This is a beautiful telling of the Christmas Story. It doesn't leave the messy, hard parts out.
I'm not endorsing the producers.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
New Small Group -- Living the Questions
Many people know that at its core, the Christian faith has something good to offer the world. At the same time, many have a sense that the church is irrelevant – that there’s no place for engaging the tough questions about life and faith. Here at New Light we seek to provide a safe community where people are encouraged to explore the questions they've always wanted to ask but have been afraid to voice.
We are forming a new group
which will meet Mondays at 5:30 pm
starting January 14
in the O'Natural's Community Room (downstairs) 83 Exchange Street
in the Old Port, Portland
We'll be using the resource "Living the Questions."
LtQ2 is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers and instead strives to create an environment where participants can interact with one another in exploring what's next for Christianity.
We are forming a new group
which will meet Mondays at 5:30 pm
starting January 14
in the O'Natural's Community Room (downstairs) 83 Exchange Street
in the Old Port, Portland
We'll be using the resource "Living the Questions."
LtQ2 is an open-minded alternative to studies that attempt to give participants all the answers and instead strives to create an environment where participants can interact with one another in exploring what's next for Christianity.
Who are the Shepherds--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Luke 2:8-20
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood.
They had set night watches over their sheep.
Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and
God's glory blazed around them.
They were terrified.
The angel said,
"Don't be afraid.
I'm here to announce a great
and joyful event that is meant for everybody,
worldwide:
A Savior has just been born in David's town,
a Savior who is Messiah and Master.
This is what you're to look for:
a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
At once the angel was joined
by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven,
the sheepherders talked it over.
"Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can
and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us."
They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in the manger.
Seeing was believing.
They told everyone they met
what the angels had said about this child.
All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself,
holding them dear, deep within herself.
The sheepherders returned and let loose,
glorifying and praising God
for everything they had heard and seen.
It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!
Listen to
While Shepherd Watched Their Flocks for a little more insight on the story.
Question to ponder:
Who are the Shepherds of our society? Who would be the first today to hear the news of the birth of Christ? Outcasts? Who woud that be? How can you bring them good news?
There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood.
They had set night watches over their sheep.
Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and
God's glory blazed around them.
They were terrified.
The angel said,
"Don't be afraid.
I'm here to announce a great
and joyful event that is meant for everybody,
worldwide:
A Savior has just been born in David's town,
a Savior who is Messiah and Master.
This is what you're to look for:
a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."
At once the angel was joined
by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:
Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
As the angel choir withdrew into heaven,
the sheepherders talked it over.
"Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can
and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us."
They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby lying in the manger.
Seeing was believing.
They told everyone they met
what the angels had said about this child.
All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.
Mary kept all these things to herself,
holding them dear, deep within herself.
The sheepherders returned and let loose,
glorifying and praising God
for everything they had heard and seen.
It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!
Listen to
While Shepherd Watched Their Flocks for a little more insight on the story.
Question to ponder:
Who are the Shepherds of our society? Who would be the first today to hear the news of the birth of Christ? Outcasts? Who woud that be? How can you bring them good news?
Sunday, December 23, 2007
New Light Christmas Celebrations!
Christmas Caroling at Monument Square,
Congress Street
Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 pm
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 23, we'll gather at Monument Square at 3:00 pm for Christmas caroling and a reading of the Christmas Story. We're planning to have free coffee and hot chocolate for those passing by Monument Square, too.
Christmas Eve Worship
Under the Night Sky
Post Office Park ~ Middle Street in the Old Port
Monday, December 24 at 5:30 pm
On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a 5:30 pm Christmas Eve celebration at Post Office Park on Middle Street in Portland. If you don't know Post Office Park, it's between Market Street, Middle Street, and Exchange Street, adjacent to O'Naturals Restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot, with lots and lots of lighted trees, a gathering area with park benches, street lamps, and brick walkways. We’ll sing the familiar carols, hear the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke, and light candles as we sing Silent Night. Help us spread the word, and invite a friend to join you!
Congress Street
Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 pm
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 23, we'll gather at Monument Square at 3:00 pm for Christmas caroling and a reading of the Christmas Story. We're planning to have free coffee and hot chocolate for those passing by Monument Square, too.
Christmas Eve Worship
Under the Night Sky
Post Office Park ~ Middle Street in the Old Port
Monday, December 24 at 5:30 pm
On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a 5:30 pm Christmas Eve celebration at Post Office Park on Middle Street in Portland. If you don't know Post Office Park, it's between Market Street, Middle Street, and Exchange Street, adjacent to O'Naturals Restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot, with lots and lots of lighted trees, a gathering area with park benches, street lamps, and brick walkways. We’ll sing the familiar carols, hear the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke, and light candles as we sing Silent Night. Help us spread the word, and invite a friend to join you!
Searching for more? Experience New Light!
We're a newly forming community of faith here in Portland, called New Light.
If you're searching for answers, or maybe searching for the right questions...
if you're searching for meaningful relationships where you can be who you are and be loved and accepted not in spite of that but because of that...
if you're searching for authentic community where conversation explores the deepest things in life...
if you ever wonder how you can make a difference in the world...
if you're a mixture of doubt and faith, hope and hopelessness, love and fear...
if you consider yourself to be spiritual but not religious...
if you think maybe there's something to the whole "God thing" but you're not sure church-as-usual is the place to encounter it...
if you want more out of life...
then join us for Chirstmas Caroling on Sunday, or for our Christmas Eve "Under the Night Sky" celebration. We'd love to meet you.
Read on for more details...
If you're searching for answers, or maybe searching for the right questions...
if you're searching for meaningful relationships where you can be who you are and be loved and accepted not in spite of that but because of that...
if you're searching for authentic community where conversation explores the deepest things in life...
if you ever wonder how you can make a difference in the world...
if you're a mixture of doubt and faith, hope and hopelessness, love and fear...
if you consider yourself to be spiritual but not religious...
if you think maybe there's something to the whole "God thing" but you're not sure church-as-usual is the place to encounter it...
if you want more out of life...
then join us for Chirstmas Caroling on Sunday, or for our Christmas Eve "Under the Night Sky" celebration. We'd love to meet you.
Read on for more details...
The Kingdom of Christ--New Light Advent Devotional
Find a place to center yourself and take in this video. (you will have to press play to start the video)
Revelation 11:15
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
While attending the performance of the Magic of Christmas at Merrill Auditorium, Allen and I heard the Hallejuah Chorus. This music and these words are a powerful proclamation of the awesomeness of our God.
The works that particularly hit me were:
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ
The birth of Jesus changes the world. This world of powerful leaders--wars, famines, racism, persecution--is not just what we think it is. Christ can rule in this world. If those of us who seek to follow Christ, truly let him reign in our lives, how would the world be different? The world should be different. How can we make it different, in small ways, and in real signigicant ways that really do change the world?
