Category Archives: Advent

December 19, 2012 · 9:47 am

Every Child Born Changes the Entire World

stone-manger

A stone manger, possibly similar to Jesus’ first resting place

Every child born changes the entire world.

Whether eagerly longed for or dreaded, male or female, impoverished or ultra-wealthy, every child changes the world.

Whether loaded with physical and mental challenges or worry-free healthy, a musical prodigy or profoundly tone-deaf, hair sunny-silky light or wildly curly/kinky dark, skin glorious ebony-rich to albino-like pale, every child changes the world.

Whether left or right-handed, born already reading philosophy or never able to read even one word, oldest or youngest or in a middle position–no matter the characteristics or circumstances, every single child born changes the entire world.

Think about it:  no family dynamic is ever the same after the entry of a child. As families change, so do systems the family impacts. The products purchased change, touching local and far-flung merchants.  More laundry, less neatness; less sleep, more irritation, more doctor’s visits, fewer child-free entertainment options.  More child-safe items, fewer breakables. Everything changes.

Some changes are small, and barely noticed.  Others become history-recorded legends.

Some babies grow up to massacre innocent children; others grow up to offer their lives for the good of many.

We never know which it will be when we take the risk to bear and rear children.  There are no assurances in the world of child-bearing, despite pre-natal screening, genetic testing, or even seeking control by purchasing the “perfect” sperm or egg donor.

Bringing life into this world is a venture ALWAYS fraught with risk.

Anyone wishing to live a perfectly safe, controlled, unsurprising, grief-free, never ruffled life should never, ever consider having a child.  Ever.

Furthermore, anyone who thinks their own offspring can be kept perfectly safe from harm and horror lives in a world of sad delusion.

Despite our best efforts to keep our children safe, other parents’ children may bring the worst of deaths to them and the worst of agony to their families.

Each adult was at some point a baby.  Each of our births also changed the entire world.  Some of us have changed the world for the better, others for less than better, but none has been a neutral force.  It cannot be.

We live in a world full of passionate love, messy brokenness, anguish, hurt, pain, longing, hope, connection, and separation.

It is from broken, messy people that the Redeemer of the world emerged, whose birth we celebrate this time of the year.  It is also from this broken, messy world that the murderer of the innocents last week was born.

Both chose death, one so that he might bring others down with him into his own writhing darkness, the other so that he might bring others with him into the light of freedom.

A huge gulf separates the two.  But both changed the world, and both changed it irrevocably.

Most of us fit somewhere in between those two polarities. We are neither so evil and bent on destruction as the one nor so holy and determined on redemption as the other.  But we all still change the world irrevocably by our choices, and by our responses to those who offer life and to those who offer death.

Why don’t we try something this year in which grief seems to be tainting celebrations?  Why doesn’t every single person who acknowledges this ancient birth story find some Christmas service somewhere, no matter where you travel or live? Spend one to two hours, out of the multiplicity of hours that will be spent in travel, shopping, cooking, wrapping, feasting, opening and returning, just one or two hours in worship somewhere.  One or two hours, being still, contemplating both a world that needs a redeemer and the possibility of such a one actually showing up.

That act, too, will change the world.

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December 16, 2012 · 8:37 pm

From Barren to Baby, Hope After Tragedy

From Barren to Baby

From Barren to Baby

As did many clergy, I faced a dilemma with this Sunday’s message after the events of Friday’s massacre of children.

For Advent this year, I had decided to do a series I called “From Barren to Baby” and speak of some of Jesus’ ancestors, particularly those whose stories started with the barren woman scenario.  I learned long ago that when a passage in the Bible begins to speak of a woman unable to have children, it is code for, “Pay attention!!!  Something important is about to happen!”

So, we’ve looked at the Abraham-Sarah-Hagar saga and then at the very strange story of Judah and Tamar, filling in a few of the details between the two.  Next Sunday, I’ll speak of Ruth’s journey from childless Moabite to grandmother of the greatest ever king of Israel.  But today, I moved out of the ancestry line a bit and went to Hannah’s story about the conception of Samuel.

