SEASON OF LIGHTS
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The Third Sunday of Advent
COLLECT OF THE DAY
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen
First Lesson Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
The principle of justice is to guide the nation of Israel, and they are to understand that it is none other than God who is an advocate for the poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden, and the brokenhearted. Written in the second half of the sixth century before Christ, Second Isaiah (as Isaiah 40-66 is known) envisions God's formation of a faithful Servant of the Lord, sometimes seen as a repentant Israel and sometimes as a great prophet yet to arise, as in today's lesson. The servant will bring Israel to a fulfillment of her original promise and potential, and to a time of joy and celebration. Christians perceive a foretelling of Christ's ministry in these passages.
A psalm of joy and hope sung to the Lord, who restores the fortunes of the people.
The Second Lesson 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
As he concludes his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul exhorts the new converts to live joyfully and prayerfully in readiness for the Lord's coming. Although they are to test what they hear, the disciples are to expect to discover the Spirit in prophecy. Trusting in a faithful God, the followers of Jesus are to seek to avoid all forms of evil and to become holy in every way.
MAYA ANGELOU AND THE FREEDOM POETRY OF ADVENT
This Advent we are meeting weekly to discuss this resource from the SALT Project. It is very similar to the Lenten sturdy we did two years ago using Mary Oliver’s poetry. Booklets are available to download here. We meet via Zoom for discussion on Wednesdays at 1:00 pm. All are welcome, even if you haven't attended the first two sessions.
Here is the info:
In this Advent devotional, biblical texts and simple, accessible practices interweave with Maya Angelou’s stirring vision of faith, freedom, and dignity. All you’ll need is your favorite Bible and Maya Angelou’s The Complete Poetry (all the poems are also available online). Week by week, as we wait, and watch, and pray, we’ll walk toward Bethlehem - with Maya Angelou as our guide.
For our First Nation people and those in this country who are living in impoverished areas of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans and the inner city areas populated by some of our poorest citizens.
For all those who are on the front lines serving communities during these difficult times.
Updating the Prayer List
Please let Deb know if you want to put someone back on the prayer list going forward. Thank you for helping us keep our prayer list up to date.
AMAZING PEACE ~ Maya Angelou
Thunder
rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.
Snow
falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.
We
question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?
Into
this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.
It
is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.
Hope
is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.
In
our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.
We
tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.
We
clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.
Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
Implore you, to stay a while with us.
So we may learn by your shimmering light
How to look beyond complexion and see community.
It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.
On
this platform of peace, we can create a language
To translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.
At
this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ
Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues at the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices
To celebrate the promise of Peace.
We,
Angels and Mortals, Believers and Non-Believers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation.
Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.
13 Suzanne Morgan
21 Chris & Carolyn Boldt
A SEASON OF LIGHTS
