Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. ~ Desmond Tutu

Sometimes the darkness of a a situation – whether apartheid in Tutu’s experience or something troubling in our own lives – helps remind us that light still exists. Seeing the Tutu quote on the 12/29 Guideposts daily devotional seemed perfect given the last CP post about the song Hope is Born Again.

There are so many wonderful ways to share our hope tangibly with others. Nicholas Kristof wrote this article For the Holidays, Pull a Tooth or Save a Life and it’s worth a read. Let’s share our hope for a brighter/lighter future on this planet for all of us!

ACTION:

1. Consider a donation to one of the groups in Kristof’s article if you’re still looking for 2017 / 2018 giving suggestions (it’s not too late for 2017 – most charities take online donations!)
2. Listen to Hope is Born Again as a musical reminder of light in darkness
3. Share this post with a friend if you think he/she would appreciate reading CP posts in 2018

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 31, 2017:

• Isaiah 61:10-62:3
• Psalm 148
• Galatians 4:4-7
• Luke 2:22-40

For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. ~ Isaiah 61:11

Hope is Born Again. Has a nice sound to it, doesn’t it? This song, by Jim Brickman, has words and tune that are uplifting.

Especially coming off the high of worship and gatherings with friends and family during the Christmas season, it can bring us to a lull. This song – especially coupled with the Isaiah scriptures – share the Christian message that we have the opportunity for hope, again and again and again.

ACTION: Let Brickman’s tune and lyrics soak into your soul

Delight in the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 31, 2017:

• Isaiah 61:10-62:3
• Psalm 148
• Galatians 4:4-7
• Luke 2:22-40

“Were it not for a broken organ, there would not have been a Silent Night.” ~ from the book Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan

Tonight marks the 200th year that Silent Night will be sung at Christmas Eve services. In 1818, Father Joseph Mohr was struggling with music for a worship service since the organ was not working. It resulted in his writing the words to Silent Night and asking his organist, Franz Gruber, to create a tune for guitar accompaniment.

Of all things, it was the organ repairman that may have contributed to Silent Night’s success on more than just that first Christmas. He spread the score and lyrics in the Austrian region where it came to the attention of the Strasser Family singers (sort of like the Von Trapp Family Singers a century or so later.) They sang it around the region and it gained recognition and ultimately was in print, first in a German-language songbook and ultimately in English and other languages.

ACTION: enjoy this Silent Night, in song and spirit

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Christmas Eve / Christmas Day:

• Isaiah 9:2-7
• Psalm 96
• Titus 2:11-14
• Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. ~ Luke 1:46b-47a

PROMISE is the summary word for this week in Behold! by Pamela C. Hawkins. In the verses above and those that follow in Luke 1, Mary understands the promises made to her. Can’t these same scriptural words apply to us too? Reading the rest of the Lectionary verses in Luke (link below,) we find so many promises and also the gratitude of a young woman.

My Soul Magnifies the Lord is the title of a Chris Tomlin song. While not a traditional Christmas song, it echoes a bit of Mary’s commentary and shares a rejoicing spirit in the melody.

This week, may we hear the music of our Christmas tradition and rejoice in the promise of Christ’s birth in each of us through the Holy Spirit!

ACTION: This Youtube site now contains several favorite Christmas songs. You can go to this webpage to listen to some favorite songs. Plus, we encourage you to add Christmas songs you think the CP community will enjoy (it’s pretty easy to do and you’re already authorized by CP and Youtube to do so at this site – no sign up necessary!)

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 24, 2017:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
• Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
• Romans 16:25-27
• Luke 1:26-38

What traditions make your Christmas holiday special? One that has been happening with Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church is Christmas caroling. We sing for over a hundred folks in the dinner crowd at a senior living facility and then head out to various member homes in the vicinity. As an added bonus, those who are interested join together for a meal and fellowship afterwards.

