The book Christmas Days by Jeannette Winterson is a treasure if you’re ever looking for a Christmas gift for a reader and/or cook. While not religious in focus, there are some wonderful stories which include religious traditions. Coupled with each of the 12 stories is a recipe fit for the season and the story.

One tradition mentioned on page 109 of Christmas Days is the BBC’s “A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols” that airs on Christmas Eve. The website link to the 2022 Lessons & Carols broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 is HERE, describing this as “A service of carols, hymns, and readings live from the candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge.”

PROSPECTIVE ACTIONS:

• Perhaps spending time watching/listening to A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will be one of your “yes” responses this Christmas season? 🙂
• Pray or sing today’s verse (Pray Your Way to the Manger as described in this CP post)

December 23 (“O Emmanuel”)

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Enjoy the day – and the season – fueled by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 25, 2022:

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

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In a recent post (HERE), a relative of the Guideposts founders, Elizabeth Peale Allen shares the following observation

… unfortunately, many of us get caught up in the rush and the pressure of the holiday season. When that happens, Christmas can seem more like a mad dash to the finish line than the reverent, expectant time it should be.

She then shares four ideas that might help this holiday season and closes with

This Christmas, say “yes” to what’s really important to you and a polite “no” to everything else. Look for ways to show kindness to people who need it. Remind yourself and your loved ones daily of the real reason why we celebrate: Christ has come to live among us.

PROSPECTIVE ACTIONS:

• Try out some of the ideas shared in Elizabeth’s post HERE
• Pray or sing today’s verse (Pray Your Way to the Manger as described in the previous CP post)

December 20 (“O Key of David”)

O come, O Key of David, come
and open wide our heavenly home.
Make safe for us the heavenward road
and bar the way to death’s abode.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Enjoy the day – and the season – with “YES” and “no” responses, fueled by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 25, 2022:

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

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In case you’re looking for a daily practice in this final week of Advent, the approach HERE written by Bob Hostetler and shared by Guideposts may be “just the ticket!” The posting includes this fact:

For centuries, followers of Jesus have “knelt” and prayed their way to the manger in the week before Christmas. They do it by means of a series of songs, or chants, called “The O Antiphons or Great Advent Antiphons.

Additionally, the posting shares that the verses of the Advent hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” are these Advent Antiphons. In the article, Bob H. asks readers if they want to consider kneeling themselves to Christmas Eve by using the verses each day.

PROSPECTIVE ACTION: Want to take Bob Hostetler up on the practice for today? If so, pray and/or sing this as the first of seven days

December 17 (“O Wisdom”)

O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

If you enjoy today’s praying/singing effort, the next six days are included in the Guideposts post…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. Thanks to Bob Hostetler and Guideposts for their faithful efforts to share such wonderful materials during Advent and all year long! And thanks our CP friend, Toni, for sharing this link.

P.S.S. Apologies to readers of yesterday’s post – there was one wildly unintelligible sentence included! 🙂  It is corrected HERE. We rejoice it doesn’t happen even more often 🙂

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 18, 2022:

• Isaiah 7:10-16 
• Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 
• Romans 1:1-7 
• Matthew 1:18-25

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Do the Latin words in the post title immediately bring to mind the English name of today’s song?

When thinking about a song using the key word for this week – Faithfulness – this hymn quickly comes to mind with its familiar chorus…

O come, all ye faithful,
joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him,
Born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

The United Methodist (UMC) webpage HERE tells of a lengthy collaboration on this song across several decades. Talk about being faiithful to the story!  That website also describes the ways we sing and/or experience this song in each verse. Fabulous information – thanks UMC!

Ready to listen to the song? One version is HERE.

O come, all ye faithful – – enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 18, 2022:

• Isaiah 7:10-16 
• Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 
• Romans 1:1-7 
• Matthew 1:18-25

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But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ~ Matthew 1:20-21

Fearless? Faithful? Peaceful? Wow – it’s not clear that anyone in Joseph’s position could be any of those things, especially in those times with very different cultural norms.

