Friday, December 25, 2015

Micah 4: 1-5; 5: 2-4

Psalm 2, 85

1John 4: 7-16

John 3: 31-36

Merry Christmas!  I pray that as we have prepared our hearts, minds, and souls for the coming of God in Christ on this glorious day, we may rejoice and be glad that he has indeed arrived.  The Incarnation of the maker of heaven and earth is the binding of heaven to earth.  This means that we are not alone.  The baby that was born so many centuries ago walks maturely with us persistently offering us connection with all that is holy.  This is our hope and our assurance, that God did not seek to be separate and above, but instead present and with us here below.  We have a tender God, a comforting God, and a vulnerable God.  Why would the One who is above all else, become low in such a way?  We cannot know the depth of why God has done this for us, we can only know that we are loved by God so much that He has done this beautiful and wonderful thing.  So, as you rest in the glory of Christmas Day, I invite you to ponder this Good News and accept the love of Jesus who has eternally connected us to our God in such an intimate way.  May God be born to you this day and fill you with the hope of Christmas.

The Rev. Joshua Condon

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Isaiah 59:15b-21

Psalm 89: 1-29

Romans 5: 1-11

Philippians 2: 5-11

Can you imagine the amount of love that would be required for God, the infinite, the unimaginable, the powerful, to become a tiny, dirty, powerless little baby? Thinking of it is amazingly overwhelming. Madeleine L'Engle writes, "The incarnation is called the “scandal of the particular;” it is scandalous that the Lord should condescend to be an ordinary man." What a scandal! Mary the good Jewish daughter is having a baby out of wedlock, her fiancé is still going to marry her, and then, the claim comes that this scandalous baby is the Messiah! The Chosen One! Immanuel. God with us! And here we are, two millennia later, having a party for him. God, condescending to be an ordinary man! I can see Miss Manners having to politely excuse herself from the room.

Today Christians gather together across the world to celebrate the birth of this one child. This birth is an invitation to each of us. An invitation into the story of the relationship between God and humanity. Each of us has our own nativity story, our own birth narrative, and the act of sharing those stories is an act of invitation into each other’s lives. Not all of our birth stories are scandalous, but all of our stories are washed with God’s steadfast and enduring love. God’s love is like that. It is scandalously open to each and every one of us.

The Reverend Elizabeth Yale

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

2 Samuel 7:1-17

Psalm 72

Titus 2:11-3:8a

Luke 1:39-48a (48b-56)

Advent is a waiting time and the Jesse Tree reminds me that God’s timing can be across generations. This Advent, sing Mary’s praises preparing and waiting for Jesus. 

”.. according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.”     Luke 1:39-48a, 48b-56.

Eleanor Sheldon

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

1Samuel 2:1b-10

Psalm 66, 67

Titus 2:1-10

Luke 1:26-38

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

Today’s gospel reading tells the story of the Annunciation. The angel Gabriel arrives to an unsuspecting Jewish girl and tells her she’s been chosen to be the mother of God. Mary has trouble understanding the message, but she obediently accepts her fate with humility, placing her trust in God.

Parenting is an exercise in humility. When pregnant with our first child, I placed my faith in medical experts, friends’ advice, and a small mountain of books. I was foolish enough to think that, with enough information, I would be in control of the situation. I wasn’t…. and I’m still not.

Lately, I’ve become obsessed with watching the live panda cam at our National Zoo in Washington. I frequently check the feed online, and I’ve watched a baby panda change from a hairless, blind creature the size of a stick of butter, to his present cute and fluffy self. I’ve often asked myself why I’m so captivated. And I’ve come to understand that my attraction is maternal. I am fascinated by how this mother panda just knows how to care for this baby. In the wild, there are no doctors and no expert advice. The mother panda instinctively understands what is expected of her. The baby panda grows and thrives, as God intends, just as we do when we put our trust in God.

