Sunday, December 26, 2010
Out of Egypt There Came a Great Light
Monday, December 20, 2010
Out of the Darkness of our Fear, Shines the Light of Peace
Sermon December 19, 2010, Fourth Week of Advent, on Luke 2:8-14. Who are the shepherds you need to seek out? How do you have peace in the midst of fear?
(There was a technical glitch in the middle of the sermon when the batteries on my microphone died. These things happen. Also, the litany at the end has been included below as you could not hear the congregational response on the recording.)
(There was a technical glitch in the middle of the sermon when the batteries on my microphone died. These things happen. Also, the litany at the end has been included below as you could not hear the congregational response on the recording.)
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Sonja: Holy God, heaven and earth are met this day in the newborn Child, Savior of the world. We celebrate his birth; for in him you come to be close to us, that we might be close to you.
all: Especially, we give thanks for the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and all he means to us…
Sonja: for prospects of peace in the world…
all: for confidence in your almighty love…
Sonja: for those who generously give…
all: for those who graciously receive…
for the Church’s nurturing us in the faith…
Sonja: God of all mercy, as you have come in Jesus Christ to be our guest, inspire our hearts to a hospitality that welcomes all your children in his name. Especially we pray for those who have not heard your good news…
ALL: FOR THE SICK AND SUFFERING…
Sonja: for those who know no laughter, only tears…
ALL: FOR THOSE WHO GOVERN AND RULE…
Sonja: for those enslaved by tyranny…
ALL: FOR PRISONERS OF ADDICTION OR ABUSE…
Sonja: for the church as a refuge for the needy…
ALL: ALL THIS WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.
Family Advent Wreath - Dec 19, Week 4 - Peace
For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath. These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion. December 2, 2012, First week of Advent; December 9, Second Week of Advent; December 16, Third Week of Advent
Light the candle you lit the first week week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."
Light the candle you lit the second week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God loves us and God wants us to love others."
Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God wants us to have joy."
This week we will be talking about peace. Children may not understand peace, but they understand being fearful. Peace from God is not about not being afraid, but even in situations we might be afraid, we have peace that we cannot explain. You may want to talk about fears specific for your children.
For Discussion with your children:
What are some things that make you afraid? (They may be afraid of the dark, or afraid of dogs, and this may be a good time to talk about fears they may have.)
There are some things that make us afraid for good reason. Our fear keeps us from doing things that are bad for us. (If you are trying to teach your children about stranger danger, this may be a good time to bring this up.) But sometimes we are afraid and there is nothing we can do about it to protect ourselves, or there is nothing to protect ourselves from. Even when we are afraid, God is there with us, and we can know that God is there with us, because God gives us peace through God's spirit.
Scripture Reading: John 14:26-27
"...the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid."
Philippians 4:6-7
"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 minds in Christ Jesus."
Meditation:
Jesus said he came to give peace, but not as the world gives. Our peace comes from God's Holy Spirit, not from things we think make us feel secure. Even when we are afraid, we can have peace that comes from God, even if we don't understand how it works.
Light the last purple candle. (For information on the order, please see the first week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle. Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.
Prayer: Thank you God for giving us peace, even when we cannot understand it. Help us to shine God's light of peace in the world around us, so we may worship the child in the stable who is the Prince of Peace. Amen.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Craziness of Christmas
Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love to decorate my house to the max, and to immerse myself in Christmas music, Christmas movies, and Christmas books. Lights on the trees (yes, I have more than one in my house), presents (real and fake) under the tree, and wreaths on the doors all herald a special time. I don’t just mean the “birth of Jesus” stuff, but all of it that we have created in our unfortunate, consumer-driven, commercial Christmas as well. I do know I should fight the consumerism of Christmas and Santa taking over the show, I really do. I truly do believe it is as simple about the birth of the Savior of the World to lowly circumstances; I just love the rest of it too! But it does get a little crazy sometimes.
And then, there is the downside. Many people are not able to celebrate Christmas with a bunch of presents and decorations. They understand a child born to poverty; we should remember them as we remember the birth of the Christ. When I was a single mom with very little disposable income one of the ways my kids and I would celebrate the season was to drive through neighborhoods with all the light displays. A Jewish family lived in one of the neighborhoods and they would decorate their house with blue and white lights in the shape of the Star of David for Hanukah. They celebrated in their own way the magical joy of the season. Those who could afford to provide those decorations did so for the joy of all who could not afford this luxury. Because of their generosity, we could all share in the beauty of the season.
