The Mainline Minister

"In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. "In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am br

December 24th!  It's Christmas Eve.  Yes, but... Until we are through with worship today, we will still inhabit the space of Advent.  Still we anticipate, still we await.  This is a great day to meditate on patience all while we prepare for the future.  Baby Jesus is coming. His arrival is imminent.  But he's not here yet.  So before you throw open the doors to welcome the Christ child, take advantage of this last day of Advent to make sure all is ready for him.  And, if it's not, it's okay. Just try. We welcome you, Incarnate God, Dream of All the Ages, Hope of Every Heart.  Just not yet.

For most of you this is a lazy Saturday.  Tomorrow, Christmas Eve will arrive with the sights and sounds of joy and celebration.   Today is a moment to catch your breath.  For me, it's something else. Tomorrow is the marathon of church Sundays, with four services.   It will all be great.  The services have been planned, the music arranged.  It will be glorious.  But I'm already on edge. There isn't enough time.  There are still things to do.  The clock is ticking.  For me, this Saturday is filled with tension.  And that's too bad, because that's just one of the many ways that we are drawn away from what makes Advent so powerful.  This has been a season of waiting, praying and preparation.  When I've been attuned to what is important, I've felt closer to God and more ready for the miracle of Jesus' birth.  Why would I want to be any other way? So, yes, I'll still fret and worry that something will go wrong.  I still need a magus for

The snow is falling today and people are talking about the possibility of a white Christmas.  Lovely.  But what about Advent?  Have we already lost sight of this season?  We don't have much time left to prepare, to wait, to get ready.  If you're lucky enough to not be working or going to school today, take some time to pray and reflect on what this Advent has meant to you, on what you'd like to take from these weeks that have gone by, and what you hope to do to celebrate, to honor, to make real in your life the birth of the Christ child.

Today is the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day, and thus, longest night, of the year.  Traditionally, we remember the homeless who have died over the past year on this day.  As we prepared for the arrival of the Christ child, and his parents who found that there was no room at the inn, let us give some thought to those in our community without a warm place to sleep, a roof over their heads, a place to call our own.  Let us think, let us pray, let us do something.  After all, God cared enough the came to be with us, to save us.  Maybe we can bestir ourselves to care for those among us who could use a little help.

I've been receiving A LOT of emails the past couple of days encouraging me to get my order in NOW if I want my loved ones to receive their products in time for Christmas.  Wouldn't want my order from Stuff.com to be late for the Feast of the Nativity, would I? As we get older, we all seem to indulge in the same past time: regretting the degradation of Christmas.  When we were kids, people were more faithful, society more respectful, customs observed, etc. etc.  While there are indeed new developments in seasonal hucksterism, people have been offering this complaint for generations. Presents and gifts are nice.  So are decorations and parties.   But they're beside the point.  If we truly want to mark Jesus' birthday, we should reflect on the meaning of his life, and how it informs ours.  That simple, that hard.  The good news, calendars notwithstanding, is that we will have many, many chances.  Take that deadlines!

I have to be in Boston so I'm getting an early start to the day.  It seems like I have all the time in the world.  But before I know it, the day will be speeding by.  Driving to the city. Rushing to meetings.  Returning to the Upper Valley.  Whiz. Bang. Done. But for now, I'll enjoy the quiet, the sense of anticipation for the day ahead.  I'll savor the possibilities, imagining what will be.  And I'll take time to thank God for this moment and this Advent Season. Thanks, God.

Today, the third Sunday in Advent, is known as Gaudete Sunday, or Joy Sunday.  The name comes from the first word of the mass sung on this day.  "Rejoice!" worshipers hear.  In our church, the day is signified by the lighting of the pink candle in the Advent wreath.  In our church, the day will be filled with hymns, a parsonage party, and capped off with the singing of Messiah.  What will you do to rejoice this day? Even if it doesn't seem apparent, we've each and all got a lot for which to be thankful.  Thanks be to God!

