The Sixth and Seventh Days of Christmas: O Star-flinging God

O Star-flinging God

O Star-flinging God,
whose light dances across eternity,
  dazzle us into your presence
  this new year.
Open our hearts to the mystery of your love.

Awaken us to your presence,
  knit to the ordinary.
Reveal to us what is possible, but not yet present.
Heal us, that we might be healers.

Reconcile us to you and to ourselves,
  that our living might be reconciling.

Stop us often, we pray
  with news that is good
  with hope that holds
  with truth that transforms with a Word
    tailored to this trail we're on.

May the word of your grace guide our steps
  like the sun by day
  and the north star by night,
  as we travel into the gift of a new year. Amen.

~Glenn Mitchell

Happy Fifth Day of Christmas: Some Christmas Whimsy

During my growing up years, watching The Muppet Show was a regular part of evening life. If we (my younger sister and I) had "been good" we might get to stay up to watch Donnie & Marie afterward. With bowls of ice cream.

Every year on the fifth day of Christmas I remember Miss Piggy and her "ba dum dum dum" after "five go-o-ld rings."

I hope you enjoy it.

The Fourth Day of Christmas: Holy Innocents

Today is a harder day of commemoration. Right in the middle of our ongoing celebration of the Incarnation, we are reminded that the birth of the Baby in Bethlehem didn't seem like good news for everyone. The Gospel according to Matthew tells us how Herod ordered the slaughter of children in and around Bethlehem, out of fear of losing his throne to a newborn king.
Augustine called these innocents "buds, killed by the frost of persecution the moment they showed themselves."
Today we pray for all those who suffer unjustly and for those persecuted for their faith.

The Third Day of Christmas: John 1

From http://www.agnusday.org/  -

In the beginning was the Word...

The Second Day of Christmas: St. Stephen's Day

Today (December 26th) is the feast day for St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. You can read about his death in Acts 6-7.

Though the carol "Good King Wenceslas" doesn't mention the nativity of Jesus, because all its action happens "on the feast of Stephen," it gets sung this time of year.

Enjoy! (The lyrics are typed below, should you want to follow along).



Good King Wenceslas
Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about
Deep and crisp and even
Brightly shone the moon that night
Though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight
Gath'ring winter fuel

"Hither, page, and stand by me
If thou know'st it, telling
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence
Underneath the mountain
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh and bring me wine
Bring me pine logs hither
Thou and I will see him dine
When we bear him thither."
Page and monarch forth they went
Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament
And the bitter weather

"Sire, the night is darker now
And the wind blows stronger
Fails my heart, I know not how,
I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, my good page
Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod
Where the snow lay dinted
Heat was in the very sod
Which the Saint had printed
Therefore, Christian men, be sure
Wealth or rank possessing
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing

The First Day of Christmas: Happy Incarnation Day!

The Risk of Birth

By Madeleine L'Enlge

This is no time for a child to be born,

With the earth betrayed by war & hate

And a nova lighting the sky to warn

That time runs out & the sun burns late.

That was no time for a child to be born,

In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;

Honor & truth were trampled by scorn -

Yet here did the Savior make his home.

When is the time for love to be born?

The inn is full on the planet earth,

And by greed & pride the sky is torn -

Yet love still takes the risk of birth.

Christmas Greeting from ELCA Presiding Bishop Hanson

See you Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!

There are three services of worship at CtK this weekend - two tomorrow evening for Christmas Eve, with the Christmas story from the Gospel according to Luke. There will be lots of great music and the 5:30pm service, especially, will be kid-friendly (of course, we strive to make every service of worship accessible to people of all ages; somehow the "early service" on Christmas Eve always seems especially child-oriented).
Sunday morning at 10am we will gather not only to celebrate the Incarnation of the Word made flesh, (reading from the first chapter of the Gospel according to John), but will celebrate also the resurrection of our Lord - like every Sunday. Worshipers will gather at the Lord's table on Sunday morning.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services will have different readings, music and sermons, so get here Saturday evening and Sunday morning if you can!
God bless you as you finish preparations for the celebration of the Lord Jesus' birth. May his love, peace, and joy be born in you again this year.