Evelyn Snow

Monday, December 21, 2015

Zephaniah 3: 14-20

Psalm 66,67

Titus 2: 1-10

Luke 1: 1-25

A French friend taught me a Provençal Christmas blessing:

“Allègre ! allègre ! mes beaux enfants, que Dieu vous rende joyeux et que l'an prochain si nous n'y sommes pas plus que nous n'y soyons pas moins.”

“God give us grace to be joyous, and for next year, if we are not more, let us not be less." 

We are all in different places in our lives: some like my sons, leaving the family circle to strike out on their own, others forming new families and experiencing the blessings of births, others looking after aging parents or discovering new ways to keep busy in retirement.  Christmas is an ever-changing feast in each new phase of our lives, sometimes surrounded by mayhem and sometimes by quiet solitude.  This year is going to be especially hard for me because my family lost a dear loved one this fall, and his absence at our Christmas dinner table will be hard. More difficult Christmases are to come, I know, as we may become “less” before we become “more.”  The psalm for today says, “My soul finds rest in God alone.” That is never truer than as we worship the birth of the most famous baby in history, Jesus Christ. Let the light he brought to the world shine on us and be our refuge.

Treanor Baring

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Genesis 3:8-15

Psalm 24, 29

Revelations 12:1-10

John 3:16-21

John's gospel describes God's commitment to the world with an appeal to our instinct for parental love.  This appeal makes the description immediately relatable, giving it weight and meaning.  The beauty of God's grace is that it is given without regard for merit.  We are meant to accept this gift and allow it to transform the world through our actions.  In each of us, God has a conduit through which to shine His light and banish the darkness.

Mark E Ramey, Jr.

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Zechariah 8:9-17

Psalm 55

Revelations 6:1-17

Matthew 25:31-46

…”Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

~ Matthew 25:40

Have you ever wondered if you will go to heaven? Have you wondered what we have to do to be able to enter the Kingdom of God? Do you ever wonder if you’ve been good enough…or done too much bad?

Growing up I believed that if I were a “good person” I would surely go to heaven. Later as an adult, when I started participating in bible studies, taking time to read scripture, I learned differently. I learned that I needed to have a true relationship with Jesus; I needed to accept the love He has for me; to have him in my heart; to proclaim Him as my Lord and Savior. Wanting this relationship more than life itself became my motivation to pursue Him. Little did I know then, that it was He that had been pursuing me all this time. So together, with Christ in my heart, I confidently go forward knowing that heaven is my happily ever after. Sometimes it feels so simple…

But other times, I occasionally find words that make me question my future “ever after”. Matthew 25:31-46 tells us the parable of the separation of the sheep and goats. I struggle with a part of this scripture every time I hear or read it. I wonder if I’ve done enough…will I be a sheep or a goat?

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Similarly, I also struggle internally every time I pass a person on a street corner with a sign asking for help. It seems impossible to give to every single person, every single time. Is this what God expects me to do? How do you choose when to give? I rationalize that I give to Star of Hope or other organizations that are better equipped to help in a more beneficial way. But still, as I drive by, trying not to make eye contact, in my heart, I struggle. But then, with His infinite patience, He reminds me that I can never “do enough”. It is by the grace of God that we are given the gift of eternal life.

All of the selections of scripture for today make reference to what we sometimes refer to as “Judgment Day”. How will I be judged? I prefer to put this at the back of my mind. I don’t want this to be my motivation. I want the love of Christ to be my motivator.

So for me, at this time of anticipation of the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, I will continue to pursue ways to glorify our God, to follow His lead, to help those I am called to help, to question and pray for answers when I struggle inside, to read and strive to better understand His Word and try to make it my course to hear Him when He is calling my name.

What I do know without question, is that we have a God who loves us more than we can possibly comprehend, that what he offers us is greater than we can possibly imagine, it is achievable by His grace and love, and it is His greatest desire for us to have eternal life with Him in his Heavenly Kingdom. I believe.

