These Christmas Eve resources were written towards the end of September following a tumultuous political summer in the U.S., and in the midst of a tumultuous election season as well. Not to mention wars, genocide, floods, droughts, horrendous hurricanes, and wildfires. Again. Environmental devastation, injustice, hate, division, lament, and fear… Read More »Christmas Eve 2024 Service
Advent has been a story of ordinary people in overwhelming times. Powerless people in a “power-over” world. Characters caught up in a story of destruction and oppression. And they each said “Yes!” to God’s call to change the world, to trust the vision of a new Creation, to love strongly,… Read More »Christmas Eve for Ordinary People in Not Ordinary Times
I may not know a lot of things, but I do know that Christmas is about something truly grand, and that it fights against all that would tear creation apart. Christmas Eve deals with the local congregation, but also the family of all Creation. It deals with the personal and… Read More »Christmas Eve in the Family of Creation
Come, thou unexpected Jesus!Thought you’d be so meek and mild.Never causing any trouble.Nope! That’s not the Holy Child! Although a savior for Israel was expected and hoped for, Jesus was, in a very real sense, unexpected. He did what proper society did not expect him to do – he ate… Read More »Come, Thou Unexpected Jesus
On my first Christmas Eve as a newly-ordained pastor, I stood at the pulpit looking out at the gathered congregation in the soft glow of candlelight, basking in the “jolly holly” feel that I had known all my life on Christmas Eve. Then I really looked out at the congregation.… Read More »Deep into the Dark
One Christmas Eve a few years ago, as our congregation here in Denver stood together in a circle in the dark sanctuary, singing “Silent Night”, I was incredibly struck by the power of a community holding candlelight and singing in the night. “This is who we are,” I thought, “This… Read More »Holding Light