Listen to some verision of the Hallejuah Chorus either here online or on your own recording.
Revelation 11:15
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
While attending the performance of the Magic of Christmas at Merrill Auditorium, Allen and I heard the Hallejuah Chorus. This music and these words are a powerful proclamation of the awesomeness of our God.
The works that particularly hit me were:
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ
The birth of Jesus changes the world. This world of powerful leaders--wars, famines, racism, persecution--is not just what we think it is. Christ can rule in this world. If those of us who seek to follow Christ, truly let him reign in our lives, how would the world be different? The world should be different. How can we make it different, in small ways, and in real signigicant ways that really do change the world?
Listen to some verision of the Hallejuah Chorus either here online or on your own recording.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
New Light's Approach to Faith
Forming a new community of faith is an amazing adventure. We are gifted with opportunities to define ourselves from the very beginning.
Our approach to faith:
- Faith is a journey. We don’t have it all figured out, and we don’t expect anyone else to either. We each bring our own questions and doubts about issues of faith. We are continually striving to love God more deeply and love our neighbor more fully.
- We are seeking to be more like Jesus and trying to help each other do that as a community, through all the messiness of life. We can all be better people than we are: more loving, less selfish, more caring… more like Jesus.
- Each one of us is a beautiful, unique creation of God – warts and all. There is no cookie cutter mold into which followers of Christ must fit.
- God loves us infinitely just as we are, but loves us enough that God wants each of us to be more than we currently are.
- There are many ways to deepen the spiritual life: prayer (in a thousand different forms), reading and study (of the Bible and other books), meditation, dance, listening to or creating music, conversation, hospitality, service, practicing gratitude, tithing, going on retreats, living in community, celebrating Communion… We encourage everyone to explore those practices most compatible with their unique way of being.
- We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by human authors, and meant to be read as the story of God’s self-revelation to God’s people. The Bible contains many kinds of literature, some meant to be understood literally, others allegorically, and still others symbolically. The Bible contains history, but it’s not a history book. Just as Jesus taught in parables, some Biblical literature contains stories meant to teach deep lessons about God and the world. The true power of Scripture is in its ability to convey truth and meaning to human hearts, and we believe every time we come to the text it says something new to us.
- We want to integrate faith, life, and politics: our faith informs the way we see the world and calls us to action on behalf of the poor, the neglected, and those held hostage to life’s situations.
- The earth, with its abundance of resources, is a gift from God. We are responsible for honoring the gift by practicing careful stewardship through recycling, purchasing environmentally friendly products, and considering our carbon footprint in all that we do. This is a spiritual practice.
- As people of faith, we cannot be satisfied with a world filled with violence, poverty, hunger, and racism. Peace and justice are not just ideals, but passions to be pursued.
God Became Flesh - New Light Daily Advent Devotional
The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
Take some time and read through this passage remembering the Christmas story and Christ's birth as a human.
John 1:1-14
The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn't put it out.
There once was a man,
his name John,
sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light.
He came to show everyone where to look,
who to believe in.
John was not himself the Light;
he was there to show the way to the Light.
The Life-Light was the real thing:
Every person entering Life
he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn't even notice.
He came to his own people,
but they didn't want him.
But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
The Word became flesh and blood,
and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
true from start to finish.
Go back and read it again.
Question to ponder:
What does it feel like to have Life-Light living in you? What would it feel like?
Friday, December 21, 2007
God Became Human--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Philippians 2:5-11
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God
but didn't think so much of himself
that he had to cling to the advantages of that status
no matter what.
Not at all.
When the time came,
he set aside the privileges of deity
and took on the status of a slave,
became human!
Having become human,
he stayed human.
It was an incredibly humbling process.
He didn't claim special privileges.
Instead, he lived a selfless,
obedient life and then died a selfless,
obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that:
a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience,
God lifted him high
and honored him far beyond anyone or anything,
ever,
so that all created beings in heaven and on earth
- even those long ago dead and buried
- will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ,
and call out in praise that he is the Master of all,
to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Listen to Gather Round Ye Children Come especially being aware of these words
Yes, this was a previous devotional. I think the ideas in this scripture are so central to the Christian faith that I wanted to focus on it one more time.
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God
We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So in heaven and earth and below
Every knee would bow and worship
And every tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels
Question to ponder:
If Christ was humble enough to give up all glory and become a newborn infant, what can humility help you take on in your life?
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.
He had equal status with God
but didn't think so much of himself
that he had to cling to the advantages of that status
no matter what.
Not at all.
When the time came,
he set aside the privileges of deity
and took on the status of a slave,
became human!
Having become human,
he stayed human.
It was an incredibly humbling process.
He didn't claim special privileges.
Instead, he lived a selfless,
obedient life and then died a selfless,
obedient death - and the worst kind of death at that:
a crucifixion.
Because of that obedience,
God lifted him high
and honored him far beyond anyone or anything,
ever,
so that all created beings in heaven and on earth
- even those long ago dead and buried
- will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ,
and call out in praise that he is the Master of all,
to the glorious honor of God the Father.
Listen to Gather Round Ye Children Come especially being aware of these words
Yes, this was a previous devotional. I think the ideas in this scripture are so central to the Christian faith that I wanted to focus on it one more time.
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
That at the very name of Jesus, Son of God
We would sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
So in heaven and earth and below
Every knee would bow and worship
And every tongue would proclaim
That Jesus, He reigns with the angels
Question to ponder:
If Christ was humble enough to give up all glory and become a newborn infant, what can humility help you take on in your life?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Upside-Down Christmas - Advent Daily Devotional
Matthew 1:18-25
The birth of Jesus took place like this.
His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.Before they came to the marriage bed,
Joseph discovered she was pregnant.
(It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.)Joseph, chagrined but noble,
determined to take care of things quietly
so Mary would not be disgraced.
While he was trying to figure a way out,
he had a dream.God's angel spoke in the dream:
"Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married.
Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived.
God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant.
She will bring a son to birth, and when she does,
you, Joseph,
will name him Jesus - 'God saves'
-because he will save his people from their sins."This would bring
the prophet's embryonic sermon
to full term:
Watch for this - a virgin will get
pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Emmanuel
(Hebrew for "God is with us").Then Joseph woke up.
He did exactly what God's angel
commanded in the dream:
He married Mary.
But he did not consummate the marriage
until she had the baby.
He named the baby Jesus.
Listen to and watch this powerful exploration and insight into the stories of Christmas:
From Now On
Question to ponder:
How can you illustrate and live out this upside down Christmas, in your own life, what is that going to look like?