Barbara Novelli

Friday, December 18, 2015

Zechariah 7:8-8:8

Psalm 40, 54

Revelations 5:16-14

Matthew 25: 14-30

Today’s Gospel is Matthew’s account of the servants who are entrusted with money while the master is away. To one is given 5 talents, one is given 2 talents, and one is given one talent. The first two invest their talents and are rewarded by their master on his return. The third buries his in the ground and is turned away by the master. We know that a talent in this context is a unit of money. But to us, a talent is also a skill, something we are good at. Advent is a good time to ask ourselves if we are investing our talents to God’s greater glory, at church, or at work, or at whatever we are doing. I don’t think I am burying mine in the ground, but I’m not getting a hundred-fold return on my investment either. How can any of us increase the value of our talents?

Susan Bowen

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Zechariah 4:1-14

Psalm 50

Revelations 4:9-5:5

Matthew 25:1-13

 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom." 

The season of Advent is all about focusing our attention on the coming of Christ. The Gospel message for today is one of my favorite life lessons which translates for me along the lines of 'be prepared, don't get caught with an empty gas tank, and be sure to have extra goodies in the freezer in case a special guest or family member appears at the door at dinner time'. 

But hopefully that preparation is about more than just material necessities. We learn in the scripture that the wise bridesmaids (aka virgins) had oil in their torches, but also extra oil for when the lamps went out. As with all parables, Jesus' message to us is a warning wrapped in a story. We must be fortified with His light and Word to help us when our lamp has been dimmed by stress, loss, or the other challenges of this life. For me that includes His Word but also our faith community, friends and family. The key is intentionality - just like the bridesmaids who packed extra oil...we need to make the time to do the things that will keep our lamps lit.

Vicki Cravens

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Zechariah 3:1-10

Psalm 119:49-72

Revelations 4:1-8

Matthew 24:45-51


"Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." --Zech. 3:3-4

Early February is a time of awakening in me that I have to do something with my yard. There is usually a fabulous spring warm snap, and I will spend the day pulling weeds, trimming hedges, mulching, and generally playing in the dirt. At the end of the day I'm sweaty, covered in yard debris and filthy from head to toe. I ache, I'm tired, and all I want is a hot shower and an Advil. Getting clean never feels as wonderful as it does when I'm truly dirty.

Life is like this. We come into the world filthy, a literal filth, and we spend most of the rest of our days figuratively getting dirty. Luckily, from our first day, to our very last, someone is there to help us get cleaned up. Jesus is there to wash us, and not just our feet, although that gets us started. If we were never dirty, if we never knew sin and anguish and pain, we would never know the true joy of being clean. Our savior came into our world covered in the same filth that we come into the world covered in, so that he would understand how getting dirty works. In understanding us, he can clean us.

Have you ever cleaned someone and felt soulfully gratified? When my girls were toddlers and I washed away the layer of dirt that covered them and exposed the beautiful skin beneath the grime, I think I witnessed a tiny bit of how our Savior feels when we come to him to be washed of our sins. He sees us, knows that we have spent the day in the trenches, doing our best to stay clean but ending up dirty nonetheless, and then he gets to work. He cleans us and renews us and we are ready for another day. He does this because he was born to us, filthy, and was cleaned himself by loving hands.

Krystal Weiss

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Zechariah 2:1-13

Psalm 45

Revelations 3:14-22

Matthew 24: 32-44

In this passage , Matthew says that we all know what is happening in the present, but we cannot predict the future.  Only the Lord truly knows the future.  We can only be ready or prepared for the day when something bad might happen.  We need to have insurance up to date and our property well maintained . The elderly need to have their affairs in order.  Above all everyone needs to have his spiritual life in order.  Prayer may not bring back that lost loved one, repair property that has been damaged, restore the damages caused by illness, or other personal misfortunes.  Prayer brings solace and helps us deal with the effects of the misfortune. 