I do think this time of year inspires people to look at their circumstances, rich or poor, and truly feel blessed. This is different than Thanksgiving when we count our blessings; this is actually feeling blessed and happy. People reach out to those without as much with kindness and generosity unmatched at any other time of year. One year a homeless young man managed to find himself in the community I served. He was only 19, and had really no place to go. The entire community pitched in and found him odd jobs to earn some cash. The Ministerial Alliance provided him with a place to stay, the Masonic Lodge provided him with some clothes, and my church provided him with a coat, hat and gloves. If he had desired to stay in the community, we could have found him a job and a place to live. But better than that, he talked to his mother on the phone, and the community chipped in and got him a bus ticket to where she lived, a pay-as-you-go phone, and pocket money for the trip. Even those who didn’t have very much, still shared what they had. Does this always happen when we have someone roll through town? No, but there was something about the circumstances and it being the week before Christmas that inspired us all to lay aside our differences and work together to show a young man that he shouldn’t give up on the world just yet, there really are people who still care.
I celebrate these types of stories and relive them over and over again. This is the time of year we can celebrate, can choose happiness, intentionally. Intentional happiness is making a choice to not focus on what we don’t have or can’t afford, and focusing on the Spirit of the Season, which I believe is there because of one small child, born in poverty, who came to bring joy and life abundant, which isn’t about things, but relationships. I choose to celebrate not reservedly, but with wild faith and intentional happiness.
And then, there is the downside. Many people are not able to celebrate Christmas with a bunch of presents and decorations. They understand a child born to poverty; we should remember them as we remember the birth of the Christ. When I was a single mom with very little disposable income one of the ways my kids and I would celebrate the season was to drive through neighborhoods with all the light displays. A Jewish family lived in one of the neighborhoods and they would decorate their house with blue and white lights in the shape of the Star of David for Hanukah. They celebrated in their own way the magical joy of the season. Those who could afford to provide those decorations did so for the joy of all who could not afford this luxury. Because of their generosity, we could all share in the beauty of the season.
I do think this time of year inspires people to look at their circumstances, rich or poor, and truly feel blessed. This is different than Thanksgiving when we count our blessings; this is actually feeling blessed and happy. People reach out to those without as much with kindness and generosity unmatched at any other time of year. One year a homeless young man managed to find himself in the community I served. He was only 19, and had really no place to go. The entire community pitched in and found him odd jobs to earn some cash. The Ministerial Alliance provided him with a place to stay, the Masonic Lodge provided him with some clothes, and my church provided him with a coat, hat and gloves. If he had desired to stay in the community, we could have found him a job and a place to live. But better than that, he talked to his mother on the phone, and the community chipped in and got him a bus ticket to where she lived, a pay-as-you-go phone, and pocket money for the trip. Even those who didn’t have very much, still shared what they had. Does this always happen when we have someone roll through town? No, but there was something about the circumstances and it being the week before Christmas that inspired us all to lay aside our differences and work together to show a young man that he shouldn’t give up on the world just yet, there really are people who still care.I celebrate these types of stories and relive them over and over again. This is the time of year we can celebrate, can choose happiness, intentionally. Intentional happiness is making a choice to not focus on what we don’t have or can’t afford, and focusing on the Spirit of the Season, which I believe is there because of one small child, born in poverty, who came to bring joy and life abundant, which isn’t about things, but relationships. I choose to celebrate not reservedly, but with wild faith and intentional happiness.
Published in The Corridor Magazine, December 2010 issue
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Out of the Darkness of Sorrow, Shines the Light of Joy
Family Advent Wreath - Dec 12, Week 3 - Joy
For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath. These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion. December 2, 2012, First week of Advent; December 9, Second Week of Advent
Light the candle you lit the first week week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."
Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that God loves us and God wants us to love others."
