-Rev Melissa Fain- In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists. This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria. Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled. Since Joseph belonged to David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea. Luke 2:1-4 The only sure things in life is death and taxes. We had just moved back home with our young son and newborn daughter. Our belongings were still in their boxes. Our four-person family was cramped in a home meant for two. In almost every home, including the one we now live in, our garage was spotless save for our cars and a few bikes. In this home, the garage was filled with everything that we didn’t immediately need. It spoke to our displacement. We were getting our life on track again: Paying hospital bills, and finding our new center when we were hit with a new blow. Our tax preparer made a $3,000 mistake and the IRS had come to collect. Suddenly we were filling out paperwork, putting everything else aside until we could figure out the tax problem. I can’t possibly understand what it must have been like in an Ancient Near East context. It’s something that is, in almost every way, foreign to me. Yet, there is a grain of understanding that I can relate to. I know what it’s like to feel displaced in what is considered your own home, needing to focus on taxes when life feels so much more important. It’s not like the census had magically ended when Jesus was born. In the midst of a miracle, regular life still happened. We tend to forget the regular stuff during the Advent season. The kids still have projects for school; the bills still need to be paid. Life, death and taxes are still a thing. We want to give our love and focus to Christmas, and the rituals surrounding it. Sometimes, that’s just not practical. That’s okay. Life continues. It’s not that life must stop so Christmas can happen. It’s that God joins us in life to celebrate Christmas. ---
Redeeming God, in loss and gain, in heartache and immense joy, in stress and idleness, help me see your presence in my life. Amen - Tyler Jarvis- Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands. She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. With a loud voice she blurted out, “God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.” Luke 1:39-45 Eleven months out of the year, I am a Scrooge. I’m pretty sure that when I first saw Christmas decorations in the store in September, I actually used the phrase “Bah, Humbug!” I complain (loudly and often) whenever I hear Christmas music on the radio in November. When I see someone’s Christmas decorations still up in January, I offer silent (and sometimes not so silent) judgment on that person. But something happens to me between the time I go to bed on November 30th and when I wake up on December 1st. Every December 1st, I wake up in the Christmas Spirit. I listen to Christmas songs. I put up my Christmas tree, and will often just sit and watch the lights. I watch Christmas movies. I drink a lot of hot chocolate, and use my fireplace almost daily (even when it’s 70 degrees, as it often is in Texas in December). I read the Nativity passages and the Messianic prophecies. And through all of this, I feel a sense of Joyful Anticipation and Peace. And I think I’m taking my cue from Elizabeth. When she sees her cousin Mary, Elizabeth and the baby inside her are filled with the Holy Spirit and a sense of great joy. Joy because they know that God is fulfilling God’s promises. Excitement, because they know that the season has come where they will experience God’s salvation. More than that—They will be participants in that salvation! It’s probably not good for me to be a Scrooge the other 11 months out of the year, but in the month of December it’s very good for us to join Elizabeth in her joyful anticipation, to leap for joy at the coming of the Messiah, and to rest in the peace of salvation that is coming because of the birth of Mary’s child. --- Father of Peace, fill us with the Joy of Anticipation that Elizabeth felt. Give us your Spirit that we may believe your promises and become willful and active participants in them. Amen. Tyler Jarvis enjoys hanging out with his wife, laying in his hammock, reading theology books, and writing. He holds a Master of Divinity from Lubbock Christian University, and has served as the Youth and Family Minister at the Oak Ridge Church of Christ in Willow Park, Tx since 2011. He can be found online at www.tylerjarvis.com or on Twitter (@Tyler Jarvis). -Rev. Ashley Sherard- The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the Lord’s eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth. He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God. He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers[a] back to their children, and he will turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:13-17 Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. “Do not be afraid,” is a pretty common phrase when it comes to messages from God. I can only imagine that there was some fear in Zechariah despite the Angel’s attempt at being comforting. Fear is a common feeling with parents and parents to be, I believe. I remember being pregnant with my oldest and the absolute terror of not knowing what to do or how to do it. My parents, his parents, doctors, nurses, friends, were all offering their two cents on how to raise this little one; all of the suggestions contradicting the others. I wonder how I would’ve felt if an angel had appeared and given me some clue about who this child was and what they were expected to do if I would’ve been any less scared. I mean, maybe I would know that I need to buy books on certain subjects