We have three services each Sunday and I readily admit that our first service, very small in attendance and always accompanied by Holy Communion, is also my practice hour for the other two services.  For the two later services, I use the screen to move my message from point to point so that the congregation can more easily follow, and more easily remember what we are talking about.  The first service does not use screens other than to project an image appropriate for the season.  However, I use my printouts of the visuals to direct my words and thoughts.

The slide below was intended as the last slide before my concluding remarks.

messed-up-ancestors

It turned out to be the transition point to connect the events in Newtown, CT with the birth of the Savior.

I reminded us all that every baby born changes the entire world in some way or another.  Some in huge, history-recorded ways, like Samuel and, obviously, Jesus.  Some obscurely, but even so, every family is changed when a baby is born and when a family is changed, so is everyone around them, and so on.  No one leaves this world untouched.

I also reminded us all that the young man who brought this unimagined sorrow this past week was more than likely welcomed and loved when he was born, as was every child and adult who has now died as a result of his life.  Each of them changed the world in some way, and left their own indelible mark upon it.

It is from broken, messy people that the Redeemer of the world emerged.  It is because of their stories that we could indeed light the candle of joy today, for joy has nothing to do with happiness, and all to do with acknowledging the presence of God in the midst of our sorrows.  We have not been abandoned.  We continue to have the privilege of being the salt of the earth and the light of the world no matter what is happening around us or to us.

The Savior has indeed come, and in the time of preparation we call Advent, we may know that the light is getting closer.

Yes, there is immense pain, and it will never fully recede for those most closely affected by these events.  But the darkness will not overcome the light.  On that promise, we may stand, however shakily, and however shaken to our core by our tears.  My prayers are with all who are feeling this so painfully.

The Candle of Joy for the Third Sunday in Advent

The Candle of Joy for the Third Sunday in Advent

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December 14, 2012 · 11:54 am

A Normal Day Interrupted by a Divine Appointment?

the pastor's desk

The view of my desk from the chair

I woke yesterday with a sense of work-urgency informing my plans for the day.  It was the first day I had any real schedule freedom to do intensive work on the many messages that need to be prepared and delivered in the next 12 days.

My Director of Worship and I have been working on the services for several weeks.  Initial concepts have been examined and modified, perfected, so to speak.  Music pieces discussed, musicians recruited, especially for the 11:00 pm Christ Mass on December 24, and our first ever Blue Christmas service on December 20. Acolytes and readers are lined up, other details settled.

We signed off on all the services and the wonderful and skillful volunteer who puts all this information in clear and artful form into our presentation software went to work.

Now it was time for me to outline the messages, find illustrations and visuals that will help the worshippers enter more fully into the biblical world and connect it to ours and to remember more fully the core of the message, and get all this information screen-ready.

I decided to work on the media computer, because working with three screens makes this work easier for me.  Plus, it meant I would be far less available for the many “drop-ins” whom I normally welcome with joy.  But the pressure was on.

Deep into the Scriptures, supported spiritually by the work of the Director of Worship as he was creating a new arrangement on the keyboard at the same time, I didn’t even notice someone entering the media booth.  When I did look up, one of the day care workers told me, “There is someone in the hall who says he must talk with the pastor.  He says he is not a church member. Are you available?”

I have to admit I rolled my eyes in frustration, pretty sure I was going to face someone coming in for a handout, and fought against the temptation to send a message saying I was unavailable.  A bit tense, I went to the hall to greet the visitor.

I saw a young man, casually dressed, polite, but with sadness hanging over him.

I invited him to my office, choosing to sit behind my desk rather than the more conversational chair and couch, thinking it might send a subtle message of how busy and important I am.

Oh yes, I do have a high opinion of myself, don’t I?

He began to speak, and I noticed immediately something huge was on his heart.  Suspecting a need for privacy, I shut the office door, and invited him to tell his story fully.

No details here–what was spoken shall be kept confidential.  What I saw, though, was a young man, not having been in a church building in over 13 years, whom God had touched profoundly in a dream last night.  He was also in a very, very difficult situation, much of his own making.

