Devotional 12-25-21

Christmas Day 

You are Going to Get Wet

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  (Titus 3:4-7)

It’s Christmas Day.  We opened the packages, emptied the stockings, and shared good meals with our families. Today is Christmas day, and what we might want more than anything is a nap.  But the time has come.  Christ has come.  Now what?

The passage we read today tell us that Christ appeared, and brought salvation – not because of acts of righteousness, but because of God’s mercy.  “The spirit is poured out on us richly through Jesus."  

A few years ago, we were with our boys at an amusement park in Florida.  We were having a great time together when the rain started.  This was not a drizzle, or a sprinkle; this was a downpour, unlike anything I had seen before.  The rain came down from heaven by the bucketful.  We were soaked – as they say – to the skin.  There was no escape, there was not dry shelter to be found. The water covered us, and we have never been that wet.

For me, that is what is means when the author of the passage says, “The Spirit is poured out on us richly through Jesus.  As we read these words on Christmas day, imagine that grace falls like that downpour upon us.  Drenching our lives.  Covering us completely.  The spirit pouring on us. This is grace, abundant and overflowing.  Covering us not because of anything we have done or not done, and not because of anything we have earned.  Grace covers us not because of who we are, but because of the mercy of God.  

Christ has come.  Now what? We are covered in grace so that we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  Open your hands and feel the hope land gently upon them.  Open your hearts, and know that hope recreates you.  Open your eyes and see the difference hope makes in your life.  

And then, because it’s Christmas, give it all away.  

Kim Matthews

Devotional 12-24-21

Christmas Eve

Scripture readings for the day:  Isaiah 62:6-12, Psalm 97, Titus 3: 4-7, Luke 2: 1-20

And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”   Luke 2: 10-11

We are almost there.  All the last-minute things are getting done. There is a hum of energy and melody in the air. It isn’t just us--it is all of creation.  That thin line separating heaven from earth is so fine you can almost see through it. God’s own is coming among us. His name is Emmanuel—God-with-us.  This gift of God is made of the same stuff we are and is made of the same stuff God is. 

This time is filled with Christmas dreams and memories. We have this wonderful idea of how it should all be, but it doesn’t always live up to our expectations. We thought this Christmas would be better and easier than last year. Instead, we are still hoping for a calmer, purer, more centered, non-COVID time. 

We know the story. We have an idealized image of how it should be. We expect one of those Christmas card images where the artist focuses on all the right things—the softness of the baby’s skin; the warm bodies of the animals standing around the child, heating the air with their breath; Mary and Joseph offering there serene, attentive love. But everything didn’t go as perfectly as we picture it. Mary and Joseph were tired and frustrated. They were away from home and family. Mary has given birth in less-than-ideal circumstances. There was no bed in which to rest. Joseph had to prepare the food, and he was a better carpenter than cook. They weren’t expecting company—certainly not a bunch of scruffy shepherds. And yet, God was still there, right in the middle of the picture. Peace was there, and joy, and hope, and love—not only for the best of times but also (and maybe especially) for the difficult and unusual moments. 

It is God-with-us; not God up there somewhere who answers our prayers by lifting us up out of our lives, but the God who comes to us in the midst of our living. That is where God is born—in any cradle we will offer. 

A lot of us hope for a moment tonight or sometime tomorrow when everything will be perfect—just like it seems in our neat and clean nativity sets or Christmas card pictures. We want to be transported into that heavenly feeling of calm and wonder and awe, where we will know and feel, without any questions that powerful presence of God in us. But all our work will not make that happen: Someone’s gift won’t fit; an expensive toy won’t work right, and a child’s overflow of anticipation will give way to tears; all the parts will not fit together the way the diagram shows; and that one relative will still know how everything should be done, while sitting there doing nothing to help. It will never be Christmas perfect.  

And that is all right, because tonight, all of heaven is coming down to us; right into our own Bethlehem, bringing us the God who has decided to make a home in our arms. Christmas becomes perfect as we open our arms and hearts to receive the Christ God gives to us. For God is with us.  Christ is born.  Alleluia!