or make sure they have plenty of art supplies. Of course, as they grow and I learn and they learn I realize God is telling me who they are and what He expects of them. God shows me he is with them and me, just like Zechariah, Elizabeth, and John. We should be always open to the messages God is sending us, it may not be an angel who clearly maps out your child’s future but, perhaps, it’s a child’s love for finger paint, or singing, or playing Dr. with her stuffed animals that we see God’s plan start to unfold. John’s parents knew his path only because Zechariah heard the angel, open your heart to hearing God in your child’s life as well. --- Creator, please remind me that this precious child is a gift from you, given to me for a time to “train up in the way he should go”. Remind me of your plan for his/her life in bold and subtle ways and make me a vessel of your love to them. Amen. Rev. Ashley Sherard is the Pastor of Beechwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in French Lick, IN. She has been the Pastor at Beechwood for approximately two months and is loving every minute of getting to know this vibrant faith community. Ashley is the mother of three amazing little girls who have been her greatest strength and driving force. -Pastor Holly Jo Engle- “The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill my gracious promise with the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time, I will raise up a righteous branch from David’s line, who will do what is just and right in the land. In those days, Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is what he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.” Jeremiah 33:14-16 There are many injustices in our present world. Countless people wake up to the cold wind because they slept in an alley last night. A father tries to scrounge up enough change to buy his daughter the new shoes she so desperately needs. A family of five waits in line at a soup kitchen. A woman tries to block out the racial slurs being hurled her way as she sits on the city bus. An elementary student savors the last bite of his Friday school lunch; because he knows there won’t be another meal until Monday. A newly-hired worker prays her car will start this morning. All of these scenarios have something in common- hope. Each one of these people finds hope in a warm blanket, a sandwich, the next bus stop, or the turning over of an engine. The horrible circumstances we find ourselves in can only be eased by a feeling of hope for tomorrow-something to look forward to. God spoke to Jeremiah and entrusted him with a prophesy that would rock the very foundation of our world. The words created an image of a liberator coming to rescue the people from the injustices they endured and bring about a hope that could not be shaken. “..a righteous branch from David’s line” proved there would be a savior, in human form, that would come to earth to set them free. The hope that was spoken here became a beacon of light that would lead those afflicted with pain and grief to a brighter tomorrow. I am reminded of the hymn, “The Solid Rock”, by Edward Mote. The words so eloquently describe the “beacon” that saved humanity. “My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” These words intensify the promise and the expectation that was fulfilled in Bethlehem. We must remember to speak up for those who have no voice. Through Jesus, we can extend the hope we all received in that prophesy. We can prove to his people they are loved and deserve justice. --- Holy Father, thank you for the hope we find in Jesus Christ. Help us to spread the hope by standing up for our fellow man. Amen. Pastor Holly Jo Engle serves the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Blytheville, AR. Her mission has been providing a safe and nurturing environment for children and families to worship freely. She finds hope in the hymns and is heavily involved in choirs and musical ministries. Not only is she involved in religious education, but also in public education. Her public-school experience ranges from grades K-6 with a focus on curriculum and instruction. Her favorite verse is Psalm 47:1 because it is important that everyone find joy in their worship! -Kenneth Myers- Mary said, “With all my heart I glorify the Lord! In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.” Luke 1.46-47 Mary’s Song. The Magnificat. It gets read and sung in churches around the world during the Advent and Christmas seasons. It is a hymn of praise from Mary’s lips to God’s ears, but a close reading will show that it is also a manifesto of topsy-turvy change. Maybe the closest modern day comparison is Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A Changin’. Yes, Mary’s Song is a subversive protest song! Dylan sang, “For the loser now will be later to win,” and, “For the first one now will later be last.” Mary sang, “He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations. He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty-handed” (Luke 1.51-53). When God shows up in the world (and in our lives), things may get messy for a while (think the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s or the unrest in our own time). There will definitely be some tumult. But the end result will be God’s Kingdom manifesting. The key is to not get too comfortable with the status quo, and be ready to embrace the change that God brings our way. --- Almighty God, open my eyes to see you in the changes and vicissitudes of life. Help me to cling to you rather than to comfort. And make me an instrument of godly change in the world. Amen. Kenneth Myers was born in 1959 in Denison, Texas. After 38 years of pastoral ministry (as a pastor, priest, and