How can we truly embrace the presence, the Emmanuel, God-with-us in an upside-down revolutionary kind of way this Christmas?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Labor of Love - New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Luke 2:1-6
Listen to Labor of Love through this player. You have to click on Labor of Love to get to the right song.
About that time
Caesar Augustus ordered a census
to be taken throughout the Empire.
This was the first census
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown
to be accounted for.
So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth
up to Bethlehem in Judah,
David's town, for the census.
As a descendant of David, he had to go there.
He went with Mary, his fiance,
who was pregnant.
While they were there,
the time came for her to give birth.
She gave birth to a son, her firstborn.
She wrapped him in a blanket
and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room in the hostel.
Try to enter into the story and imagine what it would have been like for Mary to go into labor and give birth for the first time in a strange place among strangers. Reread the story.
Listen to Labor of Love through this player. You have to click on Labor of Love to get to the right song.
Question to ponder:
Who are the people in Portland who like Mary and Joseph are wandering and looking for a place of rest? What can we offer them?
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Matthew's Story--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Matthew 1:18-25
The birth of Jesus took place like this.
His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.
Before they came to the marriage bed,
Joseph discovered she was pregnant.
(It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.)
Joseph, chagrined but noble,
determined to take care of things quietly
so Mary would not be disgraced.
While he was trying to figure a way out,
he had a dream.
God's angel spoke in the dream:
"Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married.
Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived.
God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant.
She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you,
Joseph, will name him Jesus - 'God saves' -
because he will save his people from their sins."
This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term:
Watch for this - a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
Then Joseph woke up.
He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream:
He married Mary.
But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby.
He named the baby Jesus.
This video, From Joseph's Quill , really brings it to life.
Question to ponder:
Can you imagine following God even if it seemed totally irrational?
The birth of Jesus took place like this.
His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph.
Before they came to the marriage bed,
Joseph discovered she was pregnant.
(It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn't know that.)
Joseph, chagrined but noble,
determined to take care of things quietly
so Mary would not be disgraced.
While he was trying to figure a way out,
he had a dream.
God's angel spoke in the dream:
"Joseph, son of David, don't hesitate to get married.
Mary's pregnancy is Spirit-conceived.
God's Holy Spirit has made her pregnant.
She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you,
Joseph, will name him Jesus - 'God saves' -
because he will save his people from their sins."
This would bring the prophet's embryonic sermon to full term:
Watch for this - a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son;
They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us").
Then Joseph woke up.
He did exactly what God's angel commanded in the dream:
He married Mary.
But he did not consummate the marriage until she had the baby.
He named the baby Jesus.
This video, From Joseph's Quill , really brings it to life.
Question to ponder:
Can you imagine following God even if it seemed totally irrational?
Monday, December 17, 2007
Another Christmas Story--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Now that we know the story according to the Gospel of Luke, before we get too far, let's hear the story from the Gospel of Matthew. Typically this is the boring part, the lineage of Jesus. The part that tells who his great, great, great, great grandfather was. Luckily we have a little song to listen to that makes it much more entertaining.
As you read the passage make sure you pay attention to the few women who are mentioned. I think they are pretty much the most important part of Jesus' lineage. If you are ambitious you can check out their stories too.
Matthew 1:1-17 - the beginning
The family tree of Jesus Christ,
David's son,
Abraham's son:
Abraham had Isaac,
Isaac had Jacob,
Jacob had Judah and his brothers,
Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar),
Perez had Hezron,
Hezron had Aram,
Aram had Amminadab,
Amminadab had Nahshon,
Nahshon had Salmon,
Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab),
Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother),
Obed had Jesse,
Jesse had David,
and David became king.
David had Solomon (Uriah's wife was the mother),
Solomon had Rehoboam,
Rehoboam had Abijah,
Abijah had Asa,
Asa had Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat had Joram,
Joram had Uzziah,
Uzziah had Jotham,
Jotham had Ahaz,
Ahaz had Hezekiah,
Hezekiah had Manasseh,
Manasseh had Amon,
Amon had Josiah,
Josiah had Jehoiachin and his brothers,
and then the people were taken into the Babylonian exile.
When the Babylonian exile ended,
Jehoiachin had Shealtiel,
Shealtiel had Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel had Abiud,
Abiud had Eliakim,
Eliakim had Azor,
Azor had Zadok,
Zadok had Achim,
Achim had Eliud,
Eliud had Eleazar,
Eleazar had Matthan,
Matthan had Jacob,
Jacob had Joseph, Mary's husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ.
There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ.
Follow the link and click on Matthew Begats
Question to ponder:
Is where you have come from significant to who you are? Can God redeem your past to make a more hopeful future?
As you read the passage make sure you pay attention to the few women who are mentioned. I think they are pretty much the most important part of Jesus' lineage. If you are ambitious you can check out their stories too.
Matthew 1:1-17 - the beginning
The family tree of Jesus Christ,
David's son,
Abraham's son:
Abraham had Isaac,
Isaac had Jacob,
Jacob had Judah and his brothers,
Judah had Perez and Zerah (the mother was Tamar),
Perez had Hezron,
Hezron had Aram,
Aram had Amminadab,
Amminadab had Nahshon,
Nahshon had Salmon,
Salmon had Boaz (his mother was Rahab),
Boaz had Obed (Ruth was the mother),
Obed had Jesse,
Jesse had David,
and David became king.
David had Solomon (Uriah's wife was the mother),
Solomon had Rehoboam,
Rehoboam had Abijah,
Abijah had Asa,
Asa had Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat had Joram,
Joram had Uzziah,
Uzziah had Jotham,
Jotham had Ahaz,
Ahaz had Hezekiah,
Hezekiah had Manasseh,
Manasseh had Amon,
Amon had Josiah,
Josiah had Jehoiachin and his brothers,
and then the people were taken into the Babylonian exile.
When the Babylonian exile ended,
Jehoiachin had Shealtiel,
Shealtiel had Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel had Abiud,
Abiud had Eliakim,
Eliakim had Azor,
Azor had Zadok,
Zadok had Achim,
Achim had Eliud,
Eliud had Eleazar,
Eleazar had Matthan,
Matthan had Jacob,
Jacob had Joseph, Mary's husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ.
There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ.
Follow the link and click on Matthew Begats
Question to ponder:
Is where you have come from significant to who you are? Can God redeem your past to make a more hopeful future?
Sunday, December 16, 2007
O Come O Come Emmanuel --New Light Daily Advent Devotional
Matthew 1: 22-23
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
Use the song, both in words and in music to reflect on our need for God to come and be with us, both in Jesus, and in your life today.