Prayer:  God of great love, remind us of the good news, for we sometimes forget. Take us to see Jesus, for it is easy to lose our way. Grant us the joy of your presence and the assurance of your steadfast love. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, may the light and power of Christ come into our hearts that we may find peace with you now and forever. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Mark Conner

Devotional 12-23-21

 Isaiah 9:2-7

When we do the Advent devotionals I usually look for the readings about the day the baby was born. I love babies, holding them and whispering in those tiny ears how much I love them.

This time I read all the lectionary readings and Isaiah jumped out at me. The reason is that it talks about the people walking in darkness shall see a great light.

The last 22 months we have walked in darkness. I realize our country, the world have faced things like this before. Part of the difference is that we didn’t have 24 hour news talking to us constantly telling us how bad things are and how much worse they can be.

I’ve had to be very careful about the news I watch. I want to know what’s going on, I just don’t want to hear all the despair they pour out.

What I do want to see and remember is the tiny glow in the darkness. The lamp in the manger, the star in the sky that announces the birth of hope.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the old testament foretold the coming of the tiny baby who was and is the hope for every day. Isaiah and you and I know.

Everyday we need to give thanks to God for the gift of his son, the light of the world.

When it’s a dark day, talk to your Father in heaven. Thank him for the greatest gift ever given.
It was given for you and for me.

Merry Christmas!

Dear heavenly father, We thank you for the original gift that keeps on giving.  You gave your son to us and he gave his life for us.  Please dear Lord, help us to remember each and every day that you love us and care about who we are and what we need. May we go forth ready to care that same way for others we meet. May we share your love always and forever.  Amen.

Debbie McGinnis

Devotional 12-22-21

 The Unexpected

Read Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26 – 38

Do you have a favorite quote from a movie or television show?  One that you repeat often?  I didn’t until recently.  

Steve and I were watching an episode of a fun British television series.  One of the main characters received an unsolicited, surprising job offer.  She questioned the one making the offer and his reply stuck with me – “Embrace the unexpected.”   That one phrase made me stop and think.

For me, “embrace the unexpected” is a good motto to take to heart.  We never know what life may throw at us, so keeping a good attitude is a must.  The central characters in our Christmas story may have had a similar feeling.

Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel, advised of a pregnancy and learned that her son would have the throne of David.  This situation was certainly not what she anticipated.  Mary’s “yes” was the ultimate embrace of the unexpected.

How about Joseph?  He was visited by an angel in a dream. The encouragement to take Mary as his wife and news that her baby was from the Holy Spirit had to be surprising. Yet, he did what the angel asked.  He embraced the unexpected.

And you?  Have situations come your way which required an embrace of the unexpected?  I know they have.  While we may not know where the unexpected will lead, we know we can follow with the confidence of children of God.  The situation may be unexpected, but God’s presence and guidance are assured.

As we near the end of this Advent season, I am thankful for the responses of Joseph and Mary to the challenges they encountered.  Their embrace of the unexpected brought God’s great gift to the Earth. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father – As we ponder the Christmas story, we are in awe of the willingness of Mary and Joseph to do as you asked of them.  May we be as obedient and trusting in our lives, especially when we must embrace the unexpected.  Amen

Shelly Shideler

Devotional 12-21-21

Please read Luke 2:1-20

In 2019, Mary and I participated in a tour of Israel to walk where Jesus walked. We started within the walled-off city of Bethlehem. 

I looked forward to seeing the place of Jesus’s birth. My expectations of what the place would look like were developed by annual nativity displays and Christmas pageants. I know I had seen several presentations and looked many pictures of others’ trips to the Holy Land in my lifetime, but somehow I hadn’t realized that Jesus was born in a church basement. 

Well, not exactly. But the site we visited as the place of the birth of Jesus is in the grotto beneath the Church of the Nativity. Since the second century, according to Greek theologian Origen, this grotto has been traditionally believed to be the very cave where Jesus was born because there was no room in the inn. 

I should have known, but learned on my trip to the Holy Land, that most of the holy sites have had various shrines and chapels built on them since the third century, CE, when Helena, the mother of Constantine, visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Christian pilgrims from all over the world visit the Church of the Nativity. You enter bent-over through the Gate of Humility. Then you snake around the roped lines slowly leading to the steps down below to the grotto. You’re shushed several times for being too loud because worship services are taking place in other parts of the church. You jostle for position to see the very spot, marked by an ornate star. You’re invited to kneel and touch or kiss the star—this trip was pre-COVID—but then a monk urges you to move along because others are waiting. You can briefly pause to look at the manger, or perhaps a manger like the manger, where Jesus was laid. It is not a wooden feed trough like I had seen in my Uncle Bryce’s barn or in the live nativity at home. It is a rock shelf covered with marble.