bishop) he created Graceworks Teaching Minister in 2014 and now spends his time writing books and traveling throughout the U.S. leading seminars based on his writings. His newest book, Look at Us, tells the story of his romance and love affair with his late wife. More details about Ken including contact information can be found at www.kennethmyers.net. -Rev Amy BeVille- Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38 Mary could not have known what was to come when she offered, “Here am I…” It seems to me that none of us knows at critical junctures in our lives, what is to come. Christmases come and go. What the day may hold is kindly unknown. This year begins with trepidation; perhaps every year does. My father has Alzheimers. At six thirty, I call my dad’s caregiver and ask if he is up. “He’s already had his coffee. We’ll have your dad ready!” I get in my car; an unusual gift of 2 inches of snow lies on the ground. Ahhh, a white Christmas; dreams are made of such things. I drive through the winter wonderland to pick up my dad. He is excited and ready to roll. Back in the car, we talk. “Beautiful, huh, Dad?” He nods. He asks if it is Friday. I say, “No, its Christmas day… its Saturday.” “Oh, Saturday.” “Merry Christmas, Dad!” “Merry Christmas,” he replies with little affect. “Where are we going?” “We’re going to open Christmas presents.” He nods. The roads are a bit slicker; snow is still falling. I down-shift; the car begins to slide from side to side. “What do you think dad? Do you think we can make it?” “I believe we can.” “Do you know who taught me to drive in the snow?” “Who?” “You did.” “Oh, that’s right.” “How am I doing?” “I think everything will be okay.” “Yes, everything will be okay.” “Dad, if we’re gonna make it up the next hill, we’re gonna have to get some speed. What do you think?” “I think if you do this everything will be alright.” “Can you feel us sliding?” “I think you’re doing the right thing.” “I’ve got to go faster or we’ll never make it.” “Uh huh.” Words echoing: everything will be alright. I wonder if he had said them to me when I was younger? I wonder if he said them for me or for him? I wonder if they are just words that somehow made the long trip from his brain across his lips? Everything will be alright.We join the family. Dad sits by the Christmas tree and opens his presents. He doesn’t realize there is a gift inside. Gifts lay on his lap, and he doesn’t notice. I look at my dad, “What are you thinking?” “You know I’m not quite right.” “I know.” “What do you think I should do?” “Well, Dad, just sit back and enjoy the fire.” “The fire needs another log,” he reminds me yet again. “Dad?” “Yes.” “Everything’s gonna be alright.” I put another log on the fire. --- Here we are, Lord. Going through our lives, our struggles as well as precious moments of joy… striving to be the people you call us to be. May we accept your gift of a Savior, who comforts us and leads us to safe places when we need to know everything’s gonna be alright. Amen Rev Amy BeVille, from Signal Mountain, Tennessee, is an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); she currently serves as pastor of Community Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fayetteville, Georgia. She has served churches from Kentucky to Texas and back to Georgia! She has been a popular speaker and the music resource at a number of women’s retreats. As a complement to her ministry, BeVille is a singer/songwriter and currently plays venues from Nashville to Chattanooga to Atlanta. She has several albums to her credit, with her latest, “Second Chances” available on CDBaby.com. She also works as a music therapist focusing on work with seniors who have dementia or Alzheimers. In her free time, BeVille is found restoring her historic home in Acworth, GA. -Rev Craig A McDonald- When Joseph woke up, he did just as an angel from God commanded and took Mary as his wife. Matthew 1:24 Joseph is a pretty interesting character. I often wonder how he felt about everything that was happening to him and his betrothed. With the limited amount of details that the Christmas narrative has, often the thoughts and feelings of the characters are left out. Joseph is a perfect example of this. One of my favorite things to do is to imagine how the characters feel in each story and add that to the text. Sometimes I can even imagine the character feeling a number of ways about the story that they are a part of. Feelings have the potential to add so much depth. As Joseph wakes up from his dream surely he has recognized the power and presence of the Divine (that’s often the hard part!). I wonder if he felt scared. Maybe he felt scared because of the complex nature of their situation. Maybe he felt scared because he had an inkling of an idea of what it might mean for their son to be the Messiah and the conflict that would come from it. It could be that he was scared because he was about to be a dad for the first time! What if Joseph wakes up and he is resentful? Have you ever been resentful of God? It’s not hard to imagine that Jospeh could be resentful, having been thrust into this situation that will be very difficult to explain. He could even be feeling relief. The situation itself is complicated but now there at least has been a dream where God has been revealed as present. It’s not as if God has given them a flow chart for how to handle the situation or for what comes next. Joseph is not given a lot of time to express his thoughts and feelings but rest assured, there is a lot going on behind the scene. Both he and Mary must be terrified, excited, thrilled, anxious, and amazed. Sometimes in the wonderful and terrifying things that take place in our lives we need to take stock of