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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Jan Caldwell

We wait…for information about the virus that is sweeping the world, to see if we, or a loved one contracts the virus, for Zoom calls, for Amazon deliveries, for tomorrow…We remember…what our lives used to be like, going to restaurants, traveling, visiting friends in their homes, hugs…We pray this next year will be one of preparing….with vaccinations, continued care to keep ourselves and each other safe and well, how to return to our public and busy lives, how to tell our hearts to beat again…We rejoice always in the knowledge God is with us and He will never leave us.  In this season of uncertainty, we turn to Him for courage, discernment, peace, love.    “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you”.  (Deuteronomy 31:6)

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118:5-9

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. With the Lord on my side I do not fear. What can mortals do to me? The Lord is on my side to help me;  I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in mortals. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  Written by Emilie Griffin, a contemporary American author who writes about religious experience, prayer, and spiritual life.

Dear Lord, there are signs of trouble and anxiety all around me. Give me confidence to trust in your incarnate presence in a fearful world. Help me know that I am a child of God. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Animated Faith:  Fear, Fear Not Mary

IMAGE: Painted by Connie McCoy of our church

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Barb Hoekstra, a contemporary Christian author. This is an excerpt from her devotion Advent: Lessons in Waiting.

In the case of waiting, experience does not generate expertise. We all have experience waiting. We endure short-term waiting in lines, at stoplights, or for commercials to be over. We endure long-term waiting for decisions to be made, diagnoses to be given, and events to occur. With all this experience, we think we should be good at it. Unfortunately, we aren’t usually very good at waiting. We wait in a variety of unhealthy ways: passively, helplessly, anxiously, and angrily. Waiting is so pervasive and encompassing it moves beyond being a mental act, causing bodily responses such as thumb twiddling, hand wringing, nail biting, and fist pounding. I can remember feeling physically sick as my husband and I waited for our son, Max, to come to our family from an orphanage in China. Thirteen months felt like an awful endlessness. During this very uncomfortable wait for Max, I was driven to consider waiting in better ways. I was led to an Advent reading by Henri Nouwen, titled Waiting for God (1993). Nouwen showed me that the Bible is full of “waiters”—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, Simeon and Anna—and these people are representative of the remnant of Israel. Nouwen asks and answers the question, “How are they [people of the Bible] waiting, and how are we called to wait with them?” Nouwen’s conclusions are insightful and practical: 1) People who wait have received a promise that allows them to wait; 2) while waiting, we are to be fully present in the moment; 3) a waiting person is a patient person who believes something hidden will be evident to us; 4) waiting is open-ended, filled with hope for what God desires to bring us beyond our imagination; 5) we wait together; and, 6) we wait patiently in expectation. While we wait for the mundane or the Magnificent, let us wait like Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary, and Simeon and Anna: attentively and expectantly.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 33:20-22

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  From the Gelasian Sacramentary, a book of Christian liturgy, which is the oldest western liturgical book that has survived.  The book is linked to Pope Gelasius I. It was compiled near Paris around 750.

O Lord our God, make us watchful and heedful as we await the coming of your Son, Christ our Lord, that when he comes and knocks, he will find us not sleeping in sins but awake and rejoicing in his praises; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Cherokee Hills Church: Beauty in the Waiting

IMAGE: Bethanie Sulleza: Waiting

If using an advent wreath, light the first purple candle and the second purple candle.  The second candle represents faith and is called “Bethlehem’s Candle.” Micah had foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, which is also the birthplace of King David.

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Larkie Cook

This praying mantis on our gratitude rock (see picture below) reminded Jim and me of how grateful we are for our health, a loving family, and a loving God. Even during these trying times, we consider ourselves thankful to be living in such a beautiful location with perfect weather and with support from wonderful friends from our church and community.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 138:1-3

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  Written by Richard John Neuhaus (1936-2009), a Christian cleric and writer.

Liberate us, we pray you, Lord, from the getting and grasping to which we are prone. Teach us the royal way of the law of the gift, that in giving not only things but ourselves we may know even now the life abundant you promise to bring to perfection in eternal life with you. Increase in us gratitude for your gift of yourself, and let that gift of gratitude inspire us to the greatness of living our lives as love in in response to love.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Celtic Women: Joy to the World

IMAGE: Photo submitted by Larkie Cook

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Valerie Weaver

It was Christmas, 1968. I had just joined my husband who was in the Navy stationed at Cubi Point, Naval Air Station in the Philippines. We were waiting for a place on base and living in a small apartment in Olongapo City. Our personal shipment had not arrived and our small apartment was bare and Christmas was almost upon us. We felt far from home and family, alone and adrift in a strange culture and land. Just before Christmas Day we learned that the Navy had shipped in a load of Christmas trees from Japan. We rushed to get one and quickly set it up in our empty living room, but we had no decorations. At a local market we found some small Chinese lanterns that became the only decorations for our little tree. Finally, our temporary shelter felt like home. It wasn’t really the tree or the small lanterns but the act of starting our celebration. We realized that we could celebrate the birth of our Lord no matter how far we were from our geographical home. He was with us and we were indeed home wherever we were. I use those lanterns still every Christmas as a reminder that He is with us always and wherever we may be.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 24:1-2

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas and established it on the rivers.