 Betty Bayley

Monday, December 14, 2015

Zechariah   1:7-17

Psalm 41, 52

Revelations 3:7-13

Matthew 24:15-31

My NIV Bible calls this portion of Zechariah “Starting Over”

As a result of the Jews continued disobeying of God’s laws, worshiping idols, and warning after warning, punishment came in the form of many years in exile.  As a result, the Jews felt, combined with the destruction of Jerusalem, they had lost their place in God’s heart and their future as God’s people.

When Cyrus, the emperor of Persia released the exiles, the Jews could then return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple.  Some were eager to return; others who had never even seen Jerusalem were not so sure.   But their initial joy did not last.  Jerusalem was a ghost town; everything of value had been destroyed; fertile fields were overgrown and the region was almost empty of people.

Initially an altar was built on the grounds of the demolished temple but no further work was done.  Making a living was an uphill battle as well as finding a place to live, plus the non-Jewish neighbors did not want the temple rebuilt.  So, totally discouraged, they gave up on rebuilding the temple and it remained in a ruined state for another 20 years.

It took two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah to stir up interest in starting again to rebuild the temple.  Both Haggai and Zechariah felt that as long as the temple remained in ruins, Israel’s character as a people of God was also in ruins.  The important thing to Zechariah was not so much the rebuilding as the Jews’ relationship with God that the temple symbolized.  He was concerned that history would repeat itself in light of how their ancestors’ disobedience of God’s laws had ended in exile.

A new beginning required a change of heart.  “Return to me says the Lord Almighty and I will return to you” (Zech. 1:3)  He felt a new beginning would become the hope of the world.

Though none of us is rebuilding a temple, we are, as I am writing this meditation, involved in a “We Are One” campaign to renew our own commitment to do the things God has called us to do:  support our church home, reach out to our community and to one another with love and concern for all.

Virginia McGarvey

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Amos 9:11-15

Psalm 63:1-8

2Thessalonias 2:1-3, 13-17

John 5:30-47

Unexpected

Recently, I had the opportunity to see and hear Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber speak about her New York Times bestseller “Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People”, as well as her ministry at House for All Sinners and Saints in Denver, Colorado.  I found her to be profound, unexpected, funny, heart-breaking, sincere, gentle, brutal, soft, hard, cool, geeky, generous, humble, rough, and a complete Jesus freak….all at the same time.  I beg you to Google her and to especially listen to her interview from the NPR program, Fresh Air.   I was fascinated, listening to her story of evangelism, addiction, rejection of Christianity and how despite her running away from God, “He came after me, hunting me down.”  Her message of grace, forgiveness and community was summed up in her being asked “What is your job?…My job is to preach the gospel.  My job is to point to Christ, preach the gospel and remind people of their identity in Christ and that they are absolutely loved.  They are named and claimed by God.  All of their mess ups aren't more powerful than God’s mercy and God’s ability to redeem us and bring good out of bad.”  

In all honesty, the “external package” of Nadia Bolz-Weber compared to her words and preaching is, to put it lightly,  unexpected.  Her tattoos, foul language, piercings, spiky hair, torn jeans, and combat booted-self seems “out of place” for a liturgical, Lutheran pastor delivering the message of Christ’s unconditional love and pursuit of each of us.  Unexpected.  As I continue to contemplate her words and stories weeks later, I can’t help but think of other unexpected messengers as we wait with anticipation the remembrance of the birth of Christ:   the angel to Mary, Herod to the wise men, Mary to Joseph, Joseph to the inn keeper, the star to the shepherds, and Jesus to the world.  Unexpected.  The King of kings, Lord of lords, Jesus the Christ, God made flesh, Savior and Redeemer of the Word, born from a teenage girl in a stable…unexpected.  All for the purpose of saving me, saving you.  Unexpected.

As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I pray that we all find hope through unexpected messengers and joy in the absurdity of God’s pursuit of us through love, grace and mercy.  Hallelujah!

