I've only been doing this 37 years...

At the Christmas Eve service, we paused half-way through the opening hymn so I could go down by the creche and say the Collect of the Day. Then we finished the hymn.

During the Eucharist, the Collect of the Day precedes the first reading. "So I said, 'please be seated for the first reading.'"

The reader came up and read from Isaiah. During her reading, the organist came over and conferred with the choir. After the reading a member of the choir told me, "now the Gloria, Jim", not unkindly but with force.

I'd left out the Collect for Purity, the Gloria, a two verse hymn and 'the Collect of the Day', according to the program.

We'd already done the Collect of the Day, but I did leave out that other stuff.

And I've been doing this for 37 years. I apologized for messing up before I read the Gospel.

Am I losing it?

But then after singing "Silent Night" at the end of the service in a very dark church, I invited people to a time of silence to give thanks for all God's gifts, especially for the gift of the Christ Child.

"Let us give thanks," I said, expecting silence but instead the organist broke into the Recessional hymn! Walking in a dark church with a couple of steps, holding a candle is not fun, let me tell you.

Afterwards, the organist and I agreed we'd both messed up. And we forgave each other.

Christmas only comes once a year. How can you be expected to 'get it right'?

At least, that's my excuse....

Busy times

It always astonishes me that Advent, which should be a time of reflection and quiet, comes in the midst of the Christmas rush and hurry. Advent should be two or three weeks longer because the music is so wondrous for Advent! So, here's an Advent sermon for you.

Advent IV

I have a friend who is an art historian. She's especially interested in the depictions of Bible scenes by the Old Masters. She told me that the Annunciation—the story we heard today at least Joseph’s side of it—has more art than most any New Testament scene. She showed my dozens of reproductions and in most of them Gabriel is nothing short of terrifying, with huge wings hovering over Mary.

Advent 4

Little wonder he tells her, “don't be afraid” (which is in Luke). The Holy is more than we can take in when we encounter it. In the Old Testament, when 'the Holy' shows up, all the people 'fall on their faces'. I used to think, as a child, they were bowing down to worship—but now I know humans simply can't stay on the feet in the presence of an Angel—the Holy knocks them over! In the Pilgrim Holiness church where I grew up there was a hymn that said: “Come on Holy Spirit, but don't stay long!”

Those were people with a proper respect for 'the Holy'....

Let me tell you a story about my mother. She was a good and kind woman and this time each year she would buy some generic gifts—towel sets, salt and pepper shakers, things like that—and wrap them up with a gift tag and put them in her closet. So, if anyone showed up with an unexpected gift, she'd go to her closet, write their name on a gift and present it to them.

She couldn't accept a gift without returning one. On one level, that seems generous, but what it also spoke to was the fact that she didn't feel 'worthy' to receive without giving in return.

All of us, I suspect, have a little voice inside us that—in the face of an unexpected gift—whispers to us, 'you don't deserve this....”

At the ordination of a priest, the bishop asks the congregation: “Is he/she worthy?”

The people reply: “He is worthy! She is worthy!” And I assure you, that person knelling there hears the little voice whisper, “no you're not....”

As we ponder and reflect, waiting for the Child of Bethlehem, we would do well to reflect on the fact that the message of Christmas is this: we are worthy...We are worthy of the child. We are worthy of God's love. We are worthy of the Gift we cannot return.

We are worthy of God's 'agape'. 'Agape' is a Greek word that we translate 'love'. There are two other Greek words we translate as 'love'. They are 'Eros'...well, you can figure that out...and 'philos'--as in Philadelphia, the city of 'brotherly love'.

I'm going astray here for a moment to remind you of the Resurrection appearance in John's Gospel when Jesus asks Peter, “do you love me?”

He asks him three times and we don't know,  unless we're reading in Greek is that Jesus' question the first two times is this: “Peter, do you Agape  me?” And Peter answers both times, “Yes, Lord, you know I Philios you.” The third time Jesus asks, he too uses “philios” in his question.

It may just be that we humans are incapable of the Agape love that 'gives itself away' and asks nothing in return. God Agape's us and we can only Philios God. We are worthy of God's love, but our little voice of unworthiness won't allow us to return it in kind.

As the Darkness gathers, expecting the Light to come; as we wait for the child to be born, remember this: “you are worthy” to take his gift. Let him be born in your heart and simply give thanks..Amen.

Yea for Evangelicals!

The President took on Christianity Today, an evangelical magazine I've read but not agreed with, for an editorial by editor Mark Galli, which agreed with the House's impeachment and called for Evangelicals to agree on moral grounds.