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and cause us in her ways to go. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
The captives from their prison free
And conquer death’s deep misery. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind,
From duset thou brought us forth to life;
Deliver us from earthly strife.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear. ¶
Listen to Andrew Peterson's Version
Question to ponder
How can I open my heart and life to let God be with me? How can I bring God to others?
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"--which means, "God with us."
Use the song, both in words and in music to reflect on our need for God to come and be with us, both in Jesus, and in your life today.
O come, O come, Emmanuel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things far and nigh;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and cause us in her ways to go. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai's height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Root of Jesse's tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
The captives from their prison free
And conquer death’s deep misery. ¶
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Desire of nations, bind
all peoples in one heart and mind,
From duset thou brought us forth to life;
Deliver us from earthly strife.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear. ¶
Listen to Andrew Peterson's Version
Question to ponder
How can I open my heart and life to let God be with me? How can I bring God to others?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Encountering Christmas in Mary's Story--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
If you haven't yet comprehended the message of Mary's Song, here is another try.
This is an amazing video that brings it to life.
Click on this link and then click on the photo next to the description
Question to ponder:
How can you live a life of worship this Christmas?
This is an amazing video that brings it to life.
Click on this link and then click on the photo next to the description
Question to ponder:
How can you live a life of worship this Christmas?
Friday, December 14, 2007
A Blessed Christmas
Oh, the weather outside was frightful, but the conversation inside was delightful... last night as we gathered for dinner and conversation, that is. It was great to have a full table, even though the snow was falling fast and accumulating quickly! Thanks to those of you who braved the weather, especially for your help decorating Christmas cookies for our Open House. Looks like the Open House may have to be postponed after all, thanks to the big storm that's heading our way for Sunday! We'll see what happens...
So, looking ahead, here are a few things just on the horizon...
Brighten a Child's Christmas!
We’re collecting gifts for children and teens in need. Please drop your gifts off at our house (31 Sheffield Street) by December 17, or give us a call or e-mail if you need us to pick them up. All gifts will be greatly appreciated. Gifts should be new, rather than used: toys are preferred; new clothing is great, too. Hats & mittens are not needed, because another organization knits them year-round for the organization that we’re assisting. Please wrap your gifts and include a tag indicating whether the gift is for a boy or a girl (or not gender specific), the appropriate age, and the contents of the package. Then offer a prayer for the child who will be receiving your gift, that it might be a symbol of God’s grace. Imagine that child opening your gift, and see the joy on his or her face.
We have a couple of events planned for Christmas Eve:
Christmas Caroling at Monument Square, Congress Street
Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 pm
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 23, we'll gather at Monument Square at 3:00 pm for Christmas caroling and a reading of the Christmas Story. We're planning to have free coffee and hot chocolate for those passing by Monument Square, too, if we can pull that together. Your help will be appreciated!
Christmas Eve Worship Under the Night Sky
Post Office Park ~ Middle Street in the Old Port
Monday, December 24 at 5:30 pm
On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a 5:30 pm Christmas Eve celebration at Post Office Park on Middle Street in Portland. If you don't know Post Office Park, it's between Market Street, Middle Street, and Exchange Street, adjacent to O'Naturals Restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot, with lots and lots of lighted trees, a gathering area with park benches, street lamps, and brick walkways. We’ll sing the familiar carols, hear the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke, and light candles as we sing Silent Night. Help us spread the word, and invite a friend to join you!
Questions about any of this? Please be in touch.
Stay warm, and happy shoveling!
Blessings,
Allen & Sara
So, looking ahead, here are a few things just on the horizon...
Brighten a Child's Christmas!
We’re collecting gifts for children and teens in need. Please drop your gifts off at our house (31 Sheffield Street) by December 17, or give us a call or e-mail if you need us to pick them up. All gifts will be greatly appreciated. Gifts should be new, rather than used: toys are preferred; new clothing is great, too. Hats & mittens are not needed, because another organization knits them year-round for the organization that we’re assisting. Please wrap your gifts and include a tag indicating whether the gift is for a boy or a girl (or not gender specific), the appropriate age, and the contents of the package. Then offer a prayer for the child who will be receiving your gift, that it might be a symbol of God’s grace. Imagine that child opening your gift, and see the joy on his or her face.
We have a couple of events planned for Christmas Eve:
Christmas Caroling at Monument Square, Congress Street
Sunday, December 23 at 3:00 pm
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 23, we'll gather at Monument Square at 3:00 pm for Christmas caroling and a reading of the Christmas Story. We're planning to have free coffee and hot chocolate for those passing by Monument Square, too, if we can pull that together. Your help will be appreciated!
Christmas Eve Worship Under the Night Sky
Post Office Park ~ Middle Street in the Old Port
Monday, December 24 at 5:30 pm
On Christmas Eve, we’ll have a 5:30 pm Christmas Eve celebration at Post Office Park on Middle Street in Portland. If you don't know Post Office Park, it's between Market Street, Middle Street, and Exchange Street, adjacent to O'Naturals Restaurant. It’s a beautiful spot, with lots and lots of lighted trees, a gathering area with park benches, street lamps, and brick walkways. We’ll sing the familiar carols, hear the Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke, and light candles as we sing Silent Night. Help us spread the word, and invite a friend to join you!
Questions about any of this? Please be in touch.
Stay warm, and happy shoveling!
Blessings,
Allen & Sara
Mary's Song of Praise--New Light Daily Advent Devotional
I thought it would be good to dwell on Mary's words for a little longer. Now if you are like me, you will skim through them really fast thinking that you have already read them. I would like to encourage myself and maybe someone else to take the time to take these words in and really ponder their meaning.
Luke 1:46-56
And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor
on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Question to ponder:
What do you think of a God who would choose to overturn the world's standards of power and importance by coming into the world through a peasant girl?
Luke 1:46-56
And Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor
on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Question to ponder:
What do you think of a God who would choose to overturn the world's standards of power and importance by coming into the world through a peasant girl?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Returning to the Story
The Season of Christmas distracts us from the true meaning of Christmas which we find deep in the story of Christmas, of Christ's coming. So let's return to the story of Mary and Elizabeth's greeting. Mary proclaims how the world should be through God's vision.
Luke 1: 45-56
[Elizabeth said:]
Blessed woman, who believed what God said,
believed every word would come true!
And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news;
I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me,
and look what happened -
I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy,
set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies,
piled them high.
It's exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months
and then went back to her own home.
Questions to ponder:
What do you think of a God who would sit the starving poor down to a banquet and leave
the callous rich out in the cold? What do you think someone like Mary thought of a God like that?
Luke 1: 45-56
[Elizabeth said:]
Blessed woman, who believed what God said,
believed every word would come true!
And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news;
I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me,
and look what happened -
I'm the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
the God whose very name is holy,
set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
he remembered and piled on the mercies,
piled them high.