I wanted to feel something when I saw the spot, knelt and touched and kissed it. I just wasn’t what I anticipated, and I was a little disappointed. 

That same evening, we had the opportunity to break into smaller groups to visit the homes and have a meal with Christian families living in Bethlehem. Six of us from our West Virginia group visited a home in neighboring Beit Sahour, basically a suburb of Bethlehem. Beit Sahour is translated as House of Vigilance or, more literally, House of the Night Watch. This is near the area of the Shepherds’ Fields. The nearby Church of the Annunciation, which is built over the spot where the shepherds kept watch over their flocks, and where the angel appeared to them to announce Jesus’s birth. Our gracious hosts trace their ancestral roots to the shepherds who first received the good news. What a joy it was to meet them and to receive their hospitality.

While I had looked expectantly for Jesus in the grotto beneath the Church of the Nativity, it was in the breaking of the bread in the multi-generational home of our host family that I recognized the presence of Jesus. Sadly, their news is not so good today. Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Beit Sahour has been under Israeli occupation. The original Christian occupants are being driven out of town as Israeli settlements occupy land and Israeli courts rule Christian homes as illegal and subject to demolition.

The economy of Beit Sahour is largely based on tourism and related industries, such as the manufacture of olive-wood carvings. I know many of our group have olive-wood carvings to serve as reminders of our special time with the shepherds.

Today, I say a prayer of thanksgiving for the faith and witness of those vigilant shepherds watching their flocks on the first Christmas eve. And I pray for their descendants, keeping watch at night as they are driven from their homes. Come Holy Spirit, come!

Jeff Taylor

Devotional 12-20-21

 Let Christ be our Light

Isaiah 9:2-7

When I awoke this morning the song “Christ, Be Our Light” began playing in my mind.  This song was sung during our service this past Sunday’s “All Saints Day” at our church.  The Sunday in which we celebrated the life of those that had passed, during the past year, from earthly life to life eternal into the light of Jesus.  

The passage for this Fourth Week of Advent, Isaiah 9:2-7, was also in the background of my mind. So how do the two relate to the other?

Isaiah was a Prophet that lived some 700-800 years before Christ was born.  His prophecy for the people at that time was that their darkness and despair would become light by the coming of the Messiah.  That the Messiah would be a child born to be:  Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV  6“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.   7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

This message from Isaiah is the same today.  In the song “Christ Be Our Light” it speaks to the needs we all have in our life.  A way out of the darkness, looking for truth, for peace, and for hope. It speaks of the needs that all people have; for food, for warmth, for shelter, to belong and be accepted.  

Isaiah’s answer then as now is to “Let Christ the Messiah”, be the Light that ALL can see.  We are to be that Light through our servanthood to all.  Using the gifts, we have been given to serve others that are in need or searching.  Just as those Saints that passed to life eternal this past year.  They shared their gifts and love for all, they shared their Light of Christ for all to see.   

As we yearn for the darkness in our lives to be lifted, for peace to rein, look to the one that will guide us through our life and one day we will sit with him and all the saints before us in heaven.  As in the refrain, paraphrased.  “Let Christ’s light shine through our hearts, shine through the church.”  

Pray, 
Father God thank you for sending your Son the Christ to be our Light to the world.  Thank you for walking among your people to show us the way to serve.  We are not perfect people but through your unconditional love we strive to be the best we can be.  We pray for all those in the darkness that we can be a light to lead them to Christ, so that they too will be a light for all.  We thank you for all those Saints that have gone on to life eternal.  May we follow their example of serving and loving others.  Father may this be our prayer through your son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen.