I've been hard on the Evangelical movement lately. I've never agreed with them theologically, but I've respected them until over 90% of them voted for the current President who's private life has been the antithesis of Evangelical morals.

But the President accused Christianity Today of being left-wing and atheistic.

It was founded by Billy Graham! And though the Graham family is no longer directly involved with it, it is still very Evangelical. Believe me. I've read it.

The President in a tweet (how else?) said Christianity Today "wants to take your religion and your guns."

So, maybe some Evangelicals are waking up.

If they are it would make a big difference in the 2020 election.

I pray they are....if that doesn't sound to evangelical....

A sad historic moment

This evening, for just the third time in American history, the House of Representatives impeached a president.

I think it need to happen--it was vital that it happen--but that doesn't mean it's not a somber, sad day in our history.

For eight hours or so, some of which I watched, some of which I listened to on NPR, Democrats made the case over and over and over again and Republicans said the same sad things they've been saying all along--not refuting the evidence, but saying the 'evidence' wasn't evidence.

The day is sad and somber because we are such a divided nation. "Unity" should be our goal, not division.

No President has ever been removed from office by impeachment. And this one won't be either--not because he shouldn't be, but because Republicans will cover their ears, hold their noses and vote to leave him be.

Sad.

But I hope that enough people will listen to the facts and vote against him next November.

Then he will be out of office and doubtless open to several legal actions.

I am sad and somber at where we are as a country, and so disappointed at where that man has brought us.

What a mess!

What a nasty mess!

And I don't mean what's going on in Washington (surprise! surprise!).

I'm talking about the weather in Connecticut in the last 24 hours.

We had ice, not snow. Ice that fell and rain that froze.

My car and Bern's truck were wrapped in a quarter inch of ice today. It took us almost a hour to clean them off so I could go to the store. And then we had all these pieces of ice around our car and truck,

Never mind the walkways and driveway and our deck and steps down to the back yard. And our porches,. Brigit fell down on the porch when she went out this morning. And she has, as you surely know, four feet.

At Stop and Shop I saw one of the guys gathering grocery carts in the parking lot fall on his ass.

There were several people around him and he was saying he was 'fine'., but, a young man falling on ice is not a good thing.

And something is still falling--ice? rain? snow? at 9 p.m. and tomorrow will be an icy, nasty, mess too.

Two guys even older than me in the Stop and Shop line behind me were talking about the weather.

One guy was complaining and the other said, "you live in Connecticut, not Florida! Get used to it. I've been here 77 years. This is how it is!"

Wisdom, I admit, but it was still a nasty, icy mess.

No kidding.

Check Engline Light

Coming home from church yesterday, my Check Engine Light came on.

I had two appointments at 1 and 2, so I took my car to English Auto Shop in the morning.

I only had to wait 10 minutes and one of the English brothers came out and plugged a computer into someplace under the dash.

In a couple of minutes, he opened my little glass door and screwed in the gas cap.

That was what it was!

I said, "I'm an idiot!"

He said, "at least you can admit it. Lots of idiots can't."

So, I'm an idiot as well as a klutz.

At least I know it and can admit it.

They didn't charge me.

If you live in Cheshire, go to English Auto Shop if you need something.

They are great. We've be going there for over 30 years.

They're the best.

And they don't charge idiots who admit that they are....

I am a klutz

All packaging challenges me. I can't unwrap most anything, even it has been opened (like our dog's food) and resealed. I just can't manage it.

Bern always 'makes' me something for Christmas and I write her something. I've often written about our granddaughters and their super powers. Tegan can make things fly. Morgan can change into anything. Emma can sing things into being and in a different song, make people unable to see what is happening.

This year I put Eleanor and our dog, Brigit, into the mix.

The story is called, "Five Girls Save the World".

And they do.

But, trying to print out the story tonight, my printer got stuck.

So, I had to call Bern to help me fix it.

I have to call Bern to help me fix lots of things.

She got the paper out and I started printing again and the same thing happened--stuck sheets.

My printer is a nightmare.

I fixed it myself this time and the story is printed, I just have to find a binder and those lovely plastic sheets--which I have trouble putting paper into--to make it ready for Christmas.

Being a klutz isn't the worst thing you could be.

You could be the man who is President (and I won't name) and the Republican members of Congress.

My father never voted for a Democrat and I have, until now, disagreed with but respected Republicans. But their undying loyalty to this President has caused me to stop respecting them. Just like I've stopped respecting Evangelicals who have sold out their moral stands to stand instead with this President.

I feel bad about my ceasing to respect Republicans and Evangelicals. I always thought we just didn't agree but were all longing for the best.

Wrong and klutzy again.