Melissa Peter

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Haggai 2:1-9

Psalm 30

Revelations 3:1-6

Matthew 24: 1-14

We live in troubled times – this is without question.  Around the world, people call for the death, destruction, or dispossession of others in the name of religion.  Our political leaders – on both sides – consistently disappoint.  Many of our church leaders do little better.  Some voices in our public culture cite this Gospel (and other passages like it) to declare with certainty that the end times are upon us.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars … nation will rise against nation … there will be famines and earthquakes …”. (Matthew 24:6-7) 

This certainly sounds like what is going on doesn’t it?  But Jesus also says,

“Beware that no one leads you astray … many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray … many will fall away and [they will] hate one another …many false prophets will arise and lead many astray…”. (Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11)

People have been asking this question ever since the disciples asked Jesus – when is it going to happen and how will we know?  When they ask Jesus, though, he does not give them a straight answer.  He only tells them of the trials to come.  Later in this same chapter, he is more direct but no more definitive.

“…about that day and hour no one knows … Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming … you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour…” (Matthew 24:36a, 42, 44).

Be wary of those who “know” – for Jesus himself tells us that “… no one knows neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36b)

The first hymn in Wonder, Love, and Praise (the dark green supplemental hymnal you can find in your pew) speaks of this, and offers hope and promise:

Signs of endings all around us, darkness, death, and winter days

shroud our lives in fear and sadness, numbing mouths that long to praise.

Come, O Christ, and dwell among us! Hear our cries, come set us free.

Give us hope and faith and gladness.  Show us what there yet can be.

(Dean W. Nelson ©1988)

This is what Advent is about – waiting…

but not waiting for the end – waiting for the wonder that is to come.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Stephen Morris

Friday, December 11, 2015

Haggai 1:1-15

Psalm 31

Revelations 2:18-29

Matthew 23:27-39

Santa Jesus, Please Stop Here!

I admit, I am certainly one to get caught up in the excitement of Christmas.  I love to decorate, bake cookies, wrap pretty presents, dress for the occasion, and read bundles of books to our kids during this season of anticipation.  In this fast paced life it is hard to focus on Jesus when Santa starts appearing before Halloween!

Haggai came to ask, “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”  We prepare our homes with decorations and food for family and friends to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but where is our focus?  The Lord says, “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but have harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.  You put on clothes, but are not warm.”  These passages serve as a warning for me to prepare my heart for Christmas, not just my home.  Let’s invite Jesus in.  Let’s make room for him in our home, in our minds, and in our soul, not just the Nativity Scene.  Maybe this year while the fireplace is going (if it’s not 90 degrees), it can remind us of the light of Jesus, the one who brings us hope and comfort.  I encourage you to find the simple things in your home that can remind you to pray and give thanks.  Even that silly little Elf on the Shelf, find some way to incorporate him into the story of Jesus instead of Santa.  The Elf can remind the kids to speak kindly to one another, love one another, help one another, and know that God loves them.

We can be busy doing wonderful things, but we need to slow down enough so that we can truly be blessed and receive our King.  Two years ago I was a little ambitious with all the Advent things we had received.  Thanks to Pinterest, we can now spend lots of time showing our creative talents and make our own ornaments to share with friends and have 25 days of hand-made ornaments to go on our very festive Advent tree. In our home we also have the traditional Christmas Advent tree where we velcro ornaments to a felt tree.  And lastly we received small treasures to open for 25 days from our church, all with good messages.  But trying to keep up with 3 different Advent adventures with different messages, with 2 kids saying I want to do this one today, you did that one yesterday, it turned into a chore rather than a blessing.  Thankfully we did learn from this and scaled it down last year.  I love that our kids are learning about the arrival of our Savior and can now answer the questions in the devotional book that goes along with our festive Advent tree.  This was a true testament that less is more.  Be free to say no to good things if they are bogging you down so that you can focus on the best things.

