Written for Christmas Eve Worship for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho As we have on each of the Sundays of Advent, we stop by the creche on our way into worship. Not everyone has arrived yet, but the star of the show is finally here: baby Jesus, still red from birth, eyes yet to open, …
December 2020 archive
Dec 21
Advent 17 – Winter Solstice
Written as part of an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho Eight hours and twenty-seven minutes is all the daylight we get today. Just a smidgeon more than one-third of the twenty-four hours in this day. Sounds about right, given all the illness, death, division, restrictions, precautions, disappointments and down right destitution …
Dec 20
Setting Up the Creche – Mary
Written for Advent Worship with the UCC in Wallace, Idaho Mary has taken her place in the creche alongside Joseph and the shepherds. Not to sound too critical, but this set has her looking about as meek and mild as every other set I’ve ever seen. My experience of visiting new mothers has taught me …
Dec 17
Advent 14 – Joy
Written as part of an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho I had a conversation with someone the other day for whom the full weight of 2020 is sitting menacingly. Isolation, separation from family, the absence of friends and what feels like a total and complete non-observance of Christmas. As we approached …
Dec 16
Advent 13 – Angels
Written as an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho When was the last time you were visited by an angel? Don’t tell me you haven’t been. Obviously you know your life better than I do, but I think angels stop by and visit us all the time. It’s more about us not …
Dec 14
Advent 12 – Journey
Written as an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho I wonder when they struck out and just how long they took to make the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Ninety miles is what I hear, and grueling at best. They had to travel along the flatlands of the Jordan River and then …
Dec 13
Setting Up the Creche – Joseph
Written for Advent Worship for the UCC in Wallace, Idaho Joseph has arrived at the creche and taken his place. If he seems awkward and unsure of himself, it’s because he is. None of this is unfolding the way that he anticipated, and now… well, now he isn’t sure which end is up, much less …
Dec 11
Advent 10 – The Stranger
Written for an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, ID Roxy came calling this summer, and brought her humans with her. A soft spoken, perky eared canine with feathery pantaloons, she appeared at the door with her proud tail wagging and a smile on her face. Yes, this dog smiles. She’s also a …
Dec 10
Advent 9 – Hanukkah
Written as part of an Advent Daily Devotional for the UCC in Wallace, ID At sunset tonight, Jews all over the world will gather in their homes and light the first candle in their Menorah. Night by night, they will light one more until all eight Hanukkah candles are burning. They will eat latkes, spin …
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