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Written by Cindy Guy, from the Village Church.

As the Christmas holiday approaches, I am reminded of when I was young, and the family would gather together in anticipation of watching Charlie Brown Christmas special on TV.  I loved how Snoopy and the characters turned the Charlie Brown Christmas tree into a fully decorated tree blessed by love at Christmas.  Also, I was always inspired by the recitation that Linus gave from Luke 2: 8-14 and how it set the tone for the “reason for the season.”  So, every Christmas holiday, I grab my mug of hot chocolate and memorize the verses from Luke 2: 1-20, the time and place of Jesus’ birth, the angelic announcement, and the shepherds’ visit.  I love verse 19 and how Mary “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  I also like to memorize the classic poem “’ Twas the Night Before Christmas,” by Clement Clarke Moore, 1823.  May the Lord’s blessings find you and richly bless you this season.  Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a Happy Advent. 

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Written by Caryl Micklem, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “Contemporary Prayers for Public Worship.”

Lord God, we adore you because you have come to us in the past.
You have spoken to us in the Law of Israel.
You have challenged us in the words of the prophets.
You have shown us in Jesus what you are really like.

Lord God, we adore you because you still come to us now.
You come to us through other people and their love and concern for us.
You come to us through men and women who need our help.
You come to us as we worship you with your people.

Lord God, we adore you because you will come to us at the end.
You will be with us at the hour of death.
You will still reign supreme when all human institutions fail.
You will still be God when our history has run its course.

We welcome you, the God who comes.
Come to us now in the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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Written by Nina Pope, from the Village Church.

As dining rooms go, it was unusually large, and the leaded-glass cabinets that lined the length of the long wall added an old-world elegance.  Within the cabinets was a display of fine china and silver that could only be described as impressive.  Many of those contents had been given as wedding gifts, some others as pieces handed down through the family.  Their true treasure lay in the love with which they had been given. The wall of cabinets had a built-in sideboard where home-baked holiday pies would rest until Christmas dinner was finished and they were to be served.  The folks around the table had learned to save room for dessert because my mother had a knack for making the best pie crust ever.  An invitation to dinner any time of year was always well received because the food was always beyond delicious then pie was sure to follow.  My father always served the pie with a certain gleam in his eye, enjoying both the anticipation of a tasty slice and pride in his wife’s reputation for the feast she always created.  Sorry to say, none of her children learned the secret of making her pie crust because there was no written recipe but only the advice that the dough had to “feel right”. The table was wide and had several leaves to accommodate sizeable groups.  Linens, silverware, candlesticks, crystal all joined to make the whole room look special, and the center of it all was always a large arrangement of flowers from the garden.  It was a sight to behold; eat your heart out Martha Stewart! Best of all were the moments when the table was surrounded by hungry family members and guests.  Aromatic fragrance filled the air, and happy chatter filled the room with holiday excitement and the joy of being together for Christmas.  There were always many guests joining, including long-standing friends of our grandparents’ era who always seemed attentive to us younger folk and made us feel special.  Those occasions were a magical sort of time because they clearly signaled an aura of welcome that permeated every heart and square inch of the dining room. Without exactly speaking of it, my sister, brother, and I have embraced the same feeling of welcome in our own homes.   In this current day of frequent chaos and unrest, it is comforting to enjoy the feeling of WELCOME.  It reminds me that welcome originates with God who has first created and loved us, and who awaits our acceptance of his welcome on both holidays and ordinary days to enjoy and share with him and to extend to others.

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Written by Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do and seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day.  We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”  Amen.

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Written by Arlene Stamper of the Village Church

When I think back to memorable moments at Christmas, there is one special time that still stands out to me. I was babysitting my granddaughter who was about ten years old at the time. I asked her if she’d like to go see live animals at a “play” nearby. Well, that caught her attention as she loved animals. She would sleep every night with about 100 stuffed animals surrounding her!  We drove over to the Escondido Methodist Church that evening.  They were holding their annual recreation of the birth of Jesus. We waited in the church sanctuary for our turn to go into the little town of Bethlehem. We were assigned Hebrew names and Lauren practiced saying her “name” in case one of the soldiers asked for her name. When we were escorted into Bethlehem, we saw the villagers selling their wares and even live animals in stalls (which my granddaughter loved!).  There was also excitement in the air. Everyone was talking about the bright star in the sky!  And the coming of a Savior!  My granddaughter was enthralled with all the activity and yes, a bit apprehensive about the soldiers marching in the street.  We were told to leave as the Romans were coming.   Our guide then took us to a safe place, a stable where we saw a live baby and its parents…. baby Jesus, Mary & Joseph. And they recounted to us the birth of our Savior.  It is now 10 years later; my granddaughter is a Junior at Creighton University in Omaha Nebraska. Although she has not been a regular church attendee, she made the decision to go on the Creighton Encounter with Christ Retreat.   Of course, I am thrilled to hear she is going. Even though it’s been many years ago now that she had an introduction to baby Jesus at the Stable in the Inn, I am praying that at this retreat, she will learn much more about the grown-up Jesus and the life she can have in Him. May you and your family also draw nearer to Christ during this holiest of seasons. Merry Christmas to you All!