It's exactly what he promised,
beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months
and then went back to her own home.
Questions to ponder:
What do you think of a God who would sit the starving poor down to a banquet and leave
the callous rich out in the cold? What do you think someone like Mary thought of a God like that?
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Wealth, Poverty, and Christmas
2nd Corinithians 8:9
For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
During the Christmas Season we feel pressure to spend, spend, spend. Our culture tells us it is all about the stuff--the packages, the presents, the gadgets.
I think this guy says it really well, from this project called Advent Consipracy:
an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by worshipping Jesus through compassion, not consumption.
See the video here: Advent Conspiracy
Question to ponder:
How can you worship Jesus through compassion this Christmas rather than give into the pressure to buy and consume?
For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
During the Christmas Season we feel pressure to spend, spend, spend. Our culture tells us it is all about the stuff--the packages, the presents, the gadgets.
I think this guy says it really well, from this project called Advent Consipracy:
an international movement restoring the scandal of Christmas by worshipping Jesus through compassion, not consumption.
See the video here: Advent Conspiracy
Question to ponder:
How can you worship Jesus through compassion this Christmas rather than give into the pressure to buy and consume?
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Philippians 2:5-11
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Listen to "Gather Round Ye Children Come"
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
So gather round, ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
--Andrew Peterson
Question to Ponder:
How does the importance and sacredness of your life change, if God cared enough about each person, even you, to become human?
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Listen to "Gather Round Ye Children Come"
So sing out with joy for the brave little boy
Who was God, but he made himself nothing
Well he gave up his pride and he came here to die
Like a man
Therefore God exalted him
To the place of highest praises
And he gave him a name above every name
So gather round, ye children come
Listen to the old, old story
Of the power of death undone
By an infant born of glory
Son of God, Son of Man
--Andrew Peterson
Question to Ponder:
How does the importance and sacredness of your life change, if God cared enough about each person, even you, to become human?
Monday, December 10, 2007
The Story Continues....
Here is the continuing story from yesterday. Mary enters as a character, when the Angel Gabriel appears to her. Again, read slowly and try to take in the story.
Luke 1 click here if you want to read the whole chapter
Two Friends Each Recieve Amazing News
It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.
She went off by herself for five months,
relishing her pregnancy.
"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy,
God sent the angel Gabriel
to the Galilean village of Nazareth
to a virgin engaged to be married
to a man descended from David.
His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary.
Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
She was thoroughly shaken,
wondering what was behind a greeting like that.
But the angel assured her,
"Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:
You will become pregnant
and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever, to his kingdom."
Mary said to the angel,
"But how? I've never slept with a man."
The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy,
Son of God.
"And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth
conceived a son, old as she is?
Everyone called her barren,
and here she is six months' pregnant!
Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."
And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now:
I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say.
Then the angel left her.
Mary didn't waste a minute.
She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country,
straight to Zachariah's house,
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the baby in her womb leaped.
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
and sang out exuberantly,
You're so blessed among women,
and the babe in your womb,
also blessed!
And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me?
The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears,
The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.
Blessed woman,
who believed what God said,
believed every word would come true!
And Mary said,
I'm bursting with God-news
Question to ponder:
What friend do you have with whom you have shared or could share the deep secret joys of your heart? Can New Light be a place where we can find friends like that?
Luke 1 click here if you want to read the whole chapter
Two Friends Each Recieve Amazing News
It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.
She went off by herself for five months,
relishing her pregnancy.
"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy,
God sent the angel Gabriel
to the Galilean village of Nazareth
to a virgin engaged to be married
to a man descended from David.
His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary.
Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her:
Good morning!
You're beautiful with God's beauty,
Beautiful inside and out!
God be with you.
She was thoroughly shaken,
wondering what was behind a greeting like that.
But the angel assured her,
"Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:
You will become pregnant
and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.'
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;
He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever, to his kingdom."
Mary said to the angel,
"But how? I've never slept with a man."
The angel answered,
The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
the power of the Highest hover over you;
Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy,
Son of God.
"And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth
conceived a son, old as she is?
Everyone called her barren,
and here she is six months' pregnant!
Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."
And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now:
I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve.
Let it be with me just as you say.
Then the angel left her.
Mary didn't waste a minute.
She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country,
straight to Zachariah's house,
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the baby in her womb leaped.
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
and sang out exuberantly,
You're so blessed among women,
and the babe in your womb,
also blessed!
And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me?
The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears,
The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.
Blessed woman,
who believed what God said,
believed every word would come true!
And Mary said,
I'm bursting with God-news
Question to ponder:
What friend do you have with whom you have shared or could share the deep secret joys of your heart? Can New Light be a place where we can find friends like that?
Sunday, December 9, 2007
The Story....
Spend some time really taking in the Christmas Story begining with the Gospel of Luke, very near the begining. If you want to read the whole chapter click on the link here. This comes from The Message version of the Bible.
Luke 1
A Childless Couple Conceives
During the rule of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah.
His name was Zachariah.
His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron.
Her name was Elizabeth.
Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God.
But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive,
and now they were quite old.
It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God,
working the shift assigned to his regiment,
it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.
The congregation was gathered and praying
outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering.
Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.
Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
But the angel reassured him,
"Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard.
Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you.
You are to name him John.
You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy,
and not only you - many will delight in his birth.
He'll achieve great stature with God.
He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.
He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah,
soften the hearts of parents to children,
and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics -
he'll get the people ready for God."
Zachariah said to the angel,
"Do you expect me to believe this?
I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."
But the angel said,
"I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God,
sent especially to bring you this glad news.
But because you won't believe me,
you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth.
Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time
- God's time."
Meanwhile,
the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless,
wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary.
When he came out and couldn't speak,
they knew he had seen a vision.
He continued speechless
and had to use sign language with the people.
When the course of his priestly assignment was completed,
he went back home.
It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.
She went off by herself for five months,
relishing her pregnancy.
"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.
Question to ponder:
What do you long for? Can you imagine God changing your life to make a long lost dream come true?
Luke 1
Read slowly comprehending the story of Mary's relative's pregnancy leading up to her own pregnancy.
A Childless Couple Conceives
During the rule of Herod, King of Judea,
there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah.
His name was Zachariah.
His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron.
Her name was Elizabeth.
Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God.
But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive,
and now they were quite old.
It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God,
working the shift assigned to his regiment,
it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.
The congregation was gathered and praying
outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering.
Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.
Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
But the angel reassured him,
"Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard.
Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you.
You are to name him John.
You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy,
and not only you - many will delight in his birth.
He'll achieve great stature with God.
He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.
He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah,
soften the hearts of parents to children,
and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics -
he'll get the people ready for God."
