Unbelievable

This is my Christmas sermon. Preached Christmas morning at 10AM... 30 minutes after discovering my car had a flat tire... but that is a story for another post. This is my sermon inspired by John 1.

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Several years ago there was a television series called, “Kids say the darndest things.” The premise of the show was that the host would interview children and simply record their candid answers to the questions posed. The entire program was just a half hour of the host interviewing children about their lives and waiting for them to say funny things. If you’ve ever been around children than you know that you never had to wait very long before the children would say something outlandish causing the live studio audience to burst into laughter. This is why the expression “out of the mouths of babes” exists: Children are utterly honest. Children are a mirror we hold up to the world to see its truest reflection. But children are also among the most vulnerable in our world. Children are not inherently in a position of power; they need caring adults to ensure their safety and to listen to them. When children are in the most danger is when they are living in a situation where their voices cannot be heard.

God had sent prophets and angels into the world to speak to the people in the past. And still the people turned away. God spoke to Moses in the burning bush and sent the commandments down from Sinai, but still the people did not follow. God needed to turn the entire world around and to do this God had to do something completely unexpected. So God sent God’s self into the world as a little child to lead them all.

Unbelievable, and yet, here we sit on this Christmas morning two-thousand years after that night in the stable in Bethlehem. Unbelievable.

We need something to believe in. We are living in dark times. The Advent season this year was particularly dark. Last week a man was in so much pain in his own life that he chose to walk into a school and take the lives of the most innocent among us. Unbelievable, yet it’s true. We need a light to break into our darkness. And this morning, our light has come.

I’ve always loved being outside at night in the winter because the stars we see in the winter shine even more clearly than they do the rest of the year. I know there are scientific reasons for all of this, but for me, it’s just really pretty. I grew up in the woods, and I used to love to lie in our backyard hammock, wrapped in a comforter, to look at the stars on cold winter nights. The feeling of my face catching a bitter chill while the rest of my body was warmly nestled in my cocoon is one of my favorite sensations. The irony of this is: I am also terrified of the dark.

There were no street lights out where I grew up. It was truly pitch-black at night, which is what made it possible to see the full brilliance of the night sky. I rarely ventured out to the hammock because of my fear. When I did go out, I’d run on my tiptoes as quietly as I could. I’d often leap the last step and land in the hammock nearly capsizing into the snow. I didn’t feel safe until I was fully wrapped up from head to toe. I guess that is why my image of God is one of a fluffy down comforter. From the safety of my comforter I could experience the wonder of the night sky. The safety of my comforter allowed me to experience the light in the darkness.

I think that is what God realized when God sent us Jesus. God knew that we felt safely wrapped in God’s love but we’d become complacent. We needed help to see that there was more available to us: more love, more peace, more mission, more forgiveness, more living to do if only we could see beyond the horizon and into the possibilities beyond our own backyard hammocks.

CS Lewis wrote: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

This morning the sun rose and with that dawning of a new day the bells of Christmas also tolled. There is a beautiful Christmas truth to CS Lewis’ message. There are days when it feels impossible to believe and on those days we have to look outside of our selves for evidence of God in the world around us. I believe that Jesus Christ is born because I look out and see Christ looking back at me in all of the faces here this Christmas morning. There is darkness in this world, that is true; but there is also a beautiful and indescribable light. A light that comes from the peace that passes all understanding gifted to us by our Savior Jesus Christ.

So go forward today and hug your family members. Look at the faces of the children beaming as they skip down the street. Smile at the other drivers on the road. Reach out to a neighbor who might not have folks to visit with them this year. Be a light in the darkness to all you encounter. Because this morning Jesus broke into our world and your act of love and kindness might be the light in the darkness for those who seek God.

Good morning! Happy Christmas!

Amen.

We are called

I planned our Blue Advent service for Epiphany this year. After the bulletins went to print we learned of the shooting in Newtown. It was immediately apparent that we needed to add an element to the service for them. I was hoping that Maya Angelou would do me a solid and write a poem in a timely manner... that was not the case. Here is what I came up with after hours of prayer, tears, and hope.

We Are Called – A Meditation for Newtown 

We are called

here tonight

to be witnesses in the darkness.

We are called

to give our pain, our joy, our sadness,

our laughter, and our agony

to the same One

for whom we wait.

We are called

to see the Christ child

in all twenty-eight

children of God

rushed from this earth

in a chaotic blare.

We are called

to see the Christ child

in every tear that is shed

in every corner of this world.

We are called

to see the Christ child

in every act of love and bravery.

We are called

to view this, and all tragedies

through the eyes of the One

who made us.

We are called

to be stronger than the individual

and to unite as one –

one body in Christ –

one hope, one faith, one baptism –

One God, who is Mother and Father to us all.

We are called

to invite you into our darkness.

and tonight, O God,

We call out to you.

We are broken and tired,

and we feel so alone.

And right now, dear Lord,

if only for a moment,

we need to call out to you,

before answering our call.

We are called

to be witnesses of your love.

