Christmas & Epiphany

             

            The Christian Liturgical Year is based on the life of Christ.  It begins with Advent, which points to the promise and prophets of God who signal Christ’s coming.  Christmas is the 12 days to celebrate the birth of Jesus’ life.  Epiphany and the days after makeup a season that points to the life and ministry of Jesus, particularly how Jesus’ life and ministry reveals God to us and the whole world. 

            In the liturgical life of our congregation, we’re embracing the seasons of Christmas and Epiphany in ways that enjoin lives to Jesus’ life, and allow our living to be light to the world. 

 

            On Sunday, Dec. 28th (the 3rd day of Christmas) we’ll be witnessing the baptism of 3 people: Mariah, Stephanie, and Luke.  As one young (and wise) man told his mother, “Christmas is Jesus’ birth; Baptism is my new birth.”  Yes, young wise one, may your life (and the lives of us all) always fall in the pattern and form of Jesus’.  Be sure to join us on this First Sunday in Christmastime as we witness the joyous birth of Jesus, and the new birth of baptism in the lives of our faithful. 

           

            On January 4th (the 11th day of Christmas) we’ll rejoice in the story of the Magi visiting the babe, Jesus, and the Holy Family.  The star that shines bring foreigners and gentiles (btw fam, all this biblical talk of foreigners and gentiles…that’s us!)  to the Christ-child to bring him homage.  So we’ll gather in the example of these wise ones, and we’ll bring gifts for babies.  Not gold, frankincense and myrrh; we’ll bring the practical items that young families with babies might need: baby bottles, diapers, gently used toys and cribs and such.  We’ll bring our gifts to this “Baby Shower for Jesus” and then donate them to the Gabriel Project who can distribute them to young families in need of them. 

           

            As Howard Thurman once wrote:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and 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 others,

To make music in the heart.

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        I’m so very grateful to spend another year with you, sharing in the Work of Christmas!

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                                          Rev. Kenny