Here’s a picture of the group having pizza this year Many of us have commented about how this effort helps “kick-start” the Christmas spirit. Plus, we get some mighty nice smiles, folks singing along with us and also many thank-yous from recipients.

ACTION: Maybe you’ll want to adopt such a gathering this year with your church community and/or your family? If so, some materials are HERE

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 24, 2017:

• 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
• Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
• Romans 16:25-27
• Luke 1:26-38

With this Youtube channel, we begin to accumulate some favorite Christmas songs that you can play in the background.

Today’s focus song is Angels Are Making Their Rounds. The MWPC choir and instrumentalists did this a couple weeks ago in church and it was magical. Check it out.

ACTION: Peruse activity listings in your area to see if there is a carolfest, singing of Messiah or other Christmas song concert that you might attend in the week ahead

Enjoy the day and the Christmas season, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 17, 2017:

• Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
• Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
• John 1:6-8, 19-28

Do Christmas songs put you in the mood for the holiday? This Guideposts article discusses how the author found peace in an unlikely Christmas song. That song – All is Well (sung in this link by Carrie Underwood and Michael W. Smith) – is a beautiful melody and the “all is well” message certainly can help promote calm in the midst of stress.

Over the next few weeks we will cover a number of “Christmas songs.”  For many, these songs help in Christian understanding of the season and also evoke emotions of today and days gone by.

ACTION: think of a favorite Christmas song.

• search for that song on the internet using the song title plus “youtube” -> maybe listen to one of the versions that show up in the search?
• share the name of the song in the comments section at the bottom of this post -> perhaps that will prompt CP commentary about that song during the upcoming season? 🙂

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 17, 2017:

• Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
• Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
• John 1:6-8, 19-28

“The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; he 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;” ~ Isaiah 61:1

Faith. When you read that word, what first comes to your mind? This is something that Pamela C. Hawkins asks in her book Behold! Cultivating Attentiveness in the Season of Advent.

Imagine being a captive centuries ago and hearing the faith expressed by Isaiah in the 61st chapter. How do you experience faith the same or differently on this day?

May we “proclaim liberty to the captives” as we enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 17, 2017:

• Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
• Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46b-55
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
• John 1:6-8, 19-28

With postings like this one – A Blessing of the Empty Space – Beth Richardson continues to bless us. The whole post is worth a read if you have a few minutes. The way she describes the emptiness left by the death of her dad “rings true” for many

“Left with the emptiness,

The space that can never be filled

In quite the same way.” ~ Beth Richardson in the book

Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me: Celtic Blessings

This is a sentiment that frequently finds its way into sympathy cards. We know we want to enjoy every minute with our loved ones and when they leave our mortal presence there is an emptiness that can never be completely filled.

This message is also a reminder of the Blessings song that Christian Playbook referenced earlier in the week. While trials of life are challenging and sometimes almost overwhelming, they are blessings all the same, as the song describes.

ACTION: How can you be blessing to another in your midst this week? It’s not always apparent that there are troubling times afoot for that person, but invariably we’re all undergoing some type of challenge…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

“…grief is the tax we pay on loving people.” ~ Thomas Lynch as quoted in the book Life of Meaning p. 87

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 10, 2017:

• Isaiah 40:1-11
• Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
• 2 Peter 3:8-15a
• Mark 1:1-8

Have you heard the song “Blessings” by Laura Story? You can hear it HERE

This song was recommended to me by a friend. I promised to work it up for this Christmas-time so we could sing it. This past week while listening to the song, it is clear to me why he and so many of us like it. Plus the timing is particularly good given a “blessing” he is dealing with today…

“What if trials of this life…are your mercies in disguise?”

May you feel the peace that passeth all understanding, especially while dealing with the storms, the trials, the blessings of this life…

Lectionary Texts for this Sunday, December 10, 2017:

• Isaiah 40:1-11
• Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
• 2 Peter 3:8-15a
• Mark 1:1-8