Yet the reported actions later in Matthew make it appear that Joseph allayed his fears and was faithful to his marriage promise. How filled with peace he was is likely anyone’s guess…

Faithfulness is the word Pamela C. Hawkins chooses for this week in her Advent book Prepare the Way. As one exercise she encourages us to write a brief prayer “to help you grow in trust and love of God.” Maybe you’ll want to try out your own?

PRAYER: Emmanuel, strengthen my resolve this season and in the years ahead, that I might be peace-filled, fearless and faithful. Amen

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of faithfulness!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 18, 2022:

• Isaiah 7:10-16 
• Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 
• Romans 1:1-7 
• Matthew 1:18-25

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Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense^[a];
    he has become my salvation.          ~ Isaiah 12:2

The parish of St. Timothy’s Episcopal in Anderson Township (Cincinnati) Ohio has experienced a real-life example of fearlessness over the past several years. In her cancer journey, the associate priest (Lisa B.,) has been a fantastic example, seemingly fearless and at the same time inspirational in her spirituality, faith and activities.

During Covid times, many of us looked forward to Sunday worship on the St. Tim’s YouTube channel. Pastor Roger, Pastor Lisa, Deacon Ellen and the fabulous quartet helped us through difficult times. One of the particularly challenging weeks for Lisa, YouTube viewers were treated to an inspirational, worshipful experience of the song Do Not Be Afraid (Isaiah 43 passage references,) dedicated to Pastor Lisa. CP readers can watch/listen to that song rendition HERE. What a treat (including the descant.)

A few weeks back, Lisa officially ended her pastoral relationship with St. Tim’s to focus on her family and her health. In her November 13, 2022  sermon HERE she shares wonderful wisdom – as usual! – talking about how gifts of the people make our world new, lifting each of us. In the midst of this cancer battle, she continues to provide a perspective rich in faithful experience, spiritual joy, wonderful wisdom, understandable frustration and much, much more.

Thanks to Pastor Lisa for the fearlessness example – we are blessed to have her in our midst, sharing wonderful messages in word and deed!

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• Please consider sharing an extra prayer for Pastor Lisa, her family and all who love her as her spiritual/medical/health/ministry journey continues. May those prayers of strength and support envelope them.
• Perhaps you’ll find time to listen to “Do Not Be Afraid” again (and again;) a reminder of our opportunity towards fearlessness…
• Maybe someone you know would appreciate a forward of this message?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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A wonderful CP friend shared this:

I can’t say enough about how meaningful “From Generation to Generation, an Advent devotional” has been to me. Written by a team from A Sanctified Art (sanctifiedart.org) and provided to me through the generosity of First Presbyterian Church, HHI; it’s my morning companion. It combines scripture with art, poetry and journaling. One morning, while in Cleveland, the journaling prompt was to write about someone who changed your life, while reflecting on the theme: there’s room for every story. This brought about such a good discussion with my brother-in-law, a Catholic Deacon, where he shared an important part of his life, that I previously knew nothing about.

Whether with Prepare The Way or some other action-oriented devotional like the one Toni references above, spending study time this Advent season can be incredibly fruitful. Especially during what can be a hectic time of year with waves of activity coming one right after the other (like the picture below,) we can find peace, justice, fearlessness and more**.

POTENTIAL ACTIONS: perhaps today is an opportunity to open/re-open a devotional and take inspiration from it? Maybe you’ll find time to chat with a special someone about a person who has helped alter their life?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

P.S. Ready for some extra music options for the holidays?

• playlist of contemporary holiday song at  Christmas Coffehouse on Spotify (HERE)
• Christian Playbook collection of Christmas Songs HERE as a YouTube Playlist

** including prompts for discussions with cherished others!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;          ~ Isaiah 35:5-7a

May it be so.

Especially with worries of Global Climate Destabilization, wouldn’t it be nice to be fearless with this perspective from Isaiah for those suffering (including our earth?) For example, imagine the joy of those in parched parts of our world – the southwest U.S. region comes to mind – at the prospect of “thirsty ground springs of water.”