We are called

to shake off this darkness

with incarnational light.

We are called

to be witnesses in this season

of resurrection’s might.

But for now,

As we begin the long walk

to Bethlehem,

we pray for you to

send your Holy Spirit to

sing into our darkness

and to comfort our hearts,

Because, dear Lord,

we are called.

Lesson Plan for Tragedy

Below is a lesson plan I've designed for the Parish of the Epiphany's middle school and high school classes for tomorrow morning incase the youth need a safe space to process the news coming out of Newtown, Connecticut. Please use it if it is helpful to you. Please excuse any grammatical errors you might find.

Alternative Lesson for Middle School and High School Sunday School Class

Newton Elementary Shooting

December 15, 2012

1)    Open in prayer either extemporaneously or you can use the following:

Holy God, we pray for your guidance and presence. Surround the people of Newtown, Connecticut, as they respond to this horrible tragedy. Receive into your heavenly kingdom the children and adults who died this morning, give them unending joy. Bless and uphold their families and loved ones who grieve. And, finally, in your mercy give us wisdom and insight from this senseless violence, that we will do everything in our power to protect and nurture our children, in whom you make yourself especially known. We ask this in the friendship of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and in the embrace of your Holy Spirit, who breathes upon us a peace which passes understanding. Amen.

2)    Ask the youth what they know about the shooting. I would control the conversation so it doesn't get out of hand. Some kids might know more about it than others. Our job here is to gage what they know and correct misinformation: we are not supplying additional news details.

     We need to respect that some parents may want to share more information with their children than others. Especially with the 5^th/6^th grade students this will be the case. If the youth want more information direct them to their parents: we are not there to give the information we are there to help them see how their faith can inform their coping.

3)    I would next ask what they think God feels/thinks about the shooting. This is hard because it will get into the question of “why God allows bad things to happen” but helping them to know that God remains loving and did not cause this will be vital.

Relating it to the nativity: ie this is why God came to breathe new life into the broken places of the world… will be good. (This may likely be where your teens want to stop. They may want to just keep talking and that is okay, but engaging them in a creative activity for expression would also be a very healthy thing especially for those kids who are not verbal processors.)

I know it is difficult even for us as adults to see where God is in all of this. I find the words of The Rev. Kathleen Adams Shepherd, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown, CT helpful here. At the candlelight vigil yesterday evening said: “God was in the acts of love and bravery today.” God was in the principal who ran toward the gunman to shield the children. God was in the first responders who used their gifts from God to treat the injured. God is in the people around the world who cry in solidarity with the pain of those affected. God is present in the love. God is present in the tears. This is what Jesus went to the cross to save us from.

In an interview granted by Robbie Parker, father of one of the victims, Mr. Parker said, “'I’d like to offer our deepest condolences to all the families who were directly affected. It’s a horrific tragedy, and our hearts go out to them. This includes the family of the shooter, and I want you to know that our love and support go out to you as well.” Mr. Parker went on to say that he is not angry. Hurt and devastated, yes, but he knows the shooter had the same free will granted by God that he himself enjoys. He said it is tragic that the shooter used his freewill for such a horrific act, but that he plans to use his free will to love.

The shooter was a human being created in God’s image. We would all do well to take a page from Mr. Parker’s book to remember that Adam (the accused shooter) was a son, brother, friend, and broken human being like us all. What he did was horrible. But those who loved him are grieving as well. Help the youth to know that demonizing the troubled young man who committed this crime may seem easier but it does not solve the hurt and confusion we feel. We are called to pray for him and his family as well.

Love conquers death. We are an Easter people and we believe that God conquered the clutches of death in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. 

4)    As an activity, invite the youth to make cards or write letters/prayers for the children and teens at Trinity Episcopal Church in Newtown, CT. Sending cards and letters is a hands-on way we can engage our faith and help our brothers and sisters in Christ as they cope with this tragedy.

5)    Close in prayer. It is Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means “Rejoice.” It’s important that we end this lesson with the message of Easter promise and permission to go forward rejoicing in thanksgiving for all of the blessings God has given us as we prepare for the coming of the Christ child. Open the prayer and then pass it around the room so each youth has the opportunity to voice his or her prayers as well. 

Additional Resources:

http://episcoforma.org/resources-for-dealing-with-tragedy/

http://www.buildfaith.org/2012/12/15/another-tragedy/

http://www.leaderresources.org/downloads/free_downloads/talking_about_violence.pdf

becoming the person I pin

I love pintrest. For those who do not know what Pintrest is I will describe: pintrest is an online bulletin board system. Basically, you see something on the internet that you like and you "pin it" to one of your boards so you can find it later. I have several boards... most of which I use to organize craft projects I dream of creating. The flip side is: I never make the time to complete the projects that I pin. This is a theme in my life. I spend all of my time working or recovering from work which means I neglect really important and nourishing past times. That is why I am taking a page from my friend Shivaun's book and making my New Year's resolution to "become the person I pin."