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PRAYER:  Written by Richard John Neuhaus (1936-2009), a Christian cleric and writer.

Awaken, O Lord Jesus, our hearts and minds to your presence in the world of your love’s creating. Forbid that we should stumble through this day oblivious to the wonder in the ordinary. With your grace, startle us into faith’s perception of your continuing creation in our lives. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  From A Christmas Carol: A Place Called Home

IMAGE: Christmas Lanterns photo submitted by Valerie Weaver

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Vickie Stone

In 2014 I was updating my kitchen.  I very much wanted to create a mosaic backsplash for above my stove top. But I struggled on what to create that I would be happy with how it turned out, since I had only created one other mosaic and was quite new to this art form AND this backsplash would be in my kitchen for a long time! One Sunday while sitting in church and gazing at our lovely Rose Trinity window behind the church altar, it occurred to me — I could find a similar design that had meaning to me and it would be the perfect addition to my remodeled kitchen. After some online research, I settled on a design known as a four point or Quaternary knot; a traditional Celtic design. For me, the design’s outer circle represents the continuity of family love.  And the four interlocking ‘petals’ represent myself and my three siblings in my family.  I am very happy with how it turned out and to this day I also enjoy the knowledge that our church’s window was the catalyst for my design.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 22:27-28

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.
For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

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PRAYER:  Written by Emilie Griffin, a contemporary American author who writes about religious experience and spiritual life.

Dear God, my life is a maze of ordinary things: work, family, church, correspondence, bill-paying, filling out forms. Help me to see that in fulfilling my obligations I am serving you. Let me be open to the grace of the random encounter. Give me glimpses of  your reality in the middle of things. Let me recognize the Messiah, as Simeon did. And help me to live by your commandment of love, no matter what the cost. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Tim McGraw: Mary and Joseph

IMAGE: Photo submitted by Vickie Stone of our church

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Joanne Melton

Knowing that many of you have a similar memory, I would like to share mine with you. As a young family, Christmastime was the highlight of our year. The children’s choir rehearse sweet carols such as, Away In A Manger,” and What Child Is This….” Along with the children’s choir, there was practice for the Christmas Eve presentation of the journey of Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem, and ultimately, the birth of the Christ Child. It is a time when church staff, moms and dads, and grandmothers and grandfathers begin the process of casting who will be Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi, and of course, the angel. The stable needs to be built, costumes need to be sewn, hours of practice take place so the children will feel confident in their telling of this wonderful story. There are smiles, laughter, and tears. Always some last-minute glitches…tummy aches, or reluctance to take that first step, say that first word. It is the sweet innocence of the retelling of this special story, that we all know by heart, that means so much. The narrator begins the story. Mary and Joseph find no room at the inn.  They find comfort in the humble stable with all of God’s creatures who witness the birth of the baby, Jesus. The star shines brightly in the sky! The shepherds bring their sheep. The Magi bring their gifts. The children present this precious story as their gift to the congregation. It is given with love, innocence, kindness, and humbleness to remind us of the greatest gift…The Christ Child.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 89:1-2

I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

 I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  Written by Emilie Griffin, a contemporary American author who writes about religious experience, prayer, and spiritual life.

Lord, give me hope. Let me see your providential hand at work in every corner of society. And let me be refreshed by the innocence of children, Lord Jesus. Let me be amused by their antics, their sudden laughter, their glee. Help me to be touched by the naivete of the Christmas narrative, the angels bringing word to humanity, Mary and Joseph escaping with their child into Egypt. May the light of the Incarnation flood my heart. Help me bring your peace into the world. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Over A Thousand People Came Together To Break a Record And Bring This Moving Christmas Hymn To Life:  Gloria in Excelsis Deo.

IMAGE:

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Tsh Oxenreider, a contemporary writer.  This is an excerpt from her book “Shadow and Light: A Journey Into Advent.”

Advent means “arrival,” and it speaks of a beginning—the beginning. Advent assumes the arrival of something – or someone. It is more than counting down the days until Christmas with paper cutout doors revealing chocolate, biding time until most children’s favorite day of the year finally dawns. Like someone anticipating the arrival of a dinner guest, we are invited into the rhythm of Advent to prepare. We do more than impatiently drum our fingers on the table until we’re allowed to open gifts under the tree. We prepare ourselves.

Similar to our culture’s view of the first day of January as an invitation to reinvent ourselves, Advent gives us the chance to transform our lives—but in small, much more significant ways than a new workout regimen or a less cluttered closet. We are offered the chance to pause the push of holiday merriment and slowly inch asway from the shadows. This is a small but significant cultural resistance we can practice in our homes, minds, emotions, and relationships. Soon we will mark the arrival of the Christ child. For now, we revel in this invitation. First, we prepare inwardly.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 147:1, 5-7

Praise the Lord, how good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.  Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  Written by Luci Shaw, a contemporary American writer and poet.

