“What then are we to say about these things,” the apostle Paul asked in the 8th chapter of the book of Romans. The things of which Paul spoke were the “sufferings of this present time.” Of course, the time of Paul’s first century world was much different than the time in which we find ourselves today. That said, we still know suffering—in so many different ways, shapes and forms—all too well. We continue to face things that leave us wondering what to say and where to turn.  

In particular, this past week felt like one filled with uncertainty as we  watched and waited to see how things would play out in various places around the globe. It left me wondering with the apostle Paul, “What then are we to say about these things?” I wound up posting the following on my Facebook page:

Praying with sighs too deep for words for:
Peace in the midst of violence
Calm in the midst of rising tensions
Safety for those in harm’s way
Sleep for all who worry.
We may no longer be in the season of Advent in the church year, but as God’s Advent people I am praying, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” Come quickly, Prince of Peace.

We do not know what the future will bring, but we do know with certainty that whatever happens it will not be able to separate us from God. Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” There is nothing in this world that is a greater force than God. God’s presence with us is certain and God’s love for us is unwavering. 

In the midst of our present times, I cling to Paul’s words. I take great comfort in the conviction that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God. We can pray and act in confidence that God is with us. God is not done with us or our world. 

Happy New Year!

As we prepare for Epiphany Sunday, I want to share with you a reflection from Martin Luther on the wise men from a collection of his sermons in Martin Luther’s Christmas Book edited by Roland H. Bainton. Here’s what Luther preached:

“When they had heard the king, [the Wise Men] departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, the rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

Now the Wise Men had the faith to follow the word of the Prophet Micah. They were not offended that the king was not born in Jerusalem. They left the Temple and went to the cow stall.

If I had been there, I would have stayed in the Temple and said: “God dwells here and if the Child is to be found anywhere in the world, it will be where all the priests are gathered and God is served.” We may profit from the example of these heathen, who, took no offense when directed from Jerusalem, the great city, to little Bethlehem. They followed the Word, and God comforted them by putting back the star, which led them now to Bethlehem and to the very door where the young Child lay.

Here the Evangelist (the writer of Matthew’s gospel) shows us the true nature of faith, how they believed simply what they had not seen and held fast to the Word. That is why God brought them from their land to where they should hear the Word, but God let them first fall into error and bewilderment. They thought the Child would be born in the capital, Jerusalem, and that is where they went. Then the star left them and no one in the city so much as knew that a king was to be born. The Wise Men supposed that he would be born in circumstances of pomp like the son of a potentate. God did not leave them long in their error but showed them through the Scripture that they would not find him as they supposed in the big city, but in a little village, and he directed them to the royal town of Bethlehem.

The watching, waiting and preparing of this Advent season will soon give way to the proclamation that Christ is born. Here at Abiding Presence, we cannot wait to worship with you. Learn more about our Christmas Eve services here.

Here are a few quick and easy ways that you can help spread the word about Christmas at Abiding Presence:

· Share our FB post pinned to the top of the page about Christmas Eve services and/or our tweet.

· Post our Christmas Eve services on your neighborhood Next Door.

· Watch your social media feed for people looking for a church to worship at on Christmas Eve. Mention Abiding Presence and link back to our website.

This is the time of year when people are looking for a church and you could be the one to help them find it. I believe that we have good news to share about God’s love for all people that the world is waiting to hear. Let’s share it!

If you are traveling on Christmas Eve, we have our 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. services live on our Facebook page. Feel free to tune in to worship with us from wherever you happen to be.

Also, be sure to check out and share our annual Christmas Day Video Service that will come live to your inbox and social media on Christmas morning. The staff has once again prepared a brief (10-15 minute) service that you can watch from home in the midst of your celebrations. We look forward to wishing you a Merry Christmas in this year’s matching staff style.

Finally, I would be remised if I didn’t end by acknowledging that I know we have many in our faith family who are struggling this Christmas season. Grief, illness, anxiety and loneliness are hard anytime of year, but they are especially hard this time of year. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need a bit of support or care. You are not alone. We are a faith family, together.

As my reflection this week, I want to share with you the poem “The Birth of Wonder,” by Madeline L’Engle. I came across this poem when preparing for our midweek Advent services and I was immediately struck by the words. I found that the poem captured the feelings in my heart this Advent season. The poet speaks to the joy that goes beyond just a festive season, which is the joy for which I know many of us are longing.

The Birth of Wonder
As I grow older
I get surer
Man’s heart is colder,
His life no purer.
As I grow steadily
More austere
I come less readily
To Christmas each year.
I can’t keep taking
Without a thought
Forced merrymaking
And presents bought
In crowds jostling.
Alas, there’s naught
In empty wassailing
Where oblivion’s sought.
Oh, I’d be waiting
With quiet fasting
Anticipating
A joy more lasting.
And so I rhyme
With no apology
During this time
of eschatology:
Judgment and warning
Come like thunder.
But now is the hour
When I remember
An infant’s power
On a cold December.
Midnight is dawning
And the birth of wonder.

In the midst of your last minute holiday preparations this week, I hope you will take a moment to reflect on the joy we know as followers of Christ. It is the joy of a Savior who has put on flesh to dwell with us in the Christ child and who promises to come again, too. Let this joy fill you, even in the midst of the sadness, grief and challenges you may face.

I also encourage you to take a moment to invite someone to come to Christmas Eve services at Abiding Presence. There are so many searching for joy right now who are waiting to hear the good news of Jesus. Share the joy you know! Offer an invitation!

This weekend we begin the season of Advent, the four weeks in the church year leading up to Christmas. While this is a time of preparation for celebrating  Christ’s birth, that is not the focus of Advent. Instead, Advent is as season of looking ahead. We watch and wait for Christ to come again. Trusting in God’s promise that Christ is coming again, we look into the future with hope and anticipation of what God will do next.

It makes sense, then, that during this Advent season we also look ahead to the new year and the ministry we hear God calling us to in 2020. There is lots to be excited about, especially the news we recently shared about our new Teaching Pastor and Congregational Care Minister. If you missed the letter in your mailbox from me and Steve Lucky, our Council President, there are copies of it available for you to pick up in the narthex when you head to worship this weekend. As I look ahead to the coming year, I cannot wait to see how God will continue to work in and through us to fulfill our mission of Connecting People to Christ through Community.

If you have not yet offered your financial statement of intent for 2020, please do so this weekend either online at AbidingPresence.net/soi or by filling out the paper form included with this weekend’s bulletin. You can place your paper forms in the offering plate during worship or mail them to the church office. Our Stewardship Team will be making calls this week to families who have not yet made commitments as a way to invite them to do so and answer any questions they may have about our vision moving forward. Together, working generously and faithfully, we can meet or exceed our goal of $65,000 in new income for 2020. 

Next weekend, December 7/8 will be Celebration Weekend. We will not only be offering prayers of dedication for the financial commitments given, but also thanking the congregation for making them. You don’t want to miss it! We have some special things planned to say, “Thank You” as we look ahead to 2020.