Long pockets of silence punctuated our time together.  I saw before me a man of powerful character, choosing to speak painful truths, finding freedom in that honesty, and who was at his own moment of conversion.  I also saw a painful life situation that has no easy way out.

We prayed together.  He wept.  My heart ached.

As our conversation ended, he said with confidence and with a much lighter countenance , “I will be in church on Sunday.”

He thanked me for the time and expressed concern for the interruption.  I replied with my own honesty:  ”You are far more important that what I was working on.  I am so glad I was here when you came in.”

Yes, I was.  And as I resumed work on the message, I knew once more the answer to the question of the season, “Does the world need a Savior?”  Yes, it does, and that Savior shows up in the most inauspicious of circumstances.  Kind of like my visitor.  Divine appointments happen in multiple ways, sometimes by angelic announcements to lonely shepherds; sometimes by unwanted interruptions in the life of an oh-so-busy pastor.

I don’t know for sure what that young man experienced in our encounter.  And I’m not sure what I encountered either, other than the mystery of the working and wooing of the Holy Spirit to bring all of humanity back into reconciliation with our Holy God. I also know that I have been touched in a way that is life-changing for me.

This is the story of Christmas.  So much better than the glitter and the gold.  This is a life redeemed.  And I’m talking about my own.

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December 8, 2012 · 10:21 am

More on the Confusion Between Santa and God

Santa with Cookies and MilkThis letter appeared in the “Dear Abby” advice column that was in the newspaper on December 8, 2012:

DEAR ABBY: Last night I received a call from my almost-5-year-old granddaughter asking me for Santa Claus’ phone number. It seems she is very angry at her daddy for calling her a brat because she wouldn’t give him a hug. She wants to tattle on her daddy to Santa.

Her parents are not together. Her daddy’s involvement has been only within the last year. She seemed very upset about the incident, and I want to make sure “Santa” gives her a good answer. I asked her to write a letter instead of phoning Santa to give me time for an answer. Did I do the right thing?

OK, readers, do you see the problem here?  Think about this five-year-old:  instead of being taught about a Holy and Loving God who cares fully for her and also calls her into Christ-likeness, she’s been taught that Santa has the power to punish and reward and whose job is to make sure she gets what she wants.

No where in the response does the advice columnist suggest that perhaps perpetuating the idea that Santa is God may not be in the best interest of the child.  Nope.  Let’s just placate the child’s anger and get on the dad’s case for expressing some frustration with this damaged child.

Sometimes I wonder what future cultural anthropologists, exploring the religious beliefs of 21st century Americans, will make of the Santa myths.  Their report will read something like this:

A book, written for children in the late 1880′s, became the guiding center for nearly all US families for about three to six months of each year.  The deity described in that book, an overweight man with a prodigious appetite for overly sweetened carbs and cow milk, appeared to have supernatural powers and supernatural knowledge. What we are having trouble understanding is why he was worshipped only during certain months of the year.  It could be that he changed shaped into an overly large bunny in the spring and perhaps hibernated in the summer.  It will take much further investigation to understand this religious belief.

So, I just keep asking:  why do we do this?

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December 4, 2012 · 2:20 pm

Christmas Advice Column: Why Sad Christmas Music?

advent-candle-blurDear Christmas Advice-Giver,

Why are some of the religious Christmas Carols so sad when this is the season of happiness?  I mean, really, “In the Bleak Midwinter?”  Nothing like a downer.  Aren’t we all supposed to be just super joyful right now?  And what does “bleak” mean anyway?

Signed, “Bleakless”

Dear Bleakless,

Here’s the situation:  For much of Christian church history (i.e., before advertising took over the world), the four weeks before Christmas Day were weeks of soul-searching, fasting, and preparation.  The formal name for this time is Advent, which simply means “coming toward.”  So, we are “coming toward” the entrance of Jesus into the world.  The question before the people is this:  “Why?  Why does the world need a Savior?”

