In this season of Epiphany, after Christmas, may we hear in a new way the words of the late Howard Thurman. Thurman was a mystical, prophetic preacher, active in the civil rights movement and a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thurman studied with Rufus Jones, a and joined the Wider Quaker Fellowship in the 1960s.
Thurman was also dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University of Washington, DC, and later, dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University. He was an African-American theologian, educator, and a prolific author. His poem, “The Work of Christmas,” appears with the writings of others in the book Black Fire: African American Quakers on Spirituality and Human Rights. The poem, in this slightly different form below, is from Howard Thurman’s book The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations, published by Friends United Press. The Work of Christmas by Howard Thurman When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flock, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among the people, To make music in the heart. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat
0 Comments
I don’t know how it is at your house, but we have the tradition here of leaving our Christmas decorations out (and up?) through the twelve days of Christmas and Epiphany on January 6.
And why is that? Well, I could say that “it’s always been that way,” but that wouldn’t necessarily be true. It is “this way” for us for a variety of reasons, which have come to us over time, and all of which made perfect sense at the time a reason was revealed. We have to put the Christmas dishes away first after hosting Christmas dinner. This was an early reason, but we haven’t hosted Christmas dinner in forever. Still, there are tables and counters to clear because we had whipped up a cheese ball or baked pies last minute, or stayed up late wrapping Christmas presents. So first things first. Thank you notes for Christmas gifts received must be written, and what provides impetus better than seeing those gifts still under the tree? My rule: once the thank-you is written, THEN you can enjoy the gift! A related reason is that sometimes, make that oftentimes, I am in the process of sending Christmas cards and/or letters, and being visually reminded by the lighted Christmas tree and the nativity atop the piano helps keep me in the holiday spirit until the project is complete. But the real reason we have learned to wait to “un-decorate” is because we celebrate for twelve days, not just one, the birth of Jesus and the fulfillment of God’s promise to save the world from sin. Then on Epiphany we celebrate the visit of the Wise Ones to the Christ child. A visit made possible because they followed the star. In faith that led them to the Light. The Light that shines for all the world and into the lives of all people. As people of the Light, may our light so shine. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat The year of 2018 is winding down and the new year of 2019 is just around the corner. But as I write this today (there is no time for pondering on Christmas Eve, at least not until after worship tonight), there are still gifts to be purchased, homemade gifts to be finished, and more.
Even Arapahoe and Xian, who have been begging to help with our Christmas letter, will just have to wait. It won’t be the first time we’ve sent an Epiphany letter. But I promise that I WILL take time to ponder again one of these days. After Christmas. And before the New Year arrives. In the meantime, hug your family, kiss your babies, love on your fur babies too, and reach out to a friend who may be lonely during this time of year. Be the Light in someone’s darkness. Celebrate all that is good in the world. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat If You Look for Me at Christmas…
Author Unknown If you look for me at Christmas, you won’t need a special star; I’m no longer just in Bethlehem, I’m right there where you are. You may not be aware of me amid the celebrations. You’ll have to look beyond the stores and all the decorations. But if you take a moment from your list of things to do, and listen to your heart, you’ll find I’m waiting there for you. You’re the one I want to be with, you’re the reason that I came, and you’ll find me in the stillness, as I’m whispering your name. Love, Jesus Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat Yesterday Facebook presented me with a video of 2018 created from selected photos I’ve posted or been tagged in. Photos of us in Washington, San Antonio, Branson, or at home. Photos of pizza and rhubarb pie. Photos from Confirmation Sunday and the Habitat for Humanity house dedication. Photos while fishing or relaxing in the front yard. Photos of the two sides of the rental house that got painted this year. Yes, it has been a very good year.
But the year isn’t over yet! There is still half of December left. Will we enjoy it? Will we wear ourselves out trying to have the best Christmas ever? Will we struggle through, one way or another, to remember the goodness, the kindness, the hope, and the love shared especially at this time of year? We didn’t really set out to make changes this year in how we prepare for Christmas. It has just kind of evolved. You might say that our theme this year is simply: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. Our Christmas tree this year is our skinny tree, not the natural-looking artificial from my parsonage days or a real tree grown in our yard. There are none of our annually-hung ornaments on it, but there are lots of lights! Our front-of-the-house display morphed from lights across the roofline with a tree or gift-wrapped boxes on the deck into nine upside down tomato cages wrapped in nine strings of lights. Somewhat odd-looking by day. But stunning Christmas trees by night! Still on our list are: gift shopping, sending Christmas cards and letters, and Christmas caroling. And on my list: preparing for The Longest Night services and the Christmas Eve services at each church. A young mother mentioned a while back a gift-giving method she will be trying out this year with her kiddos. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It’s called Something Four. The idea is giving/receiving four gifts each … something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. I like it! Another way to simplify. Holy God, help us have courage to find joy in the simpler things of life. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat This past week, Former President George H.W. Bush was laid to rest. I don’t recall watching the funeral of any other president, but timing was such that I was able to watch this one.
And maybe it’s because of that. Or maybe it’s because we’ve canceled worship services the past two Sundays due to weather. Or maybe it’s because of something else entirely. But I found myself fully participating in this service, not just observing, but fully participating. I found myself feeling all kinds of emotions … love, admiration, pride, grief, assurance … and weeping through all of them. I guess you could say that I lost myself, I forgot about myself and everything else, in the midst of the scriptures, eulogies, message, and prayers. And in the process, I found myself worshiping our God as well. I thanked God for the life of this man, and for his love for his family, his friends, his country, and his God. If the intent of worship is to let go of our self in order to give our self over to God, well then, mission accomplished. And in this season of Advent, as we recognize and embrace the Holy Darkness even as we await and prepare for the Light of Christ to come at Christmas, I’m sure to be reflecting for quite some time on the scriptures, imagery, and stories shared at a particular funeral. And the reference of “a thousand points of light” given to us by a man who loved God and loved people. Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat The Prayer Blessing offered for the Habitat for Humanity Home
at 510 Gold Street, Schuyler Nebraska Dedication Celebration – November 2, 2018 From God’s vision and our dreams, through faith and the hard work of many, both near and far, this house has become a reality. It began as a stirring in our hearts and now stands as a beacon of God’s love. I invite you to pray with me… Gracious and loving God, Creator of All, Giver of all good gifts, We thank you, O God, for bringing about the completion of your vision. For bringing together people who believe in your purposes and who desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves. For gifting many people with skills and abilities, with time, energy, and passion to complete your vision, your good work. We thank you, O God, for blessing the work that has been done here, the building of this house where Yessica and her family will dwell and call home. So now, we ask you, O God, to bless this house that is now, in your continuing love, to be their home. Surround this shelter, this dwelling place, with your Holy Spirit. Encompass all its four sides with the power of your love and protection. And we ask you, O God, to bless Yessica Marino and her family who will live within these walls. As family and friends gather here for joyous times in these rooms, and build memories of home, may the spirit of your love surround them. Guide their hearts and their minds, O God, to create a home filled with love, hope, peace, and joy. All of this we ask in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, may it be so. And as we go now from this time of celebration into the next, let us continue to celebrate! In Jesus’ name, Amen! Grace and peace … --Pastor Pat The longer I was there, listening to the program, the more proud I began to feel. I think I hadn’t felt this proud in a very long time. It’s the type of feeling you might get when your team pulls together and wins against a team that has bested you in the past. Or when your child accomplishes something she or he has been striving for, for a very long time.
|
Pastor
|