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Written by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), a British writer and theologian.  This is an excerpt from his book “Reflections on the Psalms.”

But the most obvious fact about praise — whether of God or anything — strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise — lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game — praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars. I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds, praised most, while the cranks, misfits, and malcontents praised least.

Prayer:

Today’s prayer is from the The Mozarabic Rite, also called the Visigothic Rite or the Hispanic Rite, is a liturgical rite of the Latin Church once used generally in the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania), in what is now Spain and Portugal.  It was developed during Visigoth (Arian Christian) rule of the Iberian peninsula in the 500s AD.

Grant us, O Lord, to live this day in gladness and peace,

without stumbling and without stain,

that reaching the evening victorious over all temptation,

we may praise you,

the eternal God,

for you govern all things,

and are praised

now and forever. Amen.

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Written by Max Lucado, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker. This is an excerpt from his work “Glory Days.”

A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie’s stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like Danny. Danny, of all things, had a hero as well: Adam. He wanted to be just like Adam. So Adam was imitating Bobby, who was imitating Charlie, who was imitating Danny, who was imitating Adam. Turns out, all Adam had to do was be himself. Stay in your own lane. Run your own race. Nothing good happens when you compare and compete. God does not judge you according to the talents of others. He judges you according to yours. His yardstick for measuring faithfulness is how faithful you are with your own gifts. You are not responsible for the nature of your gift. But you are responsible for how you use it.

Prayer:

Written by Chelsey DeMatteis, a contemporary writer and podcaster.

Lord, thank you for the giftings you’ve given me, I pray that as I continue growing in my faith that I will always seek your heart and desire to serve you with the incredible giftings you knit within me. Lord, help me see the ways I can use my gifts in the season you have me in and I pray for a heart that is attentive to your leading. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Written by Timothy Keller (1950-2023), an American Calvinist pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist.

If the distance between the Earth and the sun, which is 92 million miles, was the thickness of a piece of paper, the diameter of our galaxy would be a stack of papers 310 miles high. And our galaxy is less than a speck of dust in the part of the universe that we can see. And that part of the universe might just be a speck of dust compared to all the universe. And if Jesus is the Son of God who holds all this together with the word of his power, is this the kind of person you ask into your life to be your personal assistant?” Go outside and for one hour say nothing. Just think about what this means to you.

Prayer:

Written by Gwen Smith, a contemporary writer. This is an excerpt from her book “What Does Your Handwriting Say About God.”

Holy Lord, there is none like You and Your greatness is unsearchable. Thank You for writing Your love on the fabric of humanity and on all that is created by Your hands. Thank You for expressing Your love to me in the intricate, design details of my life. I stand in awe and bless Your great name. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

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Written by George Matheson (1842-1906), a Scottish minister, hymn writer, and author. 

My soul, practice being alone with Christ! It is written that when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples. Do not wonder at the saying; it is true to your experience. If you would understand yourself send the multitude away. Let them go out one by one till you are left alone with Jesus… Have you ever pictured yourself the one remaining creature in the earth, the one remaining creature in all the starry worlds? In such a universe your every thought would be “God and I! God and I!” And yet He is as near to you as that – as near as if in the boundless spaces there throbbed no heart but His and yours. Practice that solitude, O my soul! Practice the expulsion of the crowd! Practice the stillness of your own heart! Practice the solemn refrain “God and I! God and I!” Let none interpose between you and your wrestling angel! You will be both condemned and pardoned when you meet Jesus alone!

Prayer:

Written by Stephanie Reeves, a contemporary writer.

Dear God, as I begin this day, I ask for your guidance and wisdom. Help me to find moments of solitude in the midst of my busy schedule. Grant me the strength to overcome any challenges that come my way and to handle them with grace and compassion. Help me to appreciate the beauty of nature around me, and to find joy in the small moments of life. Thank you for your love and your constant presence in my life. Lord, may I never forget to take time to be alone with you. Help me to remember that you are always with me, even in the midst of chaos and noise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Written by N. T. Wright, a contemporary Anglican bishop, pastor, author, and speaker. This is an excerpt from his book “For All God’s Worth.”

We need Christian people to work as healers: as healing judges and prison staff, as healing teachers and administrators, as healing shopkeepers and bankers, as healing musicians and artists, as healing writers and scientists, as healing diplomats and politicians. We need people who will hold on to Christ firmly with one hand and reach out with the other, with wit and skill and cheerfulness, with compassion and sorrow and tenderness, to the places where our world is in pain. We need people who will use all their God-given skills… to analyze where things have gone wrong, to come to the place of pain, and to hold over the wound the only medicine which will really heal, which is the love of Christ made incarnate once more, the strange love of God turned into your flesh and mine, your smile and mine, your tears and mine, your patient analysis and mine, your frustration and mine, your joy and mine. 

Prayer:

Written by Teresa of Avila.(1515-1582), a Carmelite nun and religious reformer.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion is to look out to the world; yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good; yours are the hands with which God is to bless people now, amen.

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