Fred Herr

Devotional 12-19-21

Scriptures for the Day:  Micah 5:2-5a, Luke 1:46b-55, and Luke 1:39-45

Several years ago, I visited a nursing home in Parkersburg to sit with a member of my church who had recently moved there.   She and her out-of-state family had decided that her increasing dementia made it unsafe for her to live alone.  She sometimes forgot that the stove was on, or that the car was running, or that milk needs stored in the refrigerator.  But Lona (not her real name) was a retired school teacher who liked to tell amazing stories about her long life during the great depression and World War Two. The further back in time an event, the clearer her recall seemed to be.  I was a fairly new pastor then and was surprised, but in the years since I have seen that pattern in many people.   On this day, we started with her reminisces about her childhood.  I asked how many brothers and sisters she’d had, and she described a huge family—-and then said that she’d lost most of them during the flu pandemic that ravaged the world while she was still a girl.  She told about the experience of wearing a mask and of many painful goodbyes. I sat there, stunned.  How terrible and tragic.  But it was a story for another age: as we chatted in her room on that sunny afternoon we assured each other that with all the antibiotics and improvements in medicine, nothing like that would ever happen again.

It seems naïve of me now but if anyone had told me two years ago about the pandemic journey that we’ve had to take in 2020 and now all of 2021, I’d have been incredulous.  On some days, I still am.  The masks, the shortages, the closed businesses and remote learning, endless zoom meetings, online worship, sad goodbyes, lonely isolation for some and constant work in essential fields for others…..we all have a list of the experiences that have marked us. It’s not what we expected, is it? It’s not what we prepared for.  So, to quote the opening lament of Psalm 137, how do we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?  How are we the People of God in this new reality?

The lectionary texts for this week may not supply easy answers, but they help point us toward faithful responses.  The prophet Micah, writing 700 years before the birth of Christ, promised that Bethlehem would one day bring forth a “ruler in Israel” who would “shepherd his flock” and become “one of peace.”  Given that Micah lived during the time when the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered, and Judah was repeatedly attacked and threatened, his hopeful words about the coming Messiah show deep faith and quiet confidence.  Centuries later, the young girl Mary and the much older Elizabeth bond over the reversals in their lives as they greet each other and Elizabeth recognizes that Mary carries the Messiah. Then Mary breaks into a song of praise, celebrating the way that God is at work “from one generation to the next,” bringing down the powers that be and lifting up the humble, hungry, and lowly. These scriptures affirm that God is at work, even during times when things seem broken, strange, unsure. Renewal and restoration are coming!  With Mary, let us glorify God and lean into the future God walks toward with us.  

Prayer for the Day:  God of all generations, we thank you for your mercy and your strength down through the ages.  In this, our age of uncertainty and challenges, give us your wisdom and grace. Help us to live as faithful witnesses to the reality of the new life in Christ.  Amen.     

Terry Deane

Devotional 12-18-21

 AWE and JOY 

Close your eyes for a minute and think back to when you were 12 or 13 years old.  What were you concerned about at that age?  What were your thoughts about your life and your faith?  They probably included what brand of clothing the cool kids were wearing; how you looked that day; that cute person you were attracted to; and what you could get away with, when no one was looking.

Now open your eyes and read the following scripture lesson attributed to Mary, a lowly 12 or 13 year old girl, upon learning that she was pregnant with the Son of God.

A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zechariah’s home, where she greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby moved within her. . . . . . . . 

Mary said,
“With all my heart I praise the Lord, and I am glad because of God my Savior.
God cares for me, his humble servant.  
From now on, all people will say God has blessed me.
God all-powerful, has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
He always shows mercy to everyone who worships him.
The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud.
God drags strong rulers from their thrones 
and puts humble people in places of power.
God gives the hungry, good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing.
God helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people.
The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family, forever!                                                                                                       
Luke 1:39-55 Contemporary English Version                                             

Most people, no matter what their age, would probably be asking – How did all of this happen? Why was I chosen?  What am I going to do next?  How can I explain this – especially to my family and Joseph?

But rather than be concerned about these types of pressing issues, Mary goes to be with her cousin Elizabeth, who immediately recognizes that Mary is pregnant with God’s son.  Elizabeth is now filled with awe and joy as her baby leaps within her.

