Acknowledgments
This Advent Booklet is the product, first and foremost, of the members of Northeastern Presbyterian Church, who contributed their devotions. Stacey Brown and Shirley Logan assembled and edited the entries with the generous assistance of Pastor Nancy Thornton,
and Kathy Cuff. We thank God for inspiration.
~Season’s Greetings from the Pastor~
Dear Friends,
We are in what the world calls the “holiday season.” Now more than ever it’s easy for us to compartmentalize our faith. We easily lapse into referring to the time period between Thanksgiving and December as “the Christmas season,” or worse, “the holidays.”
Actually, for Christians, this season is called Advent -- the time when we remember Christ’s coming in the Incarnation and when we await Christ’s second coming. Our waiting for both of those advents is filled with anticipation. In the long history of the Christian church, Advent has been a very quiet and penitential season, with time to reflect on these comings of Christ.
But our hectic “holiday” schedules almost totally prohibit those times of quiet.
One way that we might make room for God in our lives would be to evaluate honestly what we do with our time during Advent. What do we do out of mere obligation during the season? Do we bake a ton of goodies, suspecting that it “won’t be Christmas” if we don’t? Do we really have to send out Christmas cards every year? Which of the “holiday” activities in which we are involved truly honor Christ?
There was no room for the holy family at the inn because the world’s activities (the census) packed the place full. If our schedules are filled with worldly activities, will we have room in our own lives to give to Christ?
Christians can reclaim Advent with several small practices. We can put practices in place in our households that anticipate what Christmas truly is (the birth of Christ) not just what Christmas has become (a meal and some presents). We can alter how we use our time by examining our social calendar. We can use an Advent wreath in our homes. Each Sunday you can light a candle on the wreath to mark the time until Christ comes. Even a small time for household devotion can help orient us to what is important during Advent.
Northeastern Presbyterian Church brings to this season our unique experiences, expectations, understandings and beloved customs. Instead of purchasing devotional booklets, we offer you our less-polished but heartfelt personal meditations on the meaning of this holy season. This booklet is eclectic in that some of us have reflected on one or more scriptural passages in the Common Lectionary, or an insight of a special passage, an event or experience in our lives. As you read these words, we invite you to reflect on your own journey to Christmas and to prepare with us to welcome God’s coming to you – Advent.
Grace, Hope, Love and Peace!
Pastor Nancy
“They find me a strange and terrifying creature,” he said to himself, “and I can’t seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me. If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety. . . .”
Just at that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood silent for a while, listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then he sank to his knees in the snow. “Now I do understand,” he whispered. “Now I see why You had to do it.”
This parable was written by Louis Cassels many years ago.
Think of the many ways God has reached out to us to communicate with us since the beginning. The climax of God communicating with us in the Old Testament was when God formed the covenant with Moses on Mt. Sinai. God joined Godself to us in a covenant and we were joined to God in a covenant. But we still sinned so God raised up prophets to call us back but only a small number of people paid heed to the prophets. All through the centuries of the Old Testament God pursued us like a lover but we had broken the covenant and God had to make a new unbreakable covenant with us. For this new covenant, God would become flesh and bones like us in the person of Jesus to convince us once and for all to accept God’s invitation to be God’s people. Jesus is the climax of God reaching out to us.
“Now I see why You had to do it” wrote Louis Cassels in A Christmas Parable. And indeed God had to do it, had to become one of us to make us understand because despite God’s best efforts throughout all the Old Testament we still didn’t get the message. Sometimes you have to, as we say, rub their noses in it to make them understand. Christmas is, in a sense, God rubbing our noses in it to make us understand. Christmas is God saying, “Maybe this will grab your attention.”
“…to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Nancy
December 25, 2013
1 John 4:7-16 - John 3:31-36
“By this we know that we abide in God and God in us, because God has given us of the Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the God has sent the Son as the Savior of the world. 1God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.” - 1 John 4:13-16
Once upon a time there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug. He wasn’t a Scrooge. He was a kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other people. But he didn’t believe all that stuff about Incarnation which churches proclaim at Christmas. And he was too honest to pretend that he did. “I am truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, who was a faithful churchgoer. “But I simply cannot understand this claim that God becomes man. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
On Christmas Eve his wife and children went to church for the midnight service. He declined to accompany them. “I’d feel like a hypocrite,” he explained. “I’d rather stay at home. But I’ll wait up for you.”
Shortly after his family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. “If we must have Christmas,” he thought, “it’s nice to have a white one.” He went back to his chair by the fireside and began to read his newspaper. A few minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. It was quickly followed by another, then another.
He thought that someone must be throwing snowballs at his living room window. When he went to the front door to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the storm. They had been caught in the storm and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through his window. “I can’t let these poor creatures lie there and freeze,” he thought. “But how can I help them?” Then he remembered the barn where the children’s pony was stabled. It would provide a warm shelter.
He put on his coat and galoshes and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the door wide and turned on a light. But the birds didn’t come in. “Food will lure them in,” he thought. So he hurried back to the house for bread crumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction - except into the warm lighted barn.