The person I pin is creative. The person I pin is artistic. The person I pin is balanced. The person I pin is healthy. In summary: the person I pin is AMAZING. I want to be more like her. So my New Year's resolution... which I deliberately make to correspond with the new church year (because I am a nerd) started on Sunday.

First step towards becoming the person I pin:

This weekend after the above is closer to being a reality I am going to make and install floating wall shelves:

And my dream for after Christmas is to make a headboard for my bed like Marshall and Lily's on How I met you mother. I found instructions online and I've secured an old door from my grandparents.

Stay tuned for updates or follow the creativity on Pintrest: http://pinterest.com/episcoaudrey/

Living in the in-between

Sermon for Advent 1 Year C

Jeremiah 33:14-16
Audio file can be found here

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” -Hamilton Wright Mabie

I was watching a moving this weekend with one of my dear, dear friends. Her husband, my classmate, was ordained to the priesthood the night before and despite all our good intentions neither Kristin nor myself could get any work done the day after the ordination. We succumbed to our recovery needs by lying on her couch watching the final two Harry Potter movies. (Yes, that is 6 hours of Harry Potter movie goodness, don’t judge.) There is a scene towards the end of the final movie when the battle of good vs. evil comes to a climax and then, all of a sudden all of the sound is sucked out of the air and Harry is left in a room of dazzling, blinding white. All of the stress of the preceding scene vanishes in a flash as Harry is left in unearthly silence in the midst of what can only be described as a blank canvas, ready for his imagination to illustrate at will. What I thought in that moment was: “Wow, I wish I could spend Advent there.” I wish I could spend Advent inside a completely blank canvas with no sound and no distractions. I wish I could spend all of Advent alone with my prayers and watching for the Light of Christ while I paint my own prayerful preparations all around me.

Advent is the beginning of the church year. It comes as we prepare for one of the most important feast days of our faith and it comes when everything outside of church is happening at a sprint. Our challenge as people of faith is to slow down our hearts so we can fully live into this season of hopeful anticipation.

We are invited to live in the passage we heard this morning from Jeremiah during Advent. We live in the promise of the days that are coming. We live in the hope. Jeremiah is speaking to the people in a time of tragedy and pain. They are at war and there has been much destruction and devastation. The people of Judah and Israel are feeling hopeless. They are feeling abandoned by God. They are feeling as though the covenant has been broken and that they are left to fend for themselves. But Jeremiah’s prophecy tells the people to keep heart: despite all that is broken around them, hope is coming – God has not forgotten God’s people. 

Advent is a season of expectant waiting. We are waiting for God who was born, is born, and will be born. We are waiting for God who is the messiah sent as a branch on David’s own tree. But, what is more, I believe God is also waiting for us. God is waiting for us to use all that we’ve been given to further God’s message of love and hope in this broken world. God is waiting for us, the humans created in God’s own imagine, to live into our potential to be an extension of God’s incarnate Love in the world. We are given the season of Advent in which we can choose to be active seekers of the kingdom of God in the here and now.

Unlike waiting for a bus or waiting in a check out line, Advent is a season of waiting that invites us to do things to prepare our lives for the arrival of our Lord. We can pray. We can choose to keep our hearts open for the coming of the messiah. We can help those who may be in pain this season. We can love others deeply. We can feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We can wait, actively. Waiting in our modern day Western world is often seen as a negative thing. When we have to stand in the check out line too long we tap our feet impatiently and glare at the man who is writing a check instead of swiping his card. We look scathingly at the cashier as if to say, “hurry up and stop wasting our time.” There is the old phrase “Good things come to those who wait” but it is used to pacify people who are already frustrated with the delay in the gratification they seek. But this season of Advent proves that old adage by allowing us to celebrate the birth of our Savior with even more joy when our active waiting clears space in our hearts to fully embrace the miracle of the Christ Child.

Advent can be an exceedingly stressful time of year because it falls at the time when all of the outside influences start beating down our doors and tell us we must prepare for Christmas NOW, we must decorate NOW, we must be merry NOW: we must, we must, we must. Sometimes it can feel like life is falling apart when the pressures mount in this way; but when that happens we are being invited to stop, allow all of the sound to be sucked out of the room, and -if only for a moment- to live in that in-between space of dazzling white. That place where the only interruptions come from the voice on our heart, and if we listen closely enough we will find that voice comes not from within ourselves, but from the Spirit of God who is singing into our silence.

Living in that in-between space is living on a blank canvas just waiting for the wonder and colors that we will bring to it with the help of the Living God. Living in that in-between space is trusting that if we delay our celebration until the appointed time, it will be even more joyous than if we’d jumped ahead. So I invite you to slow down and listen with me. Listen as all of the raucous shouts and confused noises die down. Watch as all of the bold colors and chaotic swirls of pattern fade away and leave you with a canvas of dazzling white. Let’s make a decision to actively and intentionally seek the Christ child in our everyday lives and in our every interaction. I’ll bet, if we try hard enough, we will discover the Christ waiting for us in some of the most peculiar places.