And Mary is so filled with awe and joy, that she begins praising God as Savior, as well as prophesizing about the future of her life and the child she is carrying, in these verses found in Luke.  All of this is coming from a 12 or 13 year old child who has such depth of faith and understanding, that she rejoices in the work of God.  No questions, no concerns, just awe and joy, as well as acceptance and trust, in God and God’s plan for her and this special child that is within her. 

Faith and love – awe and joy – God is our Savior. Mary shares so much with us.  Open yourself to God and God’s love for you, so God will be a part of all you do, and you will be filled with awe and joy as well.

In the hymn, Mary Did You Know, this awe and joy that Mary feels, is so beautifully expressed. Please use these words of the last verse, as your prayer for this day.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?   
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy was Heaven’s perfect Lamb,
And the sleeping Child you’re holding is the Great I AM?
Mary did you know?

Words and Music by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene 

Rev. Suzanne Ellis

Devotional 12-17-21

 Read Luke 1:39-55

Mary, did you know 
That your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know 
That your Baby Boy has come to make you new
This Child that you delivered, will soon deliver you.

The above is from a song by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, “Mary, Did You Know?”

I first heard Kathy Mattea sing it on her cassette tape, “Good News” I purchased many years ago.

I loved the song that first time I heard it.

Thinking of the song and advent, I am thinking of the time I became a mother to my son, Michael, December 27, 1977. A wondrous and glorious time for me. Luke 2 verse 19, “But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.”  Did she know then that her son would one day walk on water? Did she know the blind will see , the deaf will hear, the lame will leap, did she know her Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?

I don’t know much about the childhood of Jesus but I wonder.  Did Mary sing and read to her son like I did? Did she watch over him and make sure he didn’t get hurt?  Did she take him to the market, for walks, to sports practices? Did she oversee his education, help with homework? Did she take him to her church like I did?

Luke 1:49, For He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed.   I believe Mary knew she was blessed. I was and am blessed as well. Thanks be to God !

"The sleeping child you’re holding is the Great, I Am.”    Good news, indeed !!  Amen !

Kay Lewis

Devotional 12-16-21

 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” --Matthew 19:14, NIV

Ah, that spark of Christmas spirit. 

I was presented with a Third Angel today. Alice Hoffman’s book The Third Angel mentions three kinds of angels. The Angel of Life, the Angel of Death, and the Third Angel, someone who comes into our lives and by helping that person, we become better individuals.

My four sons range in age from 30-46. Christmas shopping for them isn’t challenging--write a check, grab some gift cards. Even shopping for my teenage grandchildren, who have their own tastes and activities, isn’t much fun--write a check, grab some gift cards.

Today I stopped at Ebenezer Community Outreach Center to select an “angel” from their daycare students to provide some gifts from their wish list. I was assigned a 4-year boy. Yay! As I read through his wish list, I was like the Grinch whose heart grew three sizes at the end of the book.

“Action figures, cars, Spiderman, Batman.” Oh man! You can imagine how many action figures and cars I bought over the years. I just gave containers of them to a great-nephew and I sort of hated to see them go. I call my youngest son my “comic book kid,” so getting to find Spiderman toys again sounds like a dream.

“Magnetic blocks.” I discovered some really cool magnetic toys when my grandson was younger and I loved buying and playing them. Fun!

“Learning toys.” I taught preschool for seventeen years so educational toys are definitely in my wheelhouse.

“Shirts and pants.” Look out children’s department, here I come! 

Thank you, little 4-year-old boy, for giving this old Grinch a dose of Christmas spirit. And thank you, God, for putting this child in my path.

Anita Gardner Farrell

Devotional 12-15-21

The hymn The Holly and the Ivy is a traditional British folk carol dating back to the early 1800’s. Sir Henry Walford Davies wrote the popular choral arrangement we often hear at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. 

Holly has been associated with Christmas since medieval times. The variety of holly found in Europe is sometimes called Christ’s thorn. The sharp leaves recall the crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head. The red berries remind us of the drops of blood Christ shed for our salvation. The shape of the leaves, which resemble a flame, are a symbol of God’s burning love for His people (a strong symbol for United Methodists).  Because of its characteristic of clinging to various bushes, trees, and buildings, ivy can symbolize faithfulness, and connections of closeness, friendship, and love. Both plants maintain their green color during the Christmas season and were a mainstay of British Christmas decorations in churches since the 15th century.