December 1, 2013
First Sunday of Advent
I Thessalonians 1: 5 - Luke 21: 5-19
Children of the Light
“We are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”
God has a plan for us. We do encounter difficulties in living out our Christianity. Christ has said that these things will happen but He is there to help us overcome the darkness with light—whether it be our personal hurdles, which may include domestic situations, betrayal by others, or the problems of the world. Children of the light lean on the grace of God to take them through their trials, and lighten their paths. They lead a prayer life, coupled with meditation and fasting. Christ reigns supreme in the children of the light.
We have the hope that Christ will return but we know not when; therefore, it behooves us to live each day to its fullness. There is so much joy in serving our Lord and Savior. Out of our great love for Him will flow love for all of the children of God—in word and action. Children of the light are involved in advocacy.
Luke 21:14-15 speaks to our inadequacy in situations and God’s promise to give children of the light a mouth and wisdom. Children of the light use their God-given talents to address the social problems of our community: poverty and hunger, education reform, human trafficking, prison reform, immigration reform, all forms of abuse, and gender equality, and other concerns. Children of the light are cognizant of the fact that Jesus gave us His peace and that we should strive to live together in harmony.
The advent season is a good time to renew our commitment to Christ—and not get so wrapped up in the secular part of Christmas. Material things should not be our focus but the sacred things that He emphasized in His stay on earth. Children of the light celebrate family, friends and sharing the good news of Christ in the community worldwide during this joyful season.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ernestine H. Brown
Monday, December 2
2 Peter 1:1-11
Spiritual Maturity: Knowing the Reason for the Season
Christmas is a time for family and traditions.I lovedChristmas time. One of my fondest memories is when my Dad took us out on Christmas Eve. In the morning, we would pick out the tree. We would put it up in the living room or basement undecorated.Later in the evening, we would first go to McDonald's—back when going toMcDonald's was a special treat. I loved their eggnog milkshakes. Then he would take us downtown to see thetreesnear the White House. At that time, each state decorated a tree, so you would see differentdisplays from all the states. There were live animals on the mall, the big fire log and a live nativity scene. Afterwards, we would go to see the displays in the store window at Woodies, Garfinkel’s, Lansburgh’s, Hecht's, and Hahn’s. We would ride through the neighborhoods looking at all of the Christmas lights onthe houses. Once we got home, we made sure the cookies were out and went to bed early. The next day, the tree was decorated, presents were under the tree and everyone was excited! Later, we would get dressed up and go to my Grandmother's house where all of the extended family would gather for dinner.
Now, we still gather together as an extended family at my sister's house. I still go see the trees with a friend or with my nieces andnephews. I still love seeing the Christmas lights in the neighborhoods. What’s different is that I know the reason for the season! Iam thankful that Jesus was given to us on this day. Because of him, I know thatthere is salvation, there is hope and there will be peace.I can lookback at all of the memories and see the HolySpirit in each of them. Jesus is truly the reason for the season. Thank you God for sending your son!
Jennifer Allen
Thereby enhancing our little world and the greater world we share.
That is my Christmas Eve prayer:
With what you have;
Do what you can’
Be who you are.
Call it thoughtful wishing,
All we have to do is put our heart in it.
And there’s one more bonus.
Unlike wishful thinking, thoughtful wishes always come true.
Merry Christmas! And may Emmanuel find a home in us.
Pastor Nancy
December 24, 2013
Galatians 3:23-4:7 - Matthew 1:18-25
Today, for a blessed moment, simply be. Just be. In this time of economic stress, racial rift and global fear, which takes a viral purchase on our souls as it disrupts the patterns and threatens the well-being of so many lives, today in the glimmering of the lights, be present. Be open. Do nothing. Force nothing. Your worries and fears, your hopes and ambitions, let them be. No more striving, not now. We’ve done enough this year. We have all done enough. Too much even. Too much and too many and too often. Around and around the track we go, racing to stay abreast of our fears and keep pace with our plots, driven by our fancies and prancing little egos – on Dancer, on Blitzen – speeding them on, keep them spinning. So stop. Stop for Christmas. Be present. Be open. Be awake. Force nothing. Listen and lighten up. Ease your heartstrings. Catch your breath. Put down your lists. Just be. Here. Now. May God scatter and diffuse our pride in the imagination of our hearts. And may music sooth our tattered souls.
Listen. Today listen for angels. Angels of mercy and healing. Angles of mystery. Angels of birth. Angels dreaming and dancing. Imagine yourself in a field under stars of wonder. Listen and imagine. Do nothing. Just wait. For the hint of a new birth within you. A harbinger of hope, beyond all seeking and striving. For you too are the child. We are the child. Love children. Children of hope in fearful times. Children who light candles against the darkness. Children who sing their hearts out.
Each of us has a story. They are all different. And they are all one. Brought to light under the one sun that will set one day on each of our horizons, heart to heart, dust to dust. But each path is also different, and at times surpassing strange.