Dec. 2005

Touchstone - December 2005

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Christmas 2005
Luke 2:1-20

There are two Christmas stories in the Bible. One is found in the first two chapters of Matthew's Gospel. The second is Luke's rendering in chapters 1 and 2. They differ and in their differences we see and hear the beginnings of the diverse understandings about who Jesus is and what his mission is to the world. In Luke's account there is a strong sense of the lowliness of his birth as the shepherds visit him in his manger. In Matthew's account Jesus is born in a house and the Wise Men come and offer him gifts that befit a king. Additionally, King Herod is threatened by this new potential king and seeks to kill him, so Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt once Jesus is born. Both stories are worth reading and pondering as we reflect on the rich detail of the birth narratives of Jesus. I love to think about all the characters present in each story and what they represent: the grace of Joseph, the courage of Mary, the frazzled innkeepers who must turn people away, the shepherds who overcome their fear, the savvy of the Wise Men who went home by another way, the innocence of the infant who has no idea that his life will turn the world upside down; and ourselves, long since removed from the events, as we seek to discern who Jesus the Christ is and what claim he has on our lives. The Bible invites us into this story each year to find ourselves in relationship to our God. In the stories we find themes of: hope, fear, birth, love, welcome, and risk. There are others as well. These are themes that we see in our own lives daily. Christmas asks us to ponder these stories anew and to open ourselves to God's fresh whisperings in our lives.

The pace of the Christmas season is a brisk one - parties, shopping, events, acts of charity, family gatherings. I hope that each of you has a moment to take a breath and ponder the story this weekend. If you are able to come to Church on Christmas Eve for our candlelight service, we will hear the powerful story together. If you are gathering elsewhere with family or friends, may you find yourself open to God's message for you this year. Jake and I wish a merry and joyful Christmas to each of you and your loved ones.

We hope to see you at the 7 p.m. Christmas Eve service and the Sunday morning worship on Christmas Day at 10 a.m. Just a reminder that there is no nursery or church school on Christmas Day - all are welcome in worship!

Warmingly,
Marlene W. Pomeroy

December 16, 2005

It seems to me that the whole of our Christian faith is captured in this Sunday's Gospel reading - the Annunciation - Luke 1:26-38. Maybe I am making things too simple, but what else do you need? Angels and a child conceived by God's Spirit - showing the majesty and power of God. An unwed, pregnant teenager who has such confidence in God, if not in herself, that she accepts the news of Jesus' birth as a gift rather than some cruel joke. She provides for all of us a model of faith - not because of her composure, but because the impossible seems imaginable due to her experience of a loving God. And then there is Elizabeth - a relative, a sister in faith, who will share Mary's own experience of pregnancy and birth in the context of her own journey with God. Their friendship an example for all of us of how to companion one another in a life in relationship to God.

It is hard to hang on to this picture, this story during this season in our culture. We are busy at work and at home - and at church, so there may not be room to stop and recognize the love of God that surrounds us. It even sounds absurd to describe it as "abundant" love, with all the suffering and injustice in our world just now. Yet this text and this season of Advent remind us of a God who loves so freely and constantly, nothing can wipe out that nurturing presence. Gospel writers put it in stark terms - a scandalous pregnancy, a birth in a back building, parents who return home by a different way because their child may be in danger. God's love comes to our world in unexpected ways - not in disguise but perhaps almost unrecognizable because we are so trained to look for certain things?nice manners, beds that are made, hot meals, comfortable social gatherings. On Sunday we will consider how to recognize God's love in our relationships - the reflection is entitled "A God Who Cares."

Our worship begins at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary and we will celebrate four young people who will be confirmed in the church! After worship there is a luncheon for the confirmands and their sponsors and guests in our church parlors. Come and join us for worship and support the next generation in the church!

December 9, 2005

If you read the text (Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11) assigned for this Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent, you will hear familiar words, "The spirit of God is upon me, because God has anointed me; God has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners?" They are similar words to Mary's Magnificat found in Luke's Gospel, chapter 1. The settings are different in Isaiah and Luke, but the message is the same - God calls us, anoints us, and sends us to be the voice of hope to those who are hopeless; to comfort, release, proclaim, bind up, bring. Such action is required of us! What dual images we feel from these words during this season of the year; this is a season of joy and yet many are hurt, broken, despairing and wounded. It's hard to ignore the pain that we are called to address, just like it is difficult to sit with someone whose life has been shattered. But God knows we have the strength to do it, however imperfectly.

When I was younger and living in Charlottesville, Virginia, I volunteered my time at a sexual assault resource center. After extensive training I staffed a hotline shift occasionally and received calls from women (mostly) who had been battered or raped. Their stories were hard to hear. Sometimes their lives were so full of layer upon layer of abuse and hopelessness. I couldn't make things miraculously all better. But I could sit with them, hear their stories, reassure them and offer them resources. It didn't feel like much at the time but it was something. It made me feel deep compassiona towards those who have suffered violence and it educated me on so many levels. I also remember that after each shift, at least one of the employees of the agency would sit down with me and debrief. At first I thought it was strange. Why would they want to hear my feelings? They explained to me that just by hearing another person's experience of assault and violence could traumatize the hearer. So, instead of the violence rippling through multiple lives, their goal was to transform that pain into something positive and hopeful. So, talk away they said!!! I have to admit, it did help to sort through my feelings and to work together to create new ways to help people's lives get back on track. Great strides have been made because people spoke up and told their stories. Police officers in many places are trained to be more sensitive, many hospitals treat rape victims with more care, friends and family members learn not to blame the victim, survivors are referred to counselors who help them address their trauma, and men and women who have been assaulted learn to take back their power. To be sure, it is a slow process.

Throughout scripture there are many examples of individuals and groups of people waiting. Waiting for a long time for release, resolution, freedom. Sometimes the wait is enough to make people lose their faith - where is God when we are the ones who are suffering??? Advent recalls this waiting and reminds us that waiting need not be passive. It can be full of deliberate outward action and inward strategizing. The words in Isaiah and the Magnificat remind us of our role to be God's hope-filled people, even amidst despair. As we rejoice in the season, let us "be not afraid" to turn our ear to those who need us.