The tradition of making and giving wreaths of holly dates to the Roman Empire and may have entered Christianity via St. Augustine. Over time, it was believed a holly wreath on the door would keep evil spirits away, as well as tax collectors! 

Some say the holly represents the Christ Child and the ivy represents his mother, Mary. 
In the evergreen leaves of these two plants, we remember the promise of everlasting life, embodied in a newborn baby. 

The holly bears a blossom,
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To be our dear Saviour

The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
To do poor sinners good

The holly bears a prickle,
As sharp as any thorn,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ,
On Christmas Day in the morn

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown

Anita Gardner Farrell

Devotional 12-14-21

 Luke 1:46-55

Mary’s Song

And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

It is hard to imagine how Mary must have felt when she was chosen by God to become the mother of our Messiah. I imagine that – at least, in the beginning – she must have been a little fearful, startled, and confused. She was an unwed Jewish girl, and she could have been shamed and disgraced by society in this situation. But Mary’s Song, recorded in the verses above, shows the strong and steadfast woman. Any fears she had initially were replaced with hope, awe, and comfort. Her song delivered a message of hope and deliverance to a world that desperately needed it.

Our world in the present day desperately needs that hope, too. COVID times have not been easy for any of us. Many have lost loved ones, job security, relationships, routines, and their sense of peace – myself included. It is easy to look around and feel depressed, fearful, and fatigued. Instead of focusing on those racing, negative thoughts this Advent Season, we should strive to instead remember the promises that God has made and how much He loves us. As we hear Mary’s song, may our hearts fill with a renewed sense of hope, comfort, and peace.

Lia Deane

Devotional 12-13-21

 Luke 1:46-55    The Magnificat:  Mary’s Song

As you read through the Hebrew Bible you cannot help but notice the absence of writings and prophecies by women. Hannah, mother of Samuel; Mary and Elizabeth, mothers of Jesus and John the Baptist were standouts in announcing the coming reign of God. 

Does Mary speak words of thanksgiving and praise because she will bear the son of God?  Or have you considered that Mary is God’s key witness to announce to the world that the future- foretold by Micah 800 years before- is now a reality. 

Are you surprised That God’s Word comes to us in such an unexpected way?   God chose these humble unassuming women, powerless and without high community standing to usher in the new order of things.  

Mary is not just mimicking an ancient prophecy.  Mary speaks as a witness to events in real-time. She testifies that she has seen with her own eyes that the haughty and prideful are being brought low; that the rich are being pulled down from their thrones and those who were once lowly were lifted up.  King Herod has even had his beloved wife and her mother killed for fear they plotted against him.

Most importantly, the coming of the kingdom of God meant that those ancestors of Abraham who have kept covenant with God are now recipients of God’s mercy and compassion.  And that God’s mercy extends even to faithful women who believe in God’s promises.

It’s now 2021, the time of the “# me, too” movement.  A time when women (and men) are encouraged to reveal their experiences of sexual abuse and harassment by powerful men.  Their stories are no longer held secret.  And those powerful men who did the abusing are punished – some imprisoned; many brought to shame.   The “# Me, too movement” ushered in a new era when a woman’s humanity is to be valued and her testimony upheld as truth.    How will you read Mary’s song (The Magnificat) today?  

Prayer:     God, we are grateful for Mary’s faithful obedience to you and her courageous witness against unjust systems. 

Micah 5:2-5a Prophecies coming of the Messiah

As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, though you are the least significant of Judah’s forces, one who is to be a ruler in Israel on my behalf will come out from you…He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.  They will dwell secure, because he will surely become great throughout the earth; and he will become one of peace.

Micah was a country prophet, nurtured in the Exodus tradition, who lived in the hills of Judah between 700 and 750 BC. It was a time filled with armed conflict as the Assyrian Empire continually expanded through the Judean territories, eventually invading Palestine and capturing much of the divided Kingdom in 721-722.  Micah had no details of how Bethlehem would become Jesus’ birthplace; but he knew that Yahweh would again act in history to save the righteous remnant of his people, just as Yahweh had acted in the past.  

Prayer:    We give thanks to you, God, for your prophet Micah and others like him who spoke the truth to your people when it was not always welcomed but always needed.