In Prepare the Way this week, Pamela C. Hawkins focuses thinking on fearlessness. Among many topics, she encourages us to think of when we’ve helped another be fearless and when God has helped us be fearless. When given such reminders, maybe we can be even a little more fearless?

Fearlessness of prophets is legendary – John the Baptist and Joseph to name a couple. When hearing John the Baptist say

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  ~ Matthew 3:2

it’s not hard to believe that he was feeling God’s stirring. Sharing such a message then and NOW frequently requires strength and support from God and others in our sphere.

POTENTIAL RUMINATION / ACTION: Anything holding you back on taking action to make positive impacts on climate change? Is there someone who could come alongside to help you with next steps? Perhaps by examining those obstacles and opportunities with a fearlessness perspective, each of us can make our difference…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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Beginning efforts on POTENTIAL ACTION** from yesterday’s CP post prompted a grins-filled reading of this Lectionary verse for Sunday:

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ~ Matthew 3:4

Why grins-filled? The visual of John the Baptist from this passage can be stark. The wry grins came in the form of viewing this through a different lens – – climate perspective from these familiar scriptures had never been part of the experience….

• maybe John the Baptist wore camel’s hair clothing because he didn’t want to use additional natural resources for new clothes? (did you know that “the lifetime” of one pair of blue jeans requires over 900 gallons of water?)
• maybe his diet – locusts and wild honey – was imposed to limit his climate impact by sticking with readily-available items? (for one example, positive climate impacts of eating less meat are outlined HERE

Looking for POTENTIAL ACTION items? This Wikipedia page HERE has some ideas including:

People who wish to reduce their carbon footprint (particularly those in high income countries with high consumption lifestyles), can take “high-impact” actions, such as avoiding frequent flying and petrol fuelled cars, eating mainly a plant-based diet, having fewer children,^[7] using clothes and electrical products for longer,^[8] and electrifying homes.^[9] Avoiding meat and dairy foods has been called “the single biggest way” an individual can reduce their environmental impact.^[10] Excessive consumption is more to blame for climate change than population increase.^[11] High consumption lifestyles have a greater environmental impact, with the richest 10% of people emitting about half the total lifestyle emissions.^[12][13]

~ Wikipedia page (HERE)

Coupling Sallie McFague’s compelling commentary (quoted in this 12/2 CP post) with the item from Wikipedia (HERE) …

Others say that individual action leads to collective action, and emphasize that “research on social behavior suggests lifestyle change can build momentum for systemic change.”^[15]

…it’s clear to see that our actions and commentary matter – – to people, creatures, the planet and to God.

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards climate justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with Spirit’s stirrings!

** POTENTIAL ACTION from 12/2 CP posting: What work can you do this week (“putting your whole self to it”) to help our global climate situation?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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You’ve likely read before somewhere: “Want to see God smile? Tell God your plans…”

Today’s CP post originally had a VERY different vibe. Then along came the 12/1 CAC post “A Healthy Church Needs a Healthy Planet;” that in concert with the 12/1 Prepare the Way book reading/suggested activities. Seems Spirit may be working in mysterious ways…

What work are you doing this week to help our global climate situation?

That’s the question that is resonating in the materials above and so many others** That CAC article HERE includes commentary:

The world we want, that we ache for, is a world where children get to grow up and live to old age, where people have food and houses and enjoyable work, where animals and plants and human beings live together on the earth in harmony, where *none “shall hurt or destroy” [Isaiah 65:25].

~ Sallie McFague*

Anyone disagree with Sallie?

If not, perhaps her closing sentiment will stir us to action:

God says, “Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.” “While they are yet speaking”—we have only to ask for God to answer! But we must ask with our whole being; a better world must become our deepest desire. And this means, of course, we must work at it; we must give our whole selves to it.

~ Sallie McFague*

POTENTIAL ACTION: What work can you do this week (“putting your whole self to it”) to help our global climate situation?

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards climate justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with Spirit’s stirrings!

* A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2008), 144.

** check out the “8 Questions” section, page 80 of the Time magazine for 12/5-12/12 as an example

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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