Merciful God, in this Advent season we thank you that you can rewrite the script of our lives, moving us from wandering to arrival, from self-hatred to acceptance, from distance to nearness, from loneliness to belonging, from weakness to energy, and all this because of the enfleshment of your dear Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus, who became one of us and showed us the way. Amen.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  All of creation, all of God’s story, all of us, long for Christ’s coming. This video illustrates (through painting and song) how all of history culminates in the birth of Jesus. Skit Guys:  Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.

IMAGE: La Jolla painted by Catherine Montgrain of our church

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Nina Pope

Holiday traditions vary from family to family and add their own special joy to the Christmas season.  Over the years, some of our family’s traditions have been altered as one generation grows up and establishes its own traditions, some old and some new, in their own homes. One thing that remains a favorite at our house is a collection of Christmas books gathered and treasured over the years.  Some are by well-known authors, some written for children while others are more adult, some new and some so long a part of our collection that they are now out of print.  Some feature illustrations of great art and others have colorful artwork less well-known.  What they have in common is that they are all books about some aspect of what I call the real Christmas story.  One particular favorite offers the traditional Christmas story by a Venezuelan poet in a style reminiscent of   a Medieval manuscript; it combines Christian elements with drawings of toucans, cheetahs, monkeys and other animals in the perspective of South American culture. The books have been gently treated over the years and during the holiday season reside in a large basket in our family room where they are accessible to all for a leisurely or quick read depending on the moment.  Sometimes the books are enjoyed by a single reader or read to aloud to eager young listeners. When it is the moment to take them off the shelf and put them into the customary basket, it is like opening the front door to welcome in treasured friends and neighbors that you haven’t seen for a season and whom you cannot help but hug.

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 22:30-31

Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.

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PRAYER:  Written by Kathleen Norris, a contemporary American poet and essayist.

Bless us, Lord, as we seek Christ in the lowly mangers of this world, bless us, as we seek to honor the mystery of the Incarnation in our midst, remembering always that you made us, and all humanity in your divine image. Help us to gladly welcome today and all days, your Wisdom, your Power, your Emmanuel, your Prince of Peace.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  King Digital Media: Mary Did You Know? 

IMAGE: Early 1904 Postcard

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Close your eyes, breathe, and clear your mind. Be still. Center your scattered senses on God’s presence.

REFLECTION: Written by Laura Metzger

Advent is a time for slowing down and remembering, We are in the process of preparing our hearts to celebrate the incarnation of our God – the day Jesus became God With Us. This remembering is a time for our own deep reflection on how God is here with us in our daily lives and  it is also a time of remembering to teach others about the God we love and worship.  What a wonderful opportunity to teach our children and grandchildren, our friends, and neighbors what it is we hold dear. Our faith has a deep history.  What are some interesting ways you can share your testimony, through both actions and words?

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 78: 1-4

My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.

I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old—things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.

We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Pause and meditate on the Scripture.

PRAYER:  Written by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer.

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

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MUSIC VIDEO:  Joy Williams: Here With Us 

IMAGE: Sunset painted by Catherine Montgrain of our church

If using an advent wreath, light the first purple candle, which symbolizes hope and is called the Prophet’s Candle. The prophets of the Old Testament, especially Isaiah, waited in hope for the Messiah’s arrival.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Hannah Whitall Smith  (1832-1911), a Christian lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement in the US and the Higher Life movement in the UK. She was active in the women’s suffrage movement and the temperance movement.

Things look differently to us according to our “point of view.” Trials assume a very different aspect when looked down upon from above, than when viewed from their own level. What seems like an impassable wall on its own level becomes an insignificant line to the eyes that see it from the top of a mountain. The snares and sorrows that assume such immense proportion while we look at them on the earthly plane, become insignificant when the soul has mounted on wings to the heavenly places above them. A friend once illustrated the difference to her friends in the following way. She said, if all three came to a spiritual mountain which had to be crossed, the first one would tunnel through it with hard and wearisome labor. The second would meander around it in an indefinite fashion, hardly knowing where she was going, and yet, because her aim was right, would get around it at last. But the third, she said, would just flap her winds and fly right over. All of us must know something about this. If any of us in the past have tried to tunnel our way through the mountains that have stood across our pathway, or have been meandering around them, let us now resolve to spread our winds and “mount up” into the clear atmosphere of God’s presence. There it will be easy to overcome, or come over, the highest mountain of them all.

PRAYER:

Written by Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva known for his deep faith and gentle approach to the religious divisions resulting from the Reformation.

Do not look forward in fear to the changes and chances of this life; rather, look to them with full confidence that, as they arise, God, to whom you belong will in His love enable you to profit by them.

He has guided you thus far in life, and He will lead you safely through all trials; and when you cannot stand it, God will bury you in His arms.

Do not fear what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you then and every day. He will either shield you from suffering, or will give you unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations. Amen.

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