Saturday is traditionally an off day, a time of rest.  But I'm feeling frazzled.  There's stuff that needs to be done, things that need attention, schedules that have to be met.  Frankly, I'm not in very much of a holiday mood.  Or, as Mr. Scrooge says, "Bah, humbug!" We often rake the old banker over the coals, but I'd like to argue for a little dyspepsia, a bit of cynicism, a dollop of darkness this Advent.  No, I'm not saying we should succumb to every bad feeling or thought that might come our way.  But I'd like to push back against the mandated seasonal cheer.  Our joy, our happiness should be grounded in reality, not marketing, not somebody's need for a picture perfect holiday. Besides, some of us have reason to be depressed our angry or just plain out of sorts.  Part of preparing for Advent is making room. And that includes space for those who aren't a bundle of cheer. Give them time. Give me time. We'll come aro

Modern life offers all sorts of reasons for us to grow anxious. I won't list them here; you can think of them yourself.  Some of them are shared in common with others, some are our own special form of hell.  It's easy to say, it will be okay, everything will work out.  Life tells us otherwise.  Jesus tells us otherwise.  The hope we are awaiting is not some magic spell that cures all ills, but a knowledge and acceptance of a love that will endure through all that we may face.  That may not be what we want, but it's what God, who is smarter than you or me, offers. During this season of waiting and anticipation, you may think about your troubles.  Then think about what's coming and how it will help you to cope, survive, live and ultimately, thrive.

One of the things we await at this time of year is the light of the world, the light that will overcome darkness.  Unfortunately, it's not hear yet.  Today is the fifth anniversary of the Newtown shootings, and, sadly, many more lives have been taken since this eruption of evil into our lives. A reason that the light has not yet arrived, is that we often prefer the darkness.  In the dark we can cuddle up with the destructive familiar of our bad habits, rather than seek out refreshing if challenging ways of doing what is healthful and life-giving.  In the dark we can fall prey to fear and resentment, which is often an easier path to follow that one of standing up to what is wrong and debasing.  In the dark we can nurture our sins. We can feel helpless, unable to fight the darkness.  But we are actually stronger and more resilient than we imagine.  We have the power of Jesus with us.  The power to light up the world and overcome the darkness.  But we have to a

We had about a foot of snow here in the Upper Valley.  Everything looks lovely, the landscape is covered in white and all is ready for Christmas. Uh, no. I'm not ready for Christmas.  Oh, I've got the gifts and I think I'll jump on the cards at the end of the week (or not).  But spiritually, I'm still in Advent, still wrapping my mind around what it all means and what I will do in response.  Fortunately, I don't need to have it all figured out by the 24th.  Advent is a season, but it's also a discipline.  Looking for signs of God in our world isn't something we do just in the days before the Feast of the Nativity.  We should do this all year round, for as Scripture tells us, we know not the hour when the Lord will come. Enjoy the snow; relax with some cocoa, coffee, or tea; and remember to prepare for the Christ child.  He's coming.

By now, if you live in the Upper Valley, you've noticed it's snowing.  On the one hand, it was expected that we'd have a snow day.  Nowadays, people seem to be extra cautious, and take care to be safe.  All good.  On the other hand, this is northern New England, for God's sake.  Can't we handle just a few inches of powder?  I have things to do today, places to be, people to see.  Nature doesn't care.  Nor, does Advent. This is the one time of year that we are liturgically compelled, or at least encouraged, to slow down, catch our breath, and just think about what is going on and what it all means. The Christ Child is coming. Wow. Think about it.  He's coming here. To us.  Soon. That's big news. News that's even worth stopping, reflecting, and giving thanks. Let is snow.  We'll always have tomorrow to catch up.  For now: Thank you, God. For the snow, for Jesus, for everything.

Another Monday, another week.  Lots of things to do and already I'm behind.  What to do? Take a moment to catch my breath, to pray, to reflect.  All the stuff that needs to be done will still be there in a few minutes.  But this precious moment, this gift from God is irreplaceable.  I  hope you'll take some time today to be quiet, to rest, to savor Advent.  The other stuff will still be there.

