Tag: Advent & Christmas
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Season of Advent, Year B, 2023 – Epistle Passage, Third Sunday: Looking & discerning for the Blessing of the Divine
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thessalonians 5:16 – 18) In the midst of my “rough & ready in an instant world” I would like to live like this. What would it take, I wonder? Things to rejoice…
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Season of Advent, Year B, 2023 – Psalm Passage, Second Sunday: Watching & waiting for the best Thing: Preacher & Seeker look to scripture for the Sign
Preacher: I am thinking about and contrast the Old Testament & the Epistle and Gospel Passages. The Old Testament passage the writer of/the prophet Isaiah is encouraging tenderness and compassion to Jerusalem & those found there at that time, while Paul and Jesus the Messiah are exhorting their readers/listeners for the need of preparation and…
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Season of Advent, Year B, 2023 – Epistle Passage, Second Sunday: Watching & waiting for things to come about in good time
“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to…
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Season of Advent, Year B, 2023 – Epistle Passage, First Sunday: Looking toward Advent & Christmas with the writers of scripture
“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 1:3) I must tell you the months leading up to Advent, I did a great of deal of thinking as to whether I wanted to continue writing this blog for another year. At least a decade ago the person…
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Season of Advent, Year B, 2023 – Old Testament Passage, First Sunday: Looking toward Advent & Christmas
“O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence– as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil– to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!” (Isaiah 64:1 – 2) Put some…
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First Sunday After Christmas, while still in the week of Christmas, Yr C 2021: Epistle Passages – Staying in the moment while anticipating the Promised One
For Christmas “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus…
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Week Leading Up to Christmas: The Psalm Passage Year A – Christmas Eve; gentle night leading to glorious day!
Seeker: “O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.” Preacher: Sing Creation, and all who hear the word, Christ is born! Seeker: “The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of…
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Week Leading Up to Christmas: The Gospel Passage Year A – Journeying with the gospel of John; or not
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light…
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Week of Leading Up to Christmas: The Old Testament Passage Year A – Quiet night, holy night; now and long ago
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” (Isaiah 52:7) Tonight (or more precisely the night I sat down to write on this passage) I was feeling good. Last week it was the same; the…
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Week Leading Up to Christmas: The Epistle Passage Year A – Last minute preparations and surprise revelations
I am not sure if I remember a year when Christmas was on Sunday – that is, a year when I was working with the lectionary passages or planning worship. It seems a little odd, as if Advent is not going through it’s usual paces, and Christmas if spring up without the usual leading up…
A Simple Desire 