November 30, 2022

In Advent, we set aside an entire season to prepare for Jesus' birth – Elis Hiu-Mei Lui, Holy Is His Name: Daily Devotions for Advent, pg. 10

Advent is the season of preparation, as we prepare for Jesus' birth. Advent is the season of the already and the not yet, as we prepare for what has already taken place in Bethlehem and the not yet of Christ's return. Advent is the season of slowing down, as we take a step back from the oncoming rush of Christmas and learn to wait, as Mary and Joseph waited for the birth.

Advent is a special season, with the blessed changed of colors to blue (or purple in some churches) after the seemingly forever season of green, with a slower pace (think about the music and other pieces of the liturgy that slow down), and with a recurring theme of, “Prepare and wait,” the Season of Advent calls us to a different way of being than we have been.

As the above quote says, we have an entire season to prepare for Jesus' birth.

But contrary to that season of preparation, of slowing down, of waiting, there is oftentimes a feeling of being overwhelmed. We have trees to put up, gifts to buy, decorations to set out, cookies to bake, letters to be written, cards to be mailed, dinners to be planned, and any number of other committee or board meetings, activity planning sessions, and regular deadlines to be met.

When, exactly, are we supposed to set aside any time for preparation? When, exactly, are we supposed to set aside any time for slowing down? When, exactly, are we supposed to set aside any time to rest in the presence of God?

The ideal Advent – a period of slowing down, of intentional preparation, of calm waiting – might be as much of an unattainable goal as having the perfect Currier & Ives postcard Christmas.

Maybe the ideal Advent isn't found in the activities of preparation. Maybe the ideal Advent isn't about being prepared for whatever this season throws your way. Instead, maybe the ideal Advent is found in our willingness to open up to God and let God prepare us for something new.

In this season set aside for preparation, don't forget to set aside some time for God to prepare you.

Blessings,

November 23, 2022

This coming Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent and the beginning of the new year on the Church calendar. This is the season of trying to slow down. It's the season of learning to slow down. It's the season of preparation as we both eagerly and anxiously await the coming of Christ. It is the season of the already and the not yet, as we celebrate what has come and what is yet to come.

As we prepare for the birth of Christ I am always reminded of Mary and her encounter with Gabriel. All angels are messengers of God, but Gabriel is the one to whom really important messages are entrusted. In the Hebrew scriptures, Gabriel appears to Daniel to explain his visions. Gabriel also appears in the Book of Enoch and other Jewish writings. Gabriel appears to Zechariah and Mary when he announces the births of John and Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. And Islam holds that Gabriel was sent to the prophet Muhammad. Most of the time when an angel visits someone they say, “Do not be afraid,” or words to that effect.

What if we used “Do not be afraid” as an Advent theme?

Do not be afraid . . . to scale back Christmas celebrations for the sake of your personal well-being.

Do not be afraid . . . to not have the “perfect” Christmas, knowing that we aren't picture perfect.

Do not be afraid . . . to celebrate in ways that are meaningful (which may mean “different”).

Do not be afraid . . . to try something new or create a new tradition.

Do not be afraid . . . to have fun.

Do not be afraid . . . to grieve if you need to.

Do not be afraid . . . to be yourself.

Do not be afraid . . . to see the face of God in another person.

Do not be afraid . . . to say no sometimes.

Do not be afraid . . . to proclaim the Good News.

Do not be afraid . . . to listen for the voice of God calling you.

Do not be afraid . . . to reply to God as Mary did, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord.”

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I hope you all have an enjoyable day and weekend. Immediately after that we roll into Advent and begin in earnest the preparations for Christmas. As I mentioned last week, it can be a hectic time. In this time when the hustle and bustle can get to be too much, may you find times of peace and tranquility.

And maybe most importantly, may you be not afraid, knowing that God is with you . . . always.

Blessings,

November 16, 2022

The Holiday Season is fast approaching. Next week is our Thanksgiving Eve service at 7:00 pm followed by our pie social (an e-tidings will go out tomorrow giving a little more information). The HARC Thanksgiving Service takes place this coming Sunday, 11/20, at 4:30, and we have a Taize service scheduled for 6:00 pm that same evening.

Advent begins on November 27, a week and a half from today. Christmas falls four Sundays later (an early note: There will be one worship service on Christmas Day at 9:30 am).

In between now and then there will be a St. Nicholas Fair, Christmas caroling, a service of Advent Lessons & Carols, another Taize service, and Christmas Eve services at 4:00 and 10:30/11:00 pm. To top it all off, we will have an Epiphany party potluck and gift exchange on Friday, January 6, at 6:00 pm.

There is a lot going on in those few short paragraphs and I feel like I need a nap. While some of us may think that naps are a luxury we can't afford during this time of year, I would counter that naps may be exactly what we need at this time of year.