Zachariah said to the angel,
"Do you expect me to believe this?
I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."
But the angel said,
"I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God,
sent especially to bring you this glad news.
But because you won't believe me,
you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth.
Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time
- God's time."
Meanwhile,
the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless,
wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary.
When he came out and couldn't speak,
they knew he had seen a vision.
He continued speechless
and had to use sign language with the people.
When the course of his priestly assignment was completed,
he went back home.
It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived.
She went off by herself for five months,
relishing her pregnancy.
"So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.
Question to ponder:
What do you long for? Can you imagine God changing your life to make a long lost dream come true?
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Praying for the World
Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
For much of these reflections I have been realizing that I have been focusing inward, which is good to do, but it also needs to be balanced by focusing outward.
I really like this website that overviews the week's news and offers it up in prayer. I'd invite you to take some time to read through these prayers and offer your own for the sake of the world.
The World In Prayer
Question to Ponder:
How can I be involved in bringing justice to the world?
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
For much of these reflections I have been realizing that I have been focusing inward, which is good to do, but it also needs to be balanced by focusing outward.
I really like this website that overviews the week's news and offers it up in prayer. I'd invite you to take some time to read through these prayers and offer your own for the sake of the world.
The World In Prayer
Question to Ponder:
How can I be involved in bringing justice to the world?
Friday, December 7, 2007
Silence and Meditation
Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Last night we had a great discussion on our need for silence.
I mentioned this molten meditation that I own and do sometimes. I wanted to share it with you. Here is a version with an introduction and meditation all included.
A Molten Meditation on Matthew 6
If you can't figure out how to listen this way, you can listen to a clip of the whole meditation. Or if none of that works, or you want something more, then just take a few minutes to "be." Find a quiet place a listen for God. Meditate upon the peace the birth of Jesus can bring to you and to the world.
Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Question to ponder:
Where in your life can you retreat from all the noise which surrounds you?
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Last night we had a great discussion on our need for silence.
I mentioned this molten meditation that I own and do sometimes. I wanted to share it with you. Here is a version with an introduction and meditation all included.
A Molten Meditation on Matthew 6
If you can't figure out how to listen this way, you can listen to a clip of the whole meditation. Or if none of that works, or you want something more, then just take a few minutes to "be." Find a quiet place a listen for God. Meditate upon the peace the birth of Jesus can bring to you and to the world.
Luke 2:13-14
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
Question to ponder:
Where in your life can you retreat from all the noise which surrounds you?
Thursday, December 6, 2007
The Coming of God
Our God is the One who comes to us
in a burning bush,
in an angel’s song,
in a newborn child.
Our God is the one who cannot be found
locked in the church,
not even in the sanctuary.
Our God will be where God will be
with no constraints,
no predictability.
Our God lives where our God lives,
and destruction has no power
and even death cannot stop the living.
Our God will be born where God will be born,
but there is no place to look for the One who comes to us.
When God is ready God will come even to a godforsaken place
like a stable in Bethlehem.
Watch...
for you know not when
God comes.
Watch...that you might be found
whenever
wherever
God comes.
-Ann Weems
Read this passage 4-5 times in a row, outloud if you are able.
John 1:1-3,14
The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him....The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
Question to ponder:
What would it look like to have Jesus move into your neighborhood?
Our God is the One who comes to us
in a burning bush,
in an angel’s song,
in a newborn child.
Our God is the one who cannot be found
locked in the church,
not even in the sanctuary.
Our God will be where God will be
with no constraints,
no predictability.
Our God lives where our God lives,
and destruction has no power
and even death cannot stop the living.
Our God will be born where God will be born,
but there is no place to look for the One who comes to us.
When God is ready God will come even to a godforsaken place
like a stable in Bethlehem.
Watch...
for you know not when
God comes.
Watch...that you might be found
whenever
wherever
God comes.
-Ann Weems
Read this passage 4-5 times in a row, outloud if you are able.
John 1:1-3,14
The Word was first, the Word present to God, God present to the Word. The Word was God, in readiness for God from day one. Everything was created through him; nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him....The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
Question to ponder:
What would it look like to have Jesus move into your neighborhood?
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Come Check it Out!
Gathering on Thursday at 6:00 pm
I hope you’re planning to be with us on Thursday for our weekly gathering. We’ll begin with dinner and fellowship around the table – Alison and Erica, thanks for providing dinner for us this week! – and then pull the chairs around in the living room and spend some time in conversation. We will light the first candle on an Advent wreath, take a look at a Scripture passage, and share experiences. We hope you’ll be with us, and we hope we’ll have some newcomers this week, too. Please invite a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a family member to come along. It’s going to be a good time, guaranteed. If you’re new to our group, we get together at our house, which is 31 Sheffield Street in Portland (just off Brighton Ave., near the USM campus). E-mail ewingmerrill@verizon.net for more information or directions.
Christmas Movie Marathon this Saturday, December 8, starting at 1:00 pm
Everyone’s invited back to our place on Saturday! We’re going to watch a bunch of Christmas movies. We’ve got “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street,” among others. If you have Christmas movies, or some of the old cartoon favorites like “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” or my personal favorite, the 1974 classic, “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (featuring the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser), please bring them along! Also, feel free to bring your favorite snack food, appetizer, or dessert. The festivities will start at 1:00, but come when you can, and we’ll just go until we decide to stop.
Christmas Open House - Sunday, December 16, 2:00-4:00 pm
If all that doesn’t sound like enough fun, come on back for a Christmas Open House, to which the folks from Chestnut United Methodist Church are invited as well. We’re making some favorite holiday foods, so please don’t bring a thing except yourselves. It’ll be a relaxed afternoon – we hope you can come.
Peace and joy,
Allen
I hope you’re planning to be with us on Thursday for our weekly gathering. We’ll begin with dinner and fellowship around the table – Alison and Erica, thanks for providing dinner for us this week! – and then pull the chairs around in the living room and spend some time in conversation. We will light the first candle on an Advent wreath, take a look at a Scripture passage, and share experiences. We hope you’ll be with us, and we hope we’ll have some newcomers this week, too. Please invite a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a family member to come along. It’s going to be a good time, guaranteed. If you’re new to our group, we get together at our house, which is 31 Sheffield Street in Portland (just off Brighton Ave., near the USM campus). E-mail ewingmerrill@verizon.net for more information or directions.
Christmas Movie Marathon this Saturday, December 8, starting at 1:00 pm
Everyone’s invited back to our place on Saturday! We’re going to watch a bunch of Christmas movies. We’ve got “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street,” among others. If you have Christmas movies, or some of the old cartoon favorites like “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” or my personal favorite, the 1974 classic, “The Year Without a Santa Claus” (featuring the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser), please bring them along! Also, feel free to bring your favorite snack food, appetizer, or dessert. The festivities will start at 1:00, but come when you can, and we’ll just go until we decide to stop.