This week we will be talking about joy. Joy is great happiness. Children generally have no problem with happiness, but they may have misunderstandings about what brings us joy or happiness. True joy doesn't come from material possessions or status or money or power, although many adults confuse this also. True joy comes from within, when we find peace and contentment, when we focus on what really matters and not on the things that are temporary.
For Discussion with your children:
What makes you really happy? (As they answer they may list "things." When they do this try to help them see past their things. You may ask them if they could be happy without that specific item. If they say, "no." Ask them about something else you know makes them happy, such as a game they like to play or people they like to play with.)
What about if we don't have the things that we think make us happy? What could make us happy then? (This will get them thinking a bit outside the box.)
Sometimes our things make us happy for a moment, but Jesus brings us happiness even when we don't have those things. How do you think that works?
Scripture Reading: Psalm 32:11
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart."
One of the ways we experience joy is in excitement and enthusiasm. This would be a good opportunity to allow the children to shout for joy! Shout with them! Woohoo! Yippee! Yahoo! Hallelujah! However you choose to express that joy! When you have an opportunity to get them all wound up and excited, then ask them if they can feel their blood pumping. Is their heart racing? Are the 'feeling excited on the inside?' This is one of the ways we feel joy is when we express joy. Have them sing a favorite worship or praise song with you as part of the meditation. Maybe even sing "Joy to the World" as loudly and excitedly as you can.
Meditation:
God wants us to feel joy! True joy! We only experience true joy with God. God knew that we would have trouble understanding this, so God sent Jesus to teach us more about having a relationship with God. Jesus calls this having abundant life, but we can call this happiness from the inside out.
Light the pink candle (or purple if you do not have a separate pink candle). (For information on the order, please see last week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle. Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.
Prayer: Thank you God for giving us joy and happiness. We thank you for the gift of Jesus who came so we could experience joy in you. Alleluia! Amen.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Out of the Darkness of Apathy, Shines the Light of Love
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Family Advent Wreath - Dec 9, Week 2 - Love
Sorry, apparently I have forgotten to post this. My apologies for running late.
For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath. These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion. December 2, 2012, First week of Advent
Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."
This week we will be talking about love. The children may have many different understanding of love. You may ask them what they love. We love chocolate and puppies, but it isn't the same as the love we have for our friends. And we love family differently than we love our friends. You might discuss with your children the different forms of love: romantic love, family love, brotherly/sisterly love, friendly love, and love of things.
For Discussion with your children:
What is "love?"
Who or what do you love?
Do you love _______________ (name a toy, food, activity, or any other non-person)?
Do you love _______________ (same as above) the same way you love mommy and daddy?
What is the difference?
Do you know that God loves you? (Most likely they will answer "yes," after all, they will assume, unless they have guilt issues,* that they are loved by pretty much everyone.)
Do you know how much God loves you?
Scripture Reading: John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
Information: Last week we learned that the people were hoping for God to send a Messiah, someone to save them. Here in John the scripture tells us that God did send someone, God's own Son, because God loves us so much. And it wasn't like God was sending someone to scold them or tell them how bad they were and they needed to do better, but to simply tell them how much God loves and how they can have a better relationship with God.
Many times we feel that we God is trying to trick us. Kids can get this idea when they hear language like, "God is testing me." Tests are tricky and even if you study, sometimes you don't always do very well. Especially if they feel they don't know the right answers, they can become fearful of God or dread "the test." But in John, we are told that we did not receive the gift of the Son to be 'condemned.' Obviously, people weren't passing the test, they needed a tutor!
We can share with children how much God loves them by setting it in such a way that they will understand. "You know how much mommy and daddy love you?" (Yes) "Well, when you do something wrong to do we still love you?" (Yes - or you can assure them that is the case.) "Well, God loves you even more than we do and that's a lot. So much that only God could ever love you more than we do."
"Now, you love mommy and daddy, right?" (Yes.) And because you love mommy and daddy, you want to do what they ask right?" (Yes) "This is called being obedient. We love God so much, that we want to do what God wants from us. It makes us happy to please God."
This is the relationship Jesus came to bring. A loving relationship in which we love and do what God wants, and know that God loves us and blesses us.