our own feelings. In the season of Advent we might be feeling pressure to find the perfect gift for a loved one or prepare the perfect prayer or song for the Christmas Eve service. We might feel the anxious weight of an exam or from the preparations for travel. We might feel sorrow as we miss a special person who we once celebrated this season with. It’s important for us to take note of our feelings during this time of year. None of the feelings we have are bad and it’s helpful to take stock of where we are in the moment. Doing this just might give us the opportunity to make space for the feeling of wonderment of this beautiful child, helpless and poor, has been shared with us to change the world. --- Most Holy One, be with me during this Advent season, in the joyous and the difficult. May I make space for You and the wonder of this Good News. Amen Rev. Craig McDonald is an ordained minister with the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church), most recently serving First Christian Church of Rome, GA. Rev. Craig served as a Young Adult Pastor at Arch Street UMC in Philadelphia, PA, as Associate Pastor at Mercy Community Church in Atlanta, and as a Youth Pastor at Sandy Springs Christian Church. He earned his MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary in Atlanta, and earned his Bachelor’s degree from Columbus State University. Craig loves mountain biking and all things outdoors. He and his wife, Megan, enjoy cooking, traveling, and hiking with their dog Maxwell. -Rev. Becki Barrett- When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.” Luke 1: 28-33 Winter mornings make me want to stay in bed. Wait, ALL mornings make me want to stay in bed. It’s not just the feeling of warm feet hitting cold floor. It is the bills that need to be paid, the dishes that are waiting from the night before, and the ever pressing wants of all those who will need my attention today. It is the work of daily life that makes me want to pull the covers over my head and disappear into hot cocoa wishes and marshmallow dreams. Mary must have felt something like this in her confused and wondering state. The angel is giving her “good news” of her favored status. She hears the words. She knows the presence of God is with her. Yet, the task seems too big for her to comprehend – never mind carry out. There is work to be done and family to please and traditions to honor. There is fear to be felt and confusion to be worked out. In the midst of Mary’s normal, daily life comes a commission from God to bear the Savior of the world. It is too much to ask of her. Perhaps that is the point. In the mundane toil of our daily work comes the invitation to do something extraordinary. Not to accomplish each task with excellence and efficiency, but to be present to the enormity of the invitation to live completely for God. The request God makes of us is to be present to people, to extend love, and to live in the joy of the coming Kingdom – in the midst of turmoil and pain and boredom and busyness. The request IS too much to ask so that is why the angel reminds Mary, “The Lord is near!” We do not put our feet on the floor each morning without the blessing and presence of Jesus Christ with us – in us. There will be no end to the ways God will use our weary and restless lives to unravel complacency and dismantle suffering. In every conversation, every interaction, every mundane task we encounter, God is working out His Kingdom come – His will be done. It is too much to ask of us to do alone. --- Loving God, give me the wisdom to invite you into each moment, the energy to live in your Spirit, and the insight to know my only task is to remember you are near. Amen. Rev. Becki Barrett is the Senior Pastor at Overlake Park PC in Bellevue, WA. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Becki attended Whitworth University receiving a degree in Secondary Education and then graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2002. Becki has held pastoral positions leading family ministry, mission, caring ministry, and became an executive pastor before her call to be a senior pastor in Bellevue, WA. She loves all areas of ministry and developed her own leadership development coaching company because of her love for developing strong leaders using Strengths Finder 2.0. Becki served as the chair of the Personnel Committee for the Seattle Presbytery for six years and now loves her work as the Moderator of the Executive Committee. At OPPC, Becki is known for her humor, energy, and love for Jesus, the church and the Bellevue neighborhood. At home, she is known for hiking, reading fiction, and travel. -Rev Melissa Fain- A shoot will grow up from the branch of Jesse; a branch will sprout out from his roots. Isaiah 11:1 There are some memories that appear so crystal clear to me that I can easily recreate them in my mind. Walking down the aisle to my future husband. The moment right after giving birth, where those first beautiful screams echo straight into my heart. The breezy late spring morning I stood outside at Candler School of Theology before accepting my diploma. Those are all life altering events, and they still feel so real. From the smells, the lights, and feelings. Then there was that stump. I saw the stump during one of my many hikes. I don’t really recall the hike itself anymore. I knew I was with others. I don’t remember who those other people were. Still, one moment crystallized in my mind. It was no more than twenty seconds out of a two-hour hike. Light cut through the trees as I passed by and hit a very old and decaying stump. The mist from the morning dew was gently rising from its mulchy shell. From its center was a shoot, a new tree, growing. I can