Advent is the season of the already and not yet (we recognize that God has come in the person of Jesus, but we also recognize that Christ has not yet come again). Advent is the season of preparation, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus as well as preparing ourselves for that second coming.

We all know that the season before Christmas, or the Holiday Season in general, can be a hectic and stressful time. In the midst of all that, Advent reminds us to both prepare AND to slow down. But how can we slow down when there is so much to do? Here are a few ideas:

Take a walk; sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate while not doing anything; beginning December 1, read a chapter of Luke a day (you'll finish on Christmas Eve); make one night a week “no technology night”; gaze at nature for five minutes; set an alarm on your phone for a time that's normally busy and then stop and pray for two minutes; light an Advent candle and pray the Sunday Collect each night; when you find yourself being busy and moving quickly, stop and recite the Trisagion (Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us); drive the actual posted speed limit.

Things will get done. Christmas will come. Baby Jesus will arrive. The question we need to ask ourselves as we begin to navigate the holiday waters is this: Do we really want to exhaust ourselves trying to make for the “perfect” holiday?

The Holiday Season is almost upon us. Don't forget to care for yourself.

Blessings,

November 9, 2022

This past Sunday we celebrated two baptisms. The nave was filled with the sounds of children, choir, and other participants all taking their part in the worship experience. The nave was also filled with the scent of incense, its rising smoke taking our prayers, and the prayers of all the saints, up to the heavenly throne of God.

As we focused on the baptisms of Daphne and JD, we also remembered our own baptismal vows. Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself? Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

These are promises we make four times a year (Baptism of Christ, Easter Vigil, Pentecost, and All Saints' Day/Sunday). These are promises we should be trying to live into every day of our lives. And yet I can't help but think about all the times we don't.

Our country has somehow descended to a point where outright lies are cast as “alternative facts.” The sins and evils of racism (both individual and institutional), anti-Semitism, Christian Nationalism, and misogyny are on the rise. How willing are we to stand up and speak out in resisting those evils?

In the face of the bad news of the world, do we proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? Do we find opportunities to tell people why we are Christians and Episcopalians? Do we offer a message of hope to those who are suffering? Do we strive for justice and respect the dignity of every human being?

I bring this up because I am leading a small-group discussion through the program of Sacred Ground, a program put together by the Episcopal Church to confront issues of racism and white privilege. And while I am aware of how our country was built on stolen land, stolen people, and stolen labor, being aware is only part of the overall picture. It is heartbreaking to see and hear stories of how Native American peoples were systematically wiped out by European settlers. It is heartbreaking hear how the Europeans committed atrocities and used the media of the day to place the blame on those whom they killed. It is heartbreaking to see and hear stories of how Christians in general, and the Episcopal Church in particular, worked to stamp out native culture. And this doesn't even begin to address African people stolen from their land and homes to serve as slaves.

If we are to persevere in resisting evil and to respect the dignity of every human being, we must begin to acknowledge how we participate in and benefit from systems of racism and other evils. This is not easy and it is hard work; but it is also necessary work if we are help usher in the kingdom of God.

Among other things, I pray that the baptismal vows we make four times a year will one day become a lived reality for all people.

Blessings,

November 2, 2022

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who rose victorious from the dead, and comforts us with the blessed hope of everlasting life. For to your faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended; and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens. – Proper Preface for the Commemoration of the Dead

O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that on the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children – Collect for All Faithful Departed

Two days ago was Halloween, the day when Christians, armed with the knowledge that Christ defeated death by his passion and rose victorious through his resurrection, would dress up in costumes to mock death.

Yesterday was All Saints' Day, the day set aside to celebrate the great Saints of the Church. This was the day the Church remembered a doctor (Saint Luke), a queen (Mary, Queen of Scotland), a shepherdess (Joan of Arc), a soldier (Martin of Tours), a priest (John Donne), and those slain by fierce, wild beasts (Ignatius, Perpetua, and others). There are certainly other Saints of the Church, but when we sing a song of the Saints of God, these are those of whom that song is remembering.

Eventually people began to remember and commemorate all those Christians who weren't famous, or who didn't perform heroic acts in the name of the Church, and who are unknown to all but God in the wider fellowship of the Church. These are people like Polly, Joan, Bob, Bill, David, Sue and so many others that are known to only a few, but are also known and beloved by God. These are people who, like Matthias, are part of the company of the faithful but are never heard from or were written about. These are people who have simply and faithfully lived the life of a disciple, loving neighbors, caring for those in need, and proclaiming the good news of the Gospel in thought, word, and deed.

Today is the day we remember and commemorate All Faithful Departed, whether well-known or unknown. Today is the day when the words of Revelation 5:11 comes to life. Today is the day when, if we listen carefully, can hear angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven sing, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.”

Today is when we remember all those who have gone before for whom life is changed, not ended.

On this day, may you be comforted in the knowledge of God's loving embrace.

Blessings,