Today we'll be reading the beginning of Mark's Gospel.  He tell us that he  has good news to share. That's a relief.  We've sure had enough bad news - wildfires, politicians behaving badly, North Korea, the list goes on.  Everything seems off kilter.  But into the midst of this mess, the author of the Gospel shares a riposte: I've got good news: Jesus Christ.  It may not seem like a lot, just something that the church blathers on about, but that's because we don't take Mark or the Gospel seriously.  If we did, then - wow.  Imagine what having Jesus Christ in your life means, today, tomorrow, for you, for the world. Good news indeed!

This morning I drove with our senior deacon across the state to attend a workshop of how to deal with an active shooter.  It was an informative program with speakers who were clearly knowledgeable. I hope we never have to put some of what we learned to use but some of it we will.  Part of dealing with such a situation is being prepared, taking steps for what is unexpected.  Little things can make all the difference. Advent involves this, too.  Who, really, expects the Christ child?  Do we live our lives as if Jesus really were going to show up in a bit over two weeks?  We need to be prepared. We need not pull a John the Baptist and retreat to the desert wearing skins and eating locusts.  But taking a few minutes from our daily routine to make ready for the arrival of God incarnate in our lives would be time well spent.

The weather app on my phone suggests we will have snow tomorrow, then again next week.  Part of me is pleased, since this will further the feeling that winter is arriving.  Part of me is annoyed, for the exact same reason.  How can I feel two contradictory things at once?  Well, that's part of the wonder of human psychology and it reflects the complexities of living.  For example, we are excited about the arrival of Christmas and yet are waiting with intent, not wanting to hurry its coming.  Rather than try to focus on thing to the exclusion of all else, let's take a moment to thank God for the gift to appreciate multiple blessings, seen and unseen, those present and those yet to come.

I'm sure I've commented on this before but it won't hurt to say it again: time flies.  I meant to get to this earlier today, but now it's past noon.  Advent will be like this.  Before we know what's happened, it will fly on by.  Are we being intentional in our waiting and anticipating?  Are we taking steps to make room for the Christ child in our lives?  Or are we procrastinating? If we're doing the latter, we may miss the boat on preparing for the Advent of the Lord.  It would be a shame if that were to happen.  So take a moment, get ready, and prepare.

This morning I had a long telephone conversation with someone in Boston.  I didn't know exactly how it would go, and just let myself be present.  When it was over, we'd been on the phone for nearly fifty minutes.  It turned out to be a grace-filled experience, one for which I'm grateful.  In many ways, it was a gift. Part of the joy of Advent is that in waiting and anticipating, we open ourselves up to the new and unexpected.  No longer focused on hurrying to and fro, we can just be, which allows us to see things we would have otherwise missed.  Like the blessing of that call.  Keep your eyes open.  Take a deep breath.  Who knows what unexpected gift you might receive.

It's only the third day of Advent and already I'm feeling behind schedule.  There isn't enough time to do what needs to be done! Help.  Why is this happening?  Perhaps because with four Sundays, I instinctively think we have four weeks.  But this year, Advent is just three weeks long.  I've been cheated! Or have I?  Three weeks is plenty of time to pray, to wait, to make ready for Christmas.  It's enough time to reflect, to write, maybe take a walk.  It will be okay.  If I feel cheated, it's only because of my expectations, not because of anything God is doing.  And, ultimately, that's all that matters. I'll try to keep that in mind next time I feel pressed.

Waiting: It's what we do during Advent.  But how we do it?  Are we anxious, nervous, impatient?  Joyful, excited? A mixture of the two? And just what are we waiting for? Parties? Presents? Great Christmas music? A pageant? Christ? A lot of questions. Fortunately, we have time to come up with some answers.  One way to do so, I'd suggest, is to pray.  Pray to God for wisdom, for discernment, for patience. Give it a try.  And for once, don't wait.

Today we begin Advent.  Over the next three weeks, we will sing, pray, congregate, and party, all with the intention of readying ourselves for Christmas.  But what about getting ready for Advent?  All to often, though we know it's coming, Advent seems to just be here and we spend the season moving from one thing to the next without the chance to just be. Let's do things differently this year.  Let's take a deep breath, let's pray, live into the season, and begin to wait for the Lord.  He's coming.  Just not yet.