remember dragging friends over. “Look at this! Isn’t it spectacular?” Clearly not seeing what I was seeing they gave me weird looks and wanted to move on. I, on the other hand, immediately saw a message in that single image. Life persists. As morbid as it may sound, it was the very first time I saw beauty in death, the discarded, and the lost. It was simplistic, but powerfully life changing. This is the image that pops into my head every time I read about the shoot of Jesse. That’s not to say the trunk of Jesse’s shoot is rotten or dead. It wasn’t. It is to say life persists. Hope continues. When life’s story looks like it reaching its zenith, God causes a shoot to emerge and you are in a whole new direction. The shoot of Jesse is a reminder that God’s not through with us yet. We still have stories to tell, directions to take, adventures to pursue. God with us. Thank God! - - - Holy and Loving God, please break through our redundancies and shine down on your shoot. Help us see your focus in our lives. Amen. Rev. Melissa Fain was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with duel partnership between First Christian Church of Atlanta, and First Christian Church of Marietta. She has a BA in Music from Kennesaw State University and a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. She is currently the senior minister at Fig Tree Christian. Melissa is the mother of two wonderful children, and wife to a great and supportive husband. In her spare time, she loves arts and crafts which includes making costumes from scratch, and knotted bracelets. She has used her continuing education to study new church plants and church redevelopment. 18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph her husband was a righteous man. Because he didn’t want to humiliate her, he decided to call off their engagement quietly. 20 As he was thinking about this, an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child she carries was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 Now all of this took place so that what the Lord had spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled: 23 Look! A virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, And they will call him, Emmanuel. (Emmanuel means “God with us.”) 24 When Joseph woke up, he did just as an angel from God commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he didn’t have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. Joseph called him Jesus. -Rev Melissa Fain- Media completely messed up my child-like definition of love. First offender: Disney. I learned through The Little Mermaid that true love is only a couple of sunsets away, and a family trying to keep you safe is the opposite of love. Now, don't get be wrong, I still belt Ariel songs in the shower, but I no longer take life lessons from a fish. Second offender: Adults. Yeah, I grew up during that weird purity phenomenon. I wasn't pushed into the actual purity culture. Our family wasn't evangelical, so it really wasn't being used in our churches, but it still made an impact on me. The result was actually worse. A bunch of nothing. There was this strange fear of adults to talk to their children about S.E.X. I mean, I understand where it was coming from. I have kids now, and I wonder how that conversation is going to go, and I'm worried I'll wait too late to give it, but I don't want it to happen too early. Third offender: Media in general. This one was deceptive, because it was so subversive! Media knows the general person wants to be loved. Scrooge be darned, even the biggest humbug wants to find a lasting relationship. Therefore, media pushed their products through the lens of love. (Or finding lasting relationship to be more subtle.) "You look like a flat slob, take this pill to lose a few pounds and that special someone will notice you." "You smell like you've been living with seals. Here, squirt this on you and you will smell attractive." "This specific product will give you the thing you love the most: [insert want here.]" It made love look like this big candy machine. If we just push the right buttons it's ours. No questions asked. Easy Peasey. Wrong. Obtaining love and keeping love will always be, without question, work. There are no easy ways to love. Even parents, that seem born with that inate compassion for their child, work at the relationship. Real love seems to come with blood sweat and tears. Oh, wait, there's a bible verse for that. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son..." [John 3:16a] Christmas is the worst tool marketers use to manipulate consumers into buying fake love. Don't buy it. The real story of Christmas is all about the beginning of a love story that took tons of work and preparation. So when December 25th rolls around, and you are watching for that magic look of glee as that special someone opens that present you waited up to an hour in line to buy, remember that's not important. It's the relationshp and the work you do to mantaining the other 364 days that are important. Sit back and realize the greatest gift was given over 2,000 years ago in an animal barn. It all began with a mother holding her child, a child that would change the world. Our livecast shall continue! We would love to see you online on Christmas day. Show up online on our Facebook page at 2pm EST.
Connect with us in other ways too! Check out our tweets @FigTreeTweet, and visit our subreddit at /r/FigTreeChristian! Join Jerusalem Christian Church on Christmas Eve for a Virtual Candle Lighting! Only a 1/2 hour long. Starts at 11pm EST. Besides that, have a very Merry Christmas! May Christ's light shine on your holiday and light in your heart! |
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