Psalm 80-:1-7  Wake up your power!  Come to save us!  Restore us, God!   Make your face shine so that we can be saved!

Once again, the Jews are in captivity and feeling estranged from God.  Their prayers and  behaviors  displease God. The Jews are conscious that they had turned to sinful ways.  They are aware that those sinful acts provoked God to “hide his face from them and to give them up into the hand of their enemies.”  The Israelites were looking for God to “show up” anyway; for God to use God’s extraordinary powers on their behalf; To rescue them out of a bad situation so they could be saved from further shame and dire consequences which probably lie ahead.  They relied on God’s prior acts which saved them when they had been faithful.

Sometimes we expect God to be in places where God does not dwell. We look for God in the wrong places.  We put our trust in people, places, and things  to give us meaning and purpose in life instead of turning to God.  That’s what happened to the Israelites.  

How, then, can we be restored to God?  By returning to a right relationship with God. Acknowledge our sins of thought, word, and deed.  Ask God’s forgiveness for the sins we have committed. Return to the prayers and practices which please God.

Prayer:  Keep our hearts and minds turned towards you God. Guide us to look for you in the right places. 

Hebrews 10:5-10 We have been made holy by God’s will through the offering of Jesus Christ’s body once for all.
    
Jesus Christ, God the Son, came into the world in human flesh to be the perfect sacrifice for sin and make atonement or propitiation for the sins of the people. It is through faith in Christ as God’s perfect sacrifice that we can be reconciled to God.  

There is no other sacrifice we can make; there is no more perfect gift to give.

HYMN:  There is a Wideness in God’s Mercy  by Frederick  W.Faber, 1814-1863  (Traditional Dutch Melody)

“There is a wideness in God’s mercy, Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in his justice, Which is more than liberty.
There is welcome for the sinner, And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior; There is healing in his blood.

For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man’s mind;
And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind,
If our love were but more simple, We should take him at his word;
And our lives would be all sunshine in the sweetness of our Lord.”

Prayer:   We are so unworthy of your love and the gift of your son, Jesus, for our atonement.

Dorothy Turner-Lacy

Devotional 12-12-21

 Philippians 4: 4-7 Common English Bible

⁴Be glad in the Lord always!  Again I say, be glad!  ⁵Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near.  ⁶Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayer and petitions, along with giving thanks.  ⁷Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

In reading Philippians 4:7 this verse jumps out to me!  “Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people, The Lord in near!”  You, the congregation of  Johnson Memorial are this verse!  Anytime that a mission project needs items to be donated, you make it happen!  When we send out a list with items on it, all the items are donated! GOD IS IN CONTROL AND LEADING ALL OF US.

Johnson Memorial has many on going mission projects, the Common Grounds Dinner is one of them. The folks that attend are very thankful people.  Every Thursday they come a little early and sit on the 10th Street steps us their fellowship time to get to know those who are also waiting for their dinner.  A prayer precedes their dinner.  No matter what is served they are thankful and they bless those who have prepared the food that night. 

One evening, Fred was talking to one of the attendees about the Covid vaccine. Fred learned that some had not received the vaccine because they didn’t know where they could receive it and had thought that they couldn’t afford it.  Fred told him that it was free where he could go to get it. That got us thinking, we could bring the Health Department to them. So, a couple of weeks later the Health Department held a Free Vaccination Clinic in the Church parking lot for the public. The man got his shot along with quite a few others who needed it. Everyone was so thankful to receive this service.

The Backpack Ministry is a wonderful blessing for all those who are involved, the packers, delivers and organizers.  Fred and I deliver the backpacks once a month to  the Explorer Academy.  Last month when we were there at the school, the social worker was taking the backpacks into the school.  She was thanking us for all we do; then she asked us if we could we help out with coats and shoes for the kids.  It was getting colder outside and they saw kids coming to school with no coats or jackets and in need of good shoes.  We said that we would take it back to Johnson Memorial.   The list was sent out; you all made it happen.  By the end of the next week the needs were met. You  “Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near.”

Along with the coats and shoes, your gentleness was shown as you all are taking care of the can goods for the Thanksgiving Food Boxes.  These families who will receive the food are grateful people.  Last year as we were handing the food out the families thanked and blessed us for doing Gods work at Johnson Memorial.  