Let us think about it and take a few minutes to intentionally enter the suffering of the world.  As a starter, consider the untold millions who are what is called “food insecure.” They really don’t know if there is adequate food even for the day to keep them from gnawing, weakness-inducing, muscle-wasting hunger.  Next, notice the pockets of extreme political instability. We see people sitting on their spark-ready tinderboxes, just waiting for the next provocation, imagined or real, to appear.  Finally, we might look at economic and climate uncertainties. With a tightly interconnected world economy and a fragile and vulnerable infrastructure, the relative comfort experienced by many could realistically disappear within hours.

Now, does the world need redeeming?  Do we need to be set free from the binding chains of darkness?  Do we need healing?  Do we need to connect with people across the divide of intractable differences? Do we need to use our creative minds for the larger good rather than mutual destruction?  Do we need to relearn the rhythms of life, work, play and worship that nourish and fill us rather than overly-stimulate us and then squeeze the last drop of life-moisture from us?

If we can answer “yes” to any of those questions, then music that reflects the deep longings of the soul makes a lot more sense.  Seriously, most of us really do want world peace for Christmas.

So, let’s think a bit about the push to be “super joyful” right now.  Where do you primarily see that message?  Mostly from businesses who want you to buy their stuff, the more expensive the better and, lots and lots of it.  They hold out promises that if you do, you will find utter bliss upon either giving or receiving that stuff.

Certainly gift-giving is a great idea. I don’t want to dismiss that custom.  We need celebrations, and we especially need them as the days become shorter and the nights become longer. We need lights and music and festivities.  We need Christmas Day.

But a world with only lights, and never the darkness to appreciate them, quickly turns dull and unappreciated.

Look at some of the words to “In The Bleak Midwinter.”

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him:  give my heart.

This song, originally written as a Christmas poem by Christina Rosetti in 1872, was set to music in the early 1900’s.  The words beautifully show both the loneliness (bleakness, empty, hard, cold) of Jesus’s birth and our human incapacity to give adequately in response to such a great gift given to us.

By entering into some of the sorrow of the season, we gain greater capacity to find the delight and joy in it as well.

Merry Christmas,
Your friendly Christmas Advice-Giver

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November 27, 2012 · 8:29 am

Santa is NOT Jesus!

I love Christmas music.  The great hymns and classical pieces fill my soul and some of the other lighter pieces add a nice touch of frivolity to the season.  But I have one major gripe.

A few days ago, I was idly listening to some Christmas music on TV while halfway engaged in another task. Suddenly the words to a song penetrated my distracted brain.  The words were, “He’ll be here with the answer to prayers that you made through the year.  They’ll be yours if you’ve done everything you should extra special good.”

Startled I glanced up in time to get the name of the song (“Everyone’s Waitin’ for the Man with the Bag”) and looked up the words to make sure I heard them accurately.

I did.

The “he” referred to in this song is Santa Claus.  Santa, the one who answers our prayers.

Now, this is a particularly bad holiday song for a lot of reasons. I’d never even heard it before.  Doubt if most of us have. Don’t buy it.

Nonetheless, it does express a disturbing sentiment:  Santa knows everything, has magical powers, can make you happy and your dreams come true.  In other words, Santa is pretty close to God or at least what we’d like God to be.

I am not a complete curmudgeon.  I think it is a fun to do Santa make-believe, to tell the story of that great and generous saint who inspired the story, and to read with delight the classic “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

I simply don’t want to see Santa confused with Jesus, particularly in the minds of small children.  The whole “You better be good, you better watch out” thing has become a religion of its own. I’ve actually seen parents get more upset when their children quit believing in Santa Claus than they do when these same children declare disbelief in God.

By the way, I am not complaining about the commercialization of Christmas.  I have many friends whose livelihood comes from the retail world. Holiday shopping makes or breaks their businesses. We live in an economy supported primarily by consumer spending rather than, for example, manufacturing or agriculture.  We need to spend to stay afloat.