Christmas Open House - Sunday, December 16, 2:00-4:00 pm
If all that doesn’t sound like enough fun, come on back for a Christmas Open House, to which the folks from Chestnut United Methodist Church are invited as well. We’re making some favorite holiday foods, so please don’t bring a thing except yourselves. It’ll be a relaxed afternoon – we hope you can come.
Peace and joy,
Allen
Child of Hope
Romans 15:12-13
Again Isaiah says,‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The author of Romans believes that Jesus is the root of Jesus. He is from the lineage of King David, son of Jesse. Jesus is the one who opened the faith of the Jews, to the rest of the world, the Gentiles. When God came into the world as a human, all the barriers were broken. The barrier between Jew and Gentile, the barrier between flesh and spirit, the barrier between human and divine--all those barriers were torn down.
I have really enjoyed this video about the amazing birth of Jesus, and the amazing birth of each person in the world. I hope you might enjoy it too. CHILD OF HOPE
Question to ponder:
What would change in your life if the barriers between flesh and spirit disappeared?
Again Isaiah says,‘The root of Jesse shall come, the one who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall hope.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The author of Romans believes that Jesus is the root of Jesus. He is from the lineage of King David, son of Jesse. Jesus is the one who opened the faith of the Jews, to the rest of the world, the Gentiles. When God came into the world as a human, all the barriers were broken. The barrier between Jew and Gentile, the barrier between flesh and spirit, the barrier between human and divine--all those barriers were torn down.
I have really enjoyed this video about the amazing birth of Jesus, and the amazing birth of each person in the world. I hope you might enjoy it too. CHILD OF HOPE
Question to ponder:
What would change in your life if the barriers between flesh and spirit disappeared?
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Incarnation
The Story of Christmas is the story of the incarnation, the story of God becoming human. It is amazing to me that God entered into a woman's womb. Two years ago during Advent I was pregnant with Rachel and walked through those days understanding Mary's experience a little better. I also understood at a much deeper level the way humans grow from conception to birth. It is an amazing process, which these photos demonstrate.
The story of the incarnation is that God experienced ALL the stages of human life from the very beginning. I'd invite you to let yourself enter the story and take in these pictures and imagine God being human--God entering our world in all its messiness. God growing into a baby, into a child, into an adult--just like we all do.
Philippians 2:5-7
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Being found in human form.
Take some time to look at these images. Imagine the miracle of God becoming human.
The angel coming to Mary to ask her willingness to carry God in her womb.
Question to ponder:
How would your life be different if you let God be born in you today, and tomorrow, and the day after that?
Monday, December 3, 2007
Daily Advent Devotionals
Advent is here!!!! Christmas is coming. These four weeks before Christmas are a time of preparation for the birth of Jesus, the coming of Christ. As a part of my advent spiritual practice I am going to be posting Advent Reflections/Devotionals. It is already the second day of Advent, so I am behind. Whoops!
I hope you will find these posts helpful and meaningful as we reflect together about the meaning of this holy season.
blessings,
Sara
I hope you will find these posts helpful and meaningful as we reflect together about the meaning of this holy season.
blessings,
Sara
Advent Begins
Isaiah 7:14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.
Luke 1:30-31
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus."
Read more... Isaiah 7:11-14 Luke 1:30-35
The first coming by Madeleine L'Engle
He came
throwing off glory
like fiery suns,
leaving power behind,
leaing the storms of hydrogen clouds,
the still-forming galaxies,
totally vulnerable
as he emptied himself.
throwing off glory
like fiery suns,
leaving power behind,
leaing the storms of hydrogen clouds,
the still-forming galaxies,
totally vulnerable
as he emptied himself.
She took him in--
into the deepest part of her being;
she contained the tiny Word,
smaller than the smallest subatomic particle,
growing slowly,from immortality to mortality,
mother and child
together in the greatest act of love
the Maker could give the made.
into the deepest part of her being;
she contained the tiny Word,
smaller than the smallest subatomic particle,
growing slowly,from immortality to mortality,
mother and child
together in the greatest act of love
the Maker could give the made.
Together they created
immortality from mortality
How? His father was Who?
He looked like any child
from the vulnerable top
of his tiny skull
to the little curling toes.
immortality from mortality
How? His father was Who?
He looked like any child
from the vulnerable top
of his tiny skull
to the little curling toes.
This whispered Word was made
the sun and stars,
wind and water,
planets and moons, and all of us.
But he left this joy
to be
the sun and stars,
wind and water,
planets and moons, and all of us.
But he left this joy
to be
God With Us!
understanding lowly shepherds
and two old people in the Temple.
understanding lowly shepherds
and two old people in the Temple.
Later, three wise men--
one from each human race--
came, pondering.
one from each human race--
came, pondering.
Most of the powerful people
were skeptical at best
God became Son of Man? Nonsense.
were skeptical at best
God became Son of Man? Nonsense.
Christ will come,
expected or unexpected,
when God is ready,
even while we are loudly demanding
signs and proofs which close our hearts and minds
to the Wildness of Love.
expected or unexpected,
when God is ready,
even while we are loudly demanding
signs and proofs which close our hearts and minds
to the Wildness of Love.
Word of Love,
enter our hearts
as you entered the virgin's womb.
Come, Lord Jesus!
enter our hearts
as you entered the virgin's womb.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Question to ponder:
In what ways could you be more open to letting Christ into your life?
In what ways could you be more open to letting Christ into your life?
Action:
Take 2 minutes to sit in silence or find some music to listen to and meditate
Take 2 minutes to sit in silence or find some music to listen to and meditate
Monday, November 26, 2007
Searching for more?
We're a newly forming community of faith here in Portland, called New Light.
If you're searching for answers, or maybe searching for the right questions...
if you're searching for meaningful relationships where you can be who you are and be loved and accepted not in spite of that but because of that...
if you're searching for authentic community where conversation explores the deepest things in life...
if you ever wonder how you can make a difference in the world...
if you're a mixture of doubt and faith, hope and hopelessness, love and fear...
if you consider yourself to be spiritual but not religious...
if you think maybe there's something to the whole "God thing" but you're not sure church-as-usual is the place to encounter it...
if you want more out of life...
then join us for dinner this Thursday night at 6:00 pm.
Contact Allen or Sara
31 Sheffield Street
Portland, Maine
If you're searching for answers, or maybe searching for the right questions...
if you're searching for meaningful relationships where you can be who you are and be loved and accepted not in spite of that but because of that...
if you're searching for authentic community where conversation explores the deepest things in life...
if you ever wonder how you can make a difference in the world...
if you're a mixture of doubt and faith, hope and hopelessness, love and fear...
if you consider yourself to be spiritual but not religious...
if you think maybe there's something to the whole "God thing" but you're not sure church-as-usual is the place to encounter it...
if you want more out of life...
then join us for dinner this Thursday night at 6:00 pm.