While working on these projects you meet so many people with different needs, by listening to them and communicating with those in need we can go to God in prayer and He can help us answer those needs.  

All this is made possible by those at Johnson Memorial being God’s hands and feet in all of the Mission projects we provide for God’s people.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, Thank you for leading us to do the work you want us to do for your people.
You are always there to guide us when we least expect it, when we are not listening, or taking time to be in your presence. Be with all your people in need and hungry, homeless, jobless and in need of help with finances, lead them to the places that can help them, and show them the love of Christ, and be the hands and feet of Jesus for them.  Keep all your people in your loving arm, showing them the way you want to guide them on their journey to continue to help those in need.
In Jesus Name,  Amen

Melanie Herr

Devotional 12-11-21

 Philippians 4: 4-7

⁴Be glad in the Lord always! Again I say, be glad! ⁵Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near. ⁶Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. ⁷Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

Every year as we move into the season of advent, feelings of Peace, Hope, Love, and Joy find their way to the surface of our lives.  These feelings are with us always, but during Christmas they rise to the surface through the stories of planning and preparation for the birth of Christ.  These feelings help us to see the best in others, and brings out the best in each of us.  On the other hand, there are events to plan, family dinners to arrange, and decorating that needs done to prepare for the Christmas season.  While these events are full of fun, excitement, and love, usually feelings of hope and joy are replaced with stress, anxiety, and frustration.  

There are many verses and stories in the bible about giving our troubles over to God.  This week, from Philippians, we read we should not be anxious about anything, but bring our worries to God through prayer.  This will help us to know the peace of God and allow the spirit of Christ to truly live within each of our hearts.  As we pray and share in the advent season, we are prepared again to receive Christ through his birth.

I heard a song recently called “There is Peace in Christ”.  As I listened to the words, I was reminded of how Christ is our strength and our peace.  The chorus reads; “He gives us hope when hope is gone, He give us strength when we can’t go on, He give us shelter in the storms of life, When there’s no peace on Earth there is peace in Christ”.  This advent season, take time to focus on the Peace, Hope, Joy and Love of the season.  Remember to bring your anxieties, fears and frustrations to God, and all things can be done through Christ.

God Bless you all

Hulse Budd

Devotional 12-10-21

 Blessings

“John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3:16 NIV

My Life Application Bible has this explanation for this verse: “Jesus’ baptism with fire includes the power needed to do God’s will.” The power to do God’s will! Sometimes I feel that it is all I can do to get through the day and take care of myself and my family! How can I find the energy and time to do something for God? Then He offers me the opportunity to do something easy. Something that takes no planning or commitment on my part, like really listening to a friend, letting someone go ahead of me in line, or giving someone sad a hug. A conversation about God with a complete stranger has been a blessing to me more than once! It’s not hard. I just have to be open to the possibilities that the Holy Spirit offers me. 

When I ignore opportunities, I usually end up feeling bad about myself. But, when I listen and follow through on the nudges of the Holy Spirit, I find that I am blessed beyond measure! As Rachel Held Evans says in “Searching for Sunday”, ‘Pay Attention!’

This Christmas and always, may you listen to the nudges of the Holy Spirit, pay attention and be blessed!

Margaret Williams 

Devotional 12-9-21

 Read Luke18: 1-8

This is the parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow.  The judge feared not God nor respected man. The widow was persistent in asking for justice. Finally, the judge was worn down and granted her justice.

So, what’s this to do with the coming of our Lord’s birthday celebration?

Many years ago and my children were quite small, my son, Scotty, asked for a tape recorder.  Jean and I decided to surprise him with one. This was 46 years ago, and we got him the latest technology recorder. It used cassettes and was battery operated. Wow. The batteries were wrapped in one package, the cassettes in another, and the recorder in another separate package.

On Christmas morning, he opened his first package and lo and behold, it was the battery package. One look at this and his only comment was “How generous.” If he had given up at that time, he wouldn’t have found the big gift and resulted in a happy ending.

So many times we face disappointment and failure. But you can’t give up. Keep praying and hoping, and eventually you’ll be better off than giving up.

Merry Christmas, one and all

Scott Ramsey

Devotional 12-8-21

 Rejoice