Meditation:
God loves us more than anyone. More than our sisters or brothers. More than our grandma or grandpa. More than mommy and daddy. And that's a lot. God loves us so much that God sent someone who helped us to have a good relationship with God. This person was Jesus, who was born as a little baby, and couldn't even feed himself, but relied on his mommy Mary and daddy Joseph.
Light the second purple or blue candle. (For information on the order, please see last week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle. Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.
Prayer: Thank you God for loving us so much. Thank you for the people you sent to teach us to love, like our moms an dads. We love you very much. Amen.
*If your child struggles with guilt, or whether or not they are worthy to be loved, I would recommend a book, You Wouldn't Love Me if You Knew by Jeannie St. John Taylor. In this book a little boy does something "bad" and feels guilty. In the end, his mother tells him that he is forgiven and that God forgives him also. You never know what the "bad" thing is, so all children can relate to his feelings. You may want to ask your children, what do you suppose the little boy did?
For more information on Advent, see my previous post on the Family Advent Wreath. These meditations are for the weekly lighting of the Advent Wreath candles, so allow for more time for discussion. December 2, 2012, First week of Advent
Light the candle you lit last week and say, "we light this candle to remind us that our hope is in Jesus."
This week we will be talking about love. The children may have many different understanding of love. You may ask them what they love. We love chocolate and puppies, but it isn't the same as the love we have for our friends. And we love family differently than we love our friends. You might discuss with your children the different forms of love: romantic love, family love, brotherly/sisterly love, friendly love, and love of things.
For Discussion with your children:
What is "love?"
Who or what do you love?
Do you love _______________ (name a toy, food, activity, or any other non-person)?
Do you love _______________ (same as above) the same way you love mommy and daddy?
What is the difference?
Do you know that God loves you? (Most likely they will answer "yes," after all, they will assume, unless they have guilt issues,* that they are loved by pretty much everyone.)
Do you know how much God loves you?
Scripture Reading: John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."
Information: Last week we learned that the people were hoping for God to send a Messiah, someone to save them. Here in John the scripture tells us that God did send someone, God's own Son, because God loves us so much. And it wasn't like God was sending someone to scold them or tell them how bad they were and they needed to do better, but to simply tell them how much God loves and how they can have a better relationship with God.
Many times we feel that we God is trying to trick us. Kids can get this idea when they hear language like, "God is testing me." Tests are tricky and even if you study, sometimes you don't always do very well. Especially if they feel they don't know the right answers, they can become fearful of God or dread "the test." But in John, we are told that we did not receive the gift of the Son to be 'condemned.' Obviously, people weren't passing the test, they needed a tutor!
We can share with children how much God loves them by setting it in such a way that they will understand. "You know how much mommy and daddy love you?" (Yes) "Well, when you do something wrong to do we still love you?" (Yes - or you can assure them that is the case.) "Well, God loves you even more than we do and that's a lot. So much that only God could ever love you more than we do."
"Now, you love mommy and daddy, right?" (Yes.) And because you love mommy and daddy, you want to do what they ask right?" (Yes) "This is called being obedient. We love God so much, that we want to do what God wants from us. It makes us happy to please God."
This is the relationship Jesus came to bring. A loving relationship in which we love and do what God wants, and know that God loves us and blesses us.
Meditation:
God loves us more than anyone. More than our sisters or brothers. More than our grandma or grandpa. More than mommy and daddy. And that's a lot. God loves us so much that God sent someone who helped us to have a good relationship with God. This person was Jesus, who was born as a little baby, and couldn't even feed himself, but relied on his mommy Mary and daddy Joseph.
Light the second purple or blue candle. (For information on the order, please see last week's post.) Please make sure there is adult supervision for any child using matches or a lighter to light the candle. Also, please supervise your child as long as the candle is lit.
Prayer: Thank you God for loving us so much. Thank you for the people you sent to teach us to love, like our moms an dads. We love you very much. Amen.
*If your child struggles with guilt, or whether or not they are worthy to be loved, I would recommend a book, You Wouldn't Love Me if You Knew by Jeannie St. John Taylor. In this book a little boy does something "bad" and feels guilty. In the end, his mother tells him that he is forgiven and that God forgives him also. You never know what the "bad" thing is, so all children can relate to his feelings. You may want to ask your children, what do you suppose the little boy did?
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