Thursday Thought

Walking the Lord's road

The Lord's new road is not a railroad to run people over, and it is not filled with closed up cars all rushing off to their own destinations. It is a place for walking together toward the common destination of dignity, balance, freedom, and a fair share for all. 
~ Stephen Hamilton Wright

Singing Christmas Carols at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital

Join us for our third annual Christmas caroling at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital on Sunday, December 18th starting at 3 p.m. We will meet in the chapel of the hospital (near the main entrance) and travel from floor to floor spreading the good news of God’s love through song and merriment to patients, their families, and staff. Please plan to wear a red outfit and a Santa hat (if you own one). We will sing until 5 p.m.
For more information please contact Pastor Grant in the church office Tuesdays 9 a.m.-12 noon and Thursdays 9 a.m.-noon.

When better isn't better

The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures for last Sunday, the third Sunday in Advent, was Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11.
Chapters 56-66 are generally considered to be from the post-exilic period of Israel's history. Remember how the Babylonians conquered the southern kingdom (Judah, and its capital, Jerusalem) in 587BC? Well, in 539BC, the Persian king Cyrus had defeated the Babylonians and decreed that the exiles should return to their homeland and rebuild their city and their temple. (Want to read more about Cyrus? Check out Isaiah 44:21-45:8. In Is 45:1 the Lord calls Cyrus his annointed - his messiah!)
Perhaps I've seen too many movies with happy endings, but you'd sort of expect things to be "all good" once the people returned to their homeland, right? Not so much.
The mourning continues, rising out of frustration and humiliation over the failure to rebuild the city and the temple to match their former glory. Things definitely are not "all good." Economic disparities and religious and political factions within the city remain. The reality of life didn't match up with their expectations.
Sound familiar? Has that ever been the case in your life?
Have you ever felt crushed by unmet expectations, to the point that it felt like your faith was shaken to its core?
Then Isaiah's words may provide some comfort for you, too, especially since these first verses are those chosen - and fulfilled - by Jesus when he read in the synagogue (Luke 4:14-30).
The story isn't over yet. God comes to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, and to comfort all who mourn.
And it is these, the ones who heard the news, the newly released or comforted, who will "repair the devastations of many generations."
God's story with God's people (even you and me) continues, and hope remains.

Thursday Thought

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them."
 -- Thomas Merton

Ladies Night Out and Cookie Exchange

All women are invited to Ladies Night Out and Christmas Cookie Exchange, this Friday, December 9th at 6:30pm.
Dinner will be a REAL potluck - please bring a dish to share.
Ladies Night Out is always a fun way to get to know other women in the congregation and to enjoy good food and a game or two. Bring a friend!

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Advent is the time when Christians prepare to greet Christ—who came as a babe in a manger, who comes into our lives each day, and who will come again at the end of time. Advent is the time when people of faith are most at odds with the culture. The church calls people to focus on getting ready to receive Christ—preparing hearts and lives to make room for Jesus, to live as he would have us live. It is a time of longing, not fulfillment. Quiet reflection, not celebration. The culture, however, is already in a time of festivity, unable or unwilling, to wait and contemplate and prepare for the real festival. It is not easy to observe Advent without being pulled prematurely into Christmas.
How does St. Nicholas fit into all of this? He is an Advent saint because his December 6th feast day always falls in early Advent (Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas between November 27 and December 3). However, Nicholas is a good Advent saint for more important reasons than the date of his special day. Whatever he did, and it is said that he did many kinds of amazing things, may not be as important as the way he did it. Nicholas became so popular because he was a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. His life clearly reflected the way each one of us is called to show God's love to others, especially those in need.
Celebrating St. Nicholas on his day in Advent brings a bit of fun and festivity into homes, churches, and schools. His small treats and surprises help keep the spirit of good St. Nicholas, especially when stories of his goodness and kind deeds are told and ways to express his care for those in need are sought. Saint Nicholas helps us remember Christmas is a feast of love, hope, kindness and generosity. Yes, Nicholas is a good Advent saint.