In Matthew, Jesus cautions us about looking beautiful on the outside, but being unclean on the inside. We spend so much time on Facebook where we see others looking perfect and happy, which can make us feel like we don’t measure up. But we don’t really know what is going in others’ lives unless we take the time to have that relationship outside of social media.  What do people see when they unwrap us?  What is really going on inside our homes and our hearts?  Let’s not hide behind the pretty pictures.  We cannot hide from God anyway, he knows everything about us.  So when you are making pancakes in the shape of snowman, go for it, enjoy it, but pray before that meal and invite Jesus to your table. 

While we wait in expectation this Christmas, are we waiting on Santa or Jesus?  Maybe we let our friends and neighbors in our homes when they are not perfectly set this Christmas and just share the love that Jesus fills us with.  Yes, I am writing to myself here!  Let’s prepare our hearts to receive the biggest gift that will ever come into our lives.  Let’s rest in our imperfections so that we can see the light and the hope of Jesus, our perfect gift, this holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Angie Foster

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Amos 9: 1-10

Psalm 37: 1-18

Revelations 2: 8-17

Matthew 23:13-26

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matter of the law: justice and mercy and faith.” Matt. Ch.23, v. 23.

With all the decoration, music, and excitement of the commercial holiday observance surrounding us, it’s easy to imagine that Advent is a time of celebration.  But of course we know that it is not. Advent is a time of prayer and fasting, a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord.  And so the readings for today, and especially the gospel reading, strike a note of warning.  Warning against straying from the path, and particularly against the exercise of superficial religious customs and practices that are not connected to more meaningful values.

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us that what really matters is justice; that what really matters is mercy; that what really matters is faith.  Lights and candles and music and gifts are fine.  But they miss the point if they are not motivated by and accompanied by justice and mercy and faith.

Bob Lowe

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Amos 8:1-14

Psalm 38

Revelations 1:17- 2:7

Matthew 23: 1-12

The most significant point for me in today’s readings is the issue Christ raises in Matthew – showing humility and avoiding self-importance.  It seems to me that humility is a dying art in society today. We see very few examples.  However, it is refreshing and encouraging that Pope Francis should stand out for his wonderful example.

Pope Francis has shunned the trapping of privilege, unlike many of his predecessors and some of his bishops whom he has pointedly rebuked for building palatial offices and homes.   He took public transport to his office in Buenos Aires and shunned the “limo” treatment by traveling in a small car on his recent visit to the US – what a great demonstration of humility and lack of pretentiousness.  He frequently asks papal visitors to pray for him.

We need more of our leaders to demonstrate selflessness and think more of what they can do for others.  Is it wishful thinking ? - I pray that it isn’t.

John McGarvey

Tuesday, December 8

Amos 7:10-17

Psalm 26, 28

Revelations 1: 9-16

Matthew 22: 34-46

Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. John 5:25

All too often in today’s world, we race from this meeting to that event and then to another meeting.  We grab a meal when we can and try to be at home to spend “quality time” with our spouse and children.  All too often, the children are in bed and our spouse is tired and ready to call it a night.  We head to bed knowing that the next day will be the same.  Inside we are dying.  We can’t catch a break much less a breath. 

Is this living?

If God called you today to tell you of His love for you, would you hear it?  If God called you today to give you some direction for your life, would you hear it?  If God called you today just to say hello, would you hear it?

All too often we live out our lives as if we are dead.  We are on auto-pilot just trying to get through another day.  We don’t have the time to listen.  We don’t have the time to pray.  We don’t have time to tell God of our needs.

God IS calling out to you and me each day.  God IS calling out to tell us of His love for us, his plans for us, and a path to simplify our lives to make room for His love.

Come alive this Advent.  Take a few minutes each day to take the call from your Creator – it will change your life and you will become truly alive.

The Reverend John Pitts