest through endless ages

Be the precious stream

Which from endless torments

Doth the world redeem!

4  Abel’s blood for vengeance

Pleaded to the skies;

But the blood of Jesus

For our pardon cries.

5  Oft as earth exulting

Wafts its praise on high,

Angel hosts rejoicing,

Make their glad reply.

6  Lift we, then, our voices,

Swell the mighty flood;

Louder still and louder

Praise the precious blood!

Glory be to Jesus, Who in Bitter Pains  

Translator: Edward Caswall (1857)

 Bill Monaghan

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Are You Ready?

December 23, 2014

1 Samuel:19-28

Hebrews 8:1-13

Romans 13:11-14

While awaiting the birth of our first child, a lot needed to be done:  new room prepared, freshly painted, furnished and decorated in excited anticipation of the arrival of our new baby.  We were anxious as well that all the baby’s needs would be met.  Like Mary over 2000 years ago, expecting her first child, I think many of our feelings, anxieties, hopes and joys were the same.

Do I have enough clothes, diapers, a safe crib, toys to stimulate as well as delight, was it a safe comfortable space?  The baby’s entire well-being and future was in our hands – a daunting thought and reality.

Excited over this new addition to our family, I wanted everything ready.  I had to get a pediatrician to care for the health of the baby.  I had read books and more books, talked to other mothers on how to care for a baby’s basic needs – physical, social and emotional development.  How would I know if something was wrong?  Am I doing everything right? Because of my preparations, I did feel ready and confident that I would be successful.

Are you ready for the coming of Christ?  Have you made all your preparations?  Can you meet that day with confidence?  The Lord “told us all things” in that we may prepare for that glorious day when He will return to gather up his children.  The time is near, the time to prepare is now.  Like expecting a baby, you never know the exact time when they will arrive, and when they do, I know you will want all to be ready.  Be knowledgeable of God’s word and promises, emblaze it into your heart, incorporate it into your life.  Stand in confidence that all is ready.

Linda Willoughby

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Quiet

December 24, 2014

Psalm 96

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

James 1:17-18

I love this time of year. The festivities, the laughter, the singing – even as it gets colder and darker outside, we get warmer and brighter inside. It’s a bright, loud, colorful, fabulous whirlwind, and I adore it. However, sometimes it can all be a bit much. I’m a self-proclaimed introvert – I like my books, my solo runs, my alone time. Don’t get me wrong, I also love being around people, but in order for me to not lose my mind, I need to balance it with some space. And space is something that’s hard to come by during this season.

So I like to go skiing. There’s this plot of woods by my parent’s house. It’s not big, and there are no hills, but it suits me just fine. Skiing for me is less about the rush, the speed; to me, it’s about seeing the woods in a way I don’t get to during the summer. So I’ll drive to my parents, grab my skis and the dog, and head out. It’s so quiet in the winter. The only sounds are the hissing of my skis, the panting of the dog and the occasional chickadee or blue jay. The quiet lets me reflect, lets me appreciate more the wonderful gifts that I have, the warmth, joy, laughter, and love that’s waiting for me when I return home.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the season, to only see the lights and colors, to hear only the noise, and forget why we are celebrating. The silence among the trees helps me remember. There’s a different type of celebration happening in the woods, one that isn’t showy or loud. It’s the quiet peace of a place that has lived for decades, and will continue on, grateful for the little things, like chickadees, blue jays, and snow-covered spaniels.

 Maggie White

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GLORY TO GOD

December 25, 2014

Isaiah 62:6-12

Psalm 97

Titus 3:4-7

Luke 2:1-20

I wonder how many of us will actually read this on December 25!  We’ve been so busy planning, shopping, wrapping, cooking, cleaning, traveling, finishing up school work, singing or playing in concerts, acting in pageants, baking, entertaining and so much more.  I wonder how many of us would rather sleep all day!

How different this day is from that day long ago when a baby was born in the backyard shed – the Green Shed?  Animals, noisy and smelly, were right there.  A baby was born to a scared unwed teenaged girl far away from home.  Her tears are not part of the Luke account but I imagine they were a prominent part of her experience.

Her planning for this day, unlike our stressful countdown to December 25, may have included fear, panic, and anxiety about being so far away from home and the women who would have attended her and comforted her.  She may have been in pain, tired from a long uncomfortable trip.  How different her day from mine; how different the birth of her firstborn from the birth of my firstborn.

When I come to this day, I think about how disappointed Mary and Joseph must have been when there was no room at the bed and breakfast in that faraway town they were visiting, visiting not for pleasure but because their government said they had to be counted in the census for taxation purposes.  I think about how hard her delivery was, how scary those first visitors were, and I know this day isn’t about a perfect baby lying clean and quiet in a beautiful girl’s arms.  But this day is about a mighty God who comes close to us and to our world and a mighty God who has promised to come again.  We who need a second chance and forgiveness are blessed with a Savior. I who am sinful this day, am forgiven, by the child in the backyard, God’s child!

Our Advent readings have been dark and foreboding.  While a Psalm may have reminded us of hope in God or God’s light in a dark world, reminded us that God is our rock and refuge and strength, by and large there has not been much joy that we have read about!  Today’s Psalm, though, calls us to rejoice, let all the earth rejoice.  And we sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.”   

But the traditional familiar words of the Luke Christmas story are NOT full of joy.  Did you read about the fearful shepherds, the scary angels, government census and taxation, and a manger for a brand new baby?  Hardly a calm, holy night.  This has become the beloved Christmas story only in retrospect, thousands of years in the telling.  We long again and again for the Son of God to come, to be real, to save us, and to bless us.

As we rejoice with the earth this day, whether in quiet solitude or in noisy commotion, take time to give thanks, and to rest, trusting in a new way the hope that is given to us and all of creation in this blessed Christmastide.

Jan L. Hoffman