Contact Allen or Sara
31 Sheffield Street
Portland, Maine
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Sharing with our Neighbors
This week we're collecting food items to be distributed to neighbors in need this Thanksgiving. If you're going to join us on Thursday evening (and we hope you will!), bring along a few items that would enhance someone's Thanksgiving dinner:- bags or boxes of stuffing
- jars or cans of gravy
- pie crust mixes
We'll pass on these items to the Preble Street Resource Center to help with their food distribution the day before Thanksgiving.
Now Meeting Thursday Evenings
We're meeting weekly on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm at 31 Sheffield Street, Portland, for dinner and conversation. Newcomers are always welcome!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Gathering for Dinner & Conversation
Interested in what's happening at New Light? Join us for this upcoming gathering:
Potluck Dinner & Conversation
Wednesday, November 7
6:00 pm
31 Sheffield Street, Portland
Potluck Dinner & Conversation
Wednesday, November 7
6:00 pm
31 Sheffield Street, Portland
A mouth-watering heads-up: We're making our famous apple crisp!!
Everyone's welcome!
Approaching faith
Forming a new community of faith is an amazing adventure. We are gifted with opportunities to define ourselves from the very beginning.
Our approach to faith:
- Faith is a journey. We don’t have it all figured out, and we don’t expect anyone else to either. We each bring our own questions and doubts about issues of faith. We are continually striving to love God more deeply and love our neighbor more fully.
- We are seeking to be more like Jesus and trying to help each other do that as a community, through all the messiness of life. We can all be better people than we are: more loving, less selfish, more caring… more like Jesus.
- Each one of us is a beautiful, unique creation of God – warts and all. There is no cookie cutter mold into which followers of Christ must fit.
- God loves us infinitely just as we are, but loves us enough that God wants each of us to be more than we currently are.
- There are many ways to deepen the spiritual life: prayer (in a thousand different forms), reading and study (of the Bible and other books), meditation, dance, listening to or creating music, conversation, hospitality, service, practicing gratitude, tithing, going on retreats, living in community, celebrating Communion… We encourage everyone to explore those practices most compatible with their unique way of being.
- We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by human authors, and meant to be read as the story of God’s self-revelation to God’s people. The Bible contains many kinds of literature, some meant to be understood literally, others allegorically, and still others symbolically. The Bible contains history, but it’s not a history book. Just as Jesus taught in parables, some Biblical literature contains stories meant to teach deep lessons about God and the world. The true power of Scripture is in its ability to convey truth and meaning to human hearts, and we believe every time we come to the text it says something new to us.
- We want to integrate faith, life, and politics: our faith informs the way we see the world and calls us to action on behalf of the poor, the neglected, and those held hostage to life’s situations.
- The earth, with its abundance of resources, is a gift from God. We are responsible for honoring the gift by practicing careful stewardship through recycling, purchasing environmentally friendly products, and considering our carbon footprint in all that we do. This is a spiritual practice.
- As people of faith, we cannot be satisfied with a world filled with violence, poverty, hunger, and racism. Peace and justice are not just ideals, but passions to be pursued.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Just because...
Looks like we have major rain and winds about to descend on the City of Portland, and we have plans to practice random acts of kindness tomorrow...
We've purchased 400 certificates for a cup of coffee at Coffee By Design coffee shops, and we're going to be hitting the streets of Portland, just to pass them out with a little card that says this:
YES! It really is free!
We hope this small gift brightens your day. It's a simple way of saying that God loves you.
We hope this small gift brightens your day. It's a simple way of saying that God loves you.
Then on the back, a little introduction to new light, along with the address for this blog.
I'm praying that these little cards -- soggy from the rain or not! -- find their way into the hands of the people who need them most, and that they'll be like seeds planted in fertile soil.
God, bless these little acts of kindness, that they might be symbols of your grace -- even in the midst of the storms of life... Amen.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Welcome to new light!
We are a new community of faith just forming in Portland, Maine.
Here are some early descriptive statements that begin to describe what we're about...
Our Desire: to follow Christ faithfully, individually and in our life together
Our Goal: to create a new United Methodist community of faith in Portland, Maine to welcome non-Christians and nominal Christians, those with doubts and those with faith, those who’ve had a bad experience with church, and those who have never experienced Christian community, with a particular desire to engage the younger generations noticeably absent from most mainline churches.
Our Name: new light - a United Methodist community of faith
Here are some early descriptive statements that begin to describe what we're about...
Our Desire: to follow Christ faithfully, individually and in our life together
Our Goal: to create a new United Methodist community of faith in Portland, Maine to welcome non-Christians and nominal Christians, those with doubts and those with faith, those who’ve had a bad experience with church, and those who have never experienced Christian community, with a particular desire to engage the younger generations noticeably absent from most mainline churches.
Our Name: new light - a United Methodist community of faith
Tagline: rethinking what it means to follow Christ
Core Values:
- community: deepening relationships
- authenticity: being real
- inclusivity and hospitality: all are welcome
- grace: God’s free gift of love and forgiveness which we do nothing to earn or deserve
- creativity: the arts, music, dance, and more!
- service: caring for those in need in Portland and beyond
- Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God, with a strong focus on peace and justice
- joy
- healing
- transformation: of ourselves, of the world
- everyone in ministry: God has given each of us different gifts, and God calls each of us to use these gifts in ministry
- stewardship of the earth: God’s Creation
- generous stewardship of our resource
What's Ahead...
- A small group will meet weekly at the home of pastors Allen & Sara Ewing-Merrill (31 Sheffield Street, Portland) beginning fall 2007, focusing on discipleship, leadership development, evangelism, and visioning.
- We will train small group leaders from the initial group, with the goal of multiplying small groups meeting in various locations in the greater Portland area.
- As an essential part of what we do together, small groups will be active in service, caring for people in need, throughout Portland and beyond.
- Eventually, small groups will gather together monthly for a worship celebration, Communion, fellowship, and a meal together.
- We will launch a public worship service when there are at least 150 people involved in small groups.
Our Focus: loving God, loving our neighbors, making disciples as we go (Jesus’ words in The Great Commandment and The Great Commission)
How can you be part of this?
- participate in the first small group forming this fall
- pray for this ministry, for our life together, for our leaders, and for God’s guidance in your own life
- invest in relationships – with people you already know and with people you meet
- invite friends to join you – pray about whom God is calling you to invite
Saturday, October 20, 2007
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