I am also not campaigning to “put Christ back in Christmas.” The essence of Christmas is found in its name, a shortened version of “Christ Mass,” that holy celebration and acknowledgement of the centrality of Christ to Christianity.  We can’t take Christ out of Christmas.  Don’t need to put him back in.I also don’t care when I hear “happy holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.”  This IS a holiday time, and those who don’t celebrate the religious holiday of Christmas but who still “Christmas” shop deserve sensitivity.My problem is this:  When we teach that Santa is like God, or is God, as is the case in this awful song, we do a terrible disservice both to the name and reputation of God and to the children who buy into this “gonna make my dreams come true” idea of God.This, then becomes my plea to all who shape the spiritual world of children (that, by the way, is every single person who comes in contact with or influences children in any way): have fun with the Santa story, but make it clear that this is make-believe, like Peter Pan or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Cinderella or any other well-loved children’s story.  Encourage the magic and the generosity that flows from the sweetness of this story.  Just don’t turn Santa into God.

Santa Claus is a fun fable.  The Holy Creator God is a whole other story.

Let us ask, “How do I want the children we influence to be shaped spiritually?  What happens when we teach something we know is just a story to be actually true?”

Let’s both be wise AND have fun.  Happy Holidays!

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December 13, 2011 · 2:04 pm

The Bank Run

Three times on Sunday morning I gave a message titled “The Bank Run.”  It compared George Bailey’s experience of the bank run in “It’s a Wonderful Life” with our own life experiences of everything going wrong. This was a way to enter the Scriptures of Isaiah and the preparation for the reception of the Savior.

During Advent this year, I have suggested that we move away from the forced happiness of the season into the much richer experience of joy.

Happiness demands that the world go our way. Joy becomes ours when we embrace hard times and are shaped into something beautiful.

Happiness insists on no pain. Joy comes with pain.

I asked my congregation to look times when all seemed to turn against them and darkness prevailed. Those moments help us recognize our need for a Savior. I reminded us all that when tested by fire, our true characters emerge. Hopefully, we come through darkness and trials as more compassionate and wiser people, reflections of the face of God.

I didn’t know that, as I spoke, two family groups would soon be experiencing their own excruciating darkness.

Earlier, one church member had expressed concern for his brother in surgery. As he waited in the foyer of the church for news about him, three State Troopers arrived. They wanted to speak to Dallas Miller.

A few moments later, Dallas, her husband Jeff, and I heard the news: Dallas had lost her son, George Harward, and her mother, Deana Stockton, in a tragic car accident. George’s sister, Helen, was then told that she lost her brother and her grandmother. George’s stepbrother, Chase, then heard the news.

Four hours later, a phone call gave me the news that the brother of my church member who had been taken into emergency surgery had died.

How easy to get into God’s face and say, “What WERE You thinking?” as though God arranged for those tragedies to occur in this place on this day.
Surely not. Surely, surely, God is not the author of evil, of broken hearts and dreams, of untimely deaths. Surely these are the ramifications of living in a broken world, one looking to be knit back together again.

Some people will turn their backs on God after this news, unable to separate the Santa Claus-god who is supposed to cater to every whim from the Almighty God who calls us to a life of holiness.That’s not a bad thing.  It is healthy to leave such magical thinking behind for a life of reflective faith and relationship with the Holy One.

Even so, knowing what I know, after those first excruciating hours with the family, and very aware what else this week would bring, I came inches from leaving the work I love so very, very much.

My own pain simply swallowed me. I love the members and participants of this church. I have come, in just 5 1/2 years, to care passionately about the people of Krum and the Denton area. Their pains and joys have become mine.

I loved George. Smart, funny, talented and troubled, he was a typical teen, moving uniquely through the world of that awful teen angst. Driving people crazy, he endeared himself to them in the process. He wormed his way into my heart, and I held him there with great affection.

He changed me by becoming a part of my life. I am a richer person because of him. I will not easily get past his death, but I will stake my life on the fullness of life that is now his.

His death, as well as these other deaths, mark another bank-run moment for those whose lives were intertwined with his. What we will do with it will expose and define our characters.  May we each walk through this with deep awareness of the presence of God whose love has no end, and find our joy.

