This coming Sunday is known in the Christian lectionary simply as “the first Sunday after Christmas day.”  Friends in the UK and elsewhere call the 26th Boxing Day.  Maybe for you and your family it equates with a peaceful lethargy of sorts, with holiday energy spent.  I have learned in the past twenty or so years to be grateful for the seasons I now know to call “tides.”  So, we are in Christmastide, a season that does not end with the last of presents unwrapped or even the setting of the sun on the 25th.  We celebrate the birth of light and life, of God’s love present in new ways, and we do so even after “the twelve days of Christmas” that lead us to Epiphany.  Our worship this Sunday will involve reflecting on the stories we hear and the stories we tell about the mysteries of Christmas.  Join us in the warmth of community, united in faith and hope.

Love and peace to you all, Pastor Lisa

Join us for worship as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the birth of light and love in our lives again this Christmas Eve. The service will be hybrid, both in-person for those who are fully vaccinated (We are masked and seated at safe distances.) and also on Zoom. You should also be able to watch the Zoom portion on Facebook live, as well. The service begins at 7:00 on Friday, the 24th, and will be a traditional service of lessons and carols, with music from our choir in a variety of styles. Our final two carols will be outside, TOGETHER, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord!

This Sunday…Hope, Peace, Joy, and finally — Love!  This is the fourth Sunday of Advent, when we recall with joy the promise of peace that gives us hope.  All of this stems from the love of God for us and for all of God’s creation.  As we anticipate the birth of Jesus into our lives again this Christmas, we remember the familiar stories with warmth and with good humor.  How might sharing together in the mystery and the possibility for change, even for evolution and revolution that is incarnate in Christ’s birth, make this holiday season more deeply meaningful for each of us? 

This Sunday…The Gospel story of Jesus’ birth and the events that lead up to it are familiar to us.  There is something about the season that has us imagining the sound of angels’ wings and thinking of shepherds though they don’t cross our minds often at other times.  We meld in our mind the story as both Matthew and Luke share it, and we may bask in the sense of warmth and light that are fostered by our reading.  What we don’t often discuss, and what we may invite ourselves to consider this week, is what the “characters” in this story must have felt in the enormity of the circumstances.  This Sunday’s scripture readings include what has come to be known as the Magnificat of Mary.  Where this young woman might have only responded to the angel’s news in fear or incredulity, she chooses instead to respond with praise.  What may lead us to do the same?  Come celebrate the good news of the Advent season with us!

We will remain in the sanctuary following worship for our quarterly congregational meeting.  All are welcome to attend, with members only participating in any vote. 

— Pastor Lisa

This Sunday….We celebrate the sacrament of Communion this morning, with the breaking of the bread and blessing of the cup.  Because of the current Covid status, and given the relative difficulty in making use of pre-packaged elements, I encourage each of you to bring your own bread to partake of during the service.  As you gather this symbol with which to participate, you may bring any morsel that will travel well with you to the church–a cracker, pita, a piece of bread.  As we continue to prepare our hearts for God’s coming still and again into our midst, our participation as one Body may be a part of welcoming the Light.  

How we make ourselves ready and a sense of urgency to do so is at the heart of our Gospel lesson this week.  John the Baptist, that odd, wilderness dwelling prophet, offers strong words to those who sought his guidance, words in which we also may hear both admonishment and great hope.  Join us as we come together to celebrate in worship and in praise.  Members of our choir with the addition of chimes bring a holiday feel to our music offerings, and we hope that the congregation will welcome as many as three masked singers to lead us in our hymns and carols.

— Pastor Lisa

This Sunday... This week marks a traditional, celebratory holiday for many of us as well as the beginning of what may be a contemplative season.  Advent begins on Sunday, November 28th when we light the first candle on the wreath in our sanctuary, remembering that the light of hope, love, joy and peace has come and is coming into our lives.  We invite ourselves to anticipate with expectation the birth of Jesus in our lives in new ways.  First, though, we pause to offer thanks for our many blessings.  While for most of us this thanks giving takes the form of a feast, others mark the day with quiet prayers and acts of mercy in the form of charitable giving.  Others combine this with honoring the indigenous peoples who inhabited our nation before the arrival of European colonists.  In all that we do this weekend, I pray for your safety, for your peace, and with gratitude for the many ways in which I am blessed to be among you. 

— Pastor Lisa