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November 29, 2011 · 5:34 pm

God With Us? Are You Sure?

I am convinced that, despite what I am sure will be countless calls to “Put Christ back into Christmas!” and other such yearly holiday pleas, most people really have no desire for God to actually show up during this season.

We sing, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” With these words, we call for God to be with us.  The tune touches us, the words sound good.

But I wonder—yes I wonder. I wonder if we know what we are asking for when we sing these words.

Personally, I think we expect a heavenly butler to show up and do our bidding. After all, isn’t that what God is about?  To make sure we human beings are fulfilled, happy, rich and satisfied?

Surely God is Santa Claus squared–just waiting to deliver all those toys for big boys and girls as well as little ones!

But as I read the prophets, especially as they speak of the Day of the Lord, I see that the day when God does show up is more to be dreaded than celebrated. In the holy presence of God, real righteousness and justice show up. Our own pretendings as righteous and just people are exposed as sham coverings to hide ambition, selfishness and pettiness.

I am particularly struck this year by the words in Mary’s Magnificat–those worlds of praise she spoke after Elizabeth, her cousin, confirmed that she was indeed carrying in her womb the Holy One.

They are not comforting words for those who have much material comfort themselves.

Mary’s song says that God, in remembering her lowly status, “ . . . has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree. He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He has sent empty away.”

Could it be the reason that most Americans prefer Christmas to the far more important celebrations of Easter and Pentecost is that at Christmas, we get to see the Holy One as helpless baby?

That means we get to tell God what to do, as we put the diapers on Jesus’ little behind.

But at Easter, when facing the resurrected Christ, and at Pentecost, when acknowledging that God does indeed expect transformed lives, we tend to get a bit skittish.  We have to stop worshiping ourselves.

Christianity could dispense with Christmas altogether (the Gospels of Mark and John have no stories of the birth of Jesus and nor is it mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament) and probably experience a far more robust form of faith.

Some faith groups have actually forbidden the celebration of Christmas. In addition, church historians know that part of the reason for the December date is to incorporate early celebrations of the winter solstice. It is unlikely that this birth took place in December.

Even so, I think the celebration of the Incarnation has biblical legitimacy. In addition, fun, lights, decorations, gifts, parties and make-believe help fill out the human soul and can be delightful pointers to the Holy One.

Yet I grieve to see Santa Claus turned into an object of worship and reverence, one who knows all and can be everywhere and is the giver of all good gifts. Omniscience and omnipresence are characteristic of God and God alone.

God, and God alone, holy, just, full of mercy, deserves to be worshiped. But that’s scary, so we choose the mediated Santa, prefer to see the Divine as helpless baby, and ignore words spoken to Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Remember this question: “Does the world need a Savior?”

 

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November 22, 2011 · 11:06 am

This Time of the Year

Always at this time of the year, I find myself both looking forward to and dreading Christmas.

I look forward to the music, to the lights and decorations. They remind me of angelic hosts announcing good news that God enters fully into human experience. I delight in the extra generosity that encourages us to look out for others especially at this time of the year. I am grateful for the parties and those who go to the trouble to host them and for the family gatherings that renew those precious ties to one another. I enjoy the pleasure some of my friends receive from having a different Christmas outfit to wear for every day of the season.

I dread the pressure to buy and struggle with the growth of crushing credit card debt that comes with undisciplined spending. Although I have much fondness for Saint Nicolas, that master of secret gift-giving, I dread the decorations and music that indicate that Santa Claus plays the all-knowing God and is himself the center of the season. I resent messages and advertising that turn this time into “What do I get?” instead of “What can I give?” all of which adds to the growing problem of entitled children and youth who see the act of giving as a one way street.

Most of all, I dislike the pressure to be happy, when in reality, this time leading to Christmas is tinged with sadness. The biblical story of the incarnation—the act of the divine taking on human form—is, from the beginning, full of sorrow.  Mary, mother of Jesus, knows that someday a sword will pierce her heart.

Is that any different from what any mother should expect? Our own childbearing, while overflowing with joy, also must be tempered with sorrow.  Children will and do break out hearts.  Sometimes we face our worst nightmare—seeing our children pass from this life before we ourselves do.  Perhaps there is some grace in knowing that this sorrow is shared by the one known as the Mother of God.

Just a few words here, both for me and for those who might want to look more closely at what we do and why we do it.

Advent, the time before the actual celebration of Christmas, is the time to ask this question, “Does the world need a Savior?”

So, as we decorate our houses and work places and do the shopping and bake delectable items and prepare for family and friends, we might take a few minutes to ask these questions:

  • How can I prepare my soul for the entrance of the Savior?
  • How can I most honor God with all my activities and preparations for this season?
  • Will I actually honor God by regular attendance at worship, along with times of prayer and acts of charity, or will I use the busyness and expense of the season as an excuse to opt out?
  • What will those around me learn from my behavior and use of financial resources of my love for God and my preparation for the Savior?
  •  In what ways is the world alienated from God?
  • Who do I know that is suffering?
  • In what ways may I graciously offer the possibility of peace and good will to them?
  • In what ways can I help children and youth move from getting to giving during this time?
  • What would I most hope to experience during this time of preparation?
  • What could I do that would make those hopes a reality for myself and for someone else?

These questions are simply a way to move thoughtfully into this season.  And, for all who are going to brave the crowds and wade courageously into the shopping frenzy known as Black Friday:  Be Careful Out There!

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November 19, 2007 · 11:14 am

>“Shop and Prepare”

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, and the shopping frenzy has begun. Actually, some stores opened late in the evening on Thanksgiving Day, and many others opened at midnight or 1:00 a.m. this morning. Those who create economic indices will be watching carefully to see what kind of money was spent today. By Monday, the business sections will be full of comparisons and prognostications. Was this year better or worse than last year? Will retailers end in the black? How much will the sub-prime mortgage crash affect consumer willingness to spend during this holiday season?

Many churches, on the other hand, will be imploring people, “Don’t forget what Christmas is all about! Remember, ‘Jesus is the reason for the season.’” We’ll be saying, “Slow down—this is a time of preparation for the birth of the Savior.” We’ll also be saying, “And if you really feel the need to spend a lot of money, for goodness sake, don’t forget to give some to the church! Or at the very least, remember the homeless and hungry in the process of filling our already over-filled houses with even more things we really don’t need.”

This tension between church and society over this holiday is not new. When Oliver Cromwell and the Puritan Party came to power in England in the middle of the 17th century, all Christmas celebrations were outlawed. I also understand that anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit in Boston in the mid-to-late 1600’s was fined! All this came from their Puritan heritage. The motive was good. They wanted the people to remember the entrance of the Savior to the world with reverence and awe. But the means were awful—legislation that tells people they can’t celebrate will never, ever work.

Personally, I think we need to honor both traditions. It’s the church’s job to encourage us to recognize that the world does indeed need a Savior and to use this time to prepare for it. That is why we call this season “Advent.” It simply means “Coming.” The Sent One is soon to arrive. It’s a time to decorate with greens for the evergreen is a sign of life and hope. The wreath that many hang on their doors is the circle that represents the eternality of God. Just as the circle has no beginning or end, in God there is no beginning and no end. The Advent Candles, three violet ones and one rose-colored, will be progressively lit, adding one each Sunday. These remind us that the Light of the World is indeed coming and we need to get ready for that.

But it is also a time set aside to let loose with parties and joy and giving and relaxation and vacations. It’s a time to consider others and fill food pantries and go into a baking frenzy and enjoy multiple sports activities and take a break from work and school. It’s a time to spend money, plan surprises, and express our hope for the future.

So, let the party begin. Shop well, have fun with the preparations, and come to church each week in Advent. Take a couple of hours each Sunday to open your hearts anew to the Savior. Plan on attending a Christmas Eve worship service. Prepare your homes AND prepare your hearts. You can do both and I hope you will.

“A Pastor’s Thoughts” from First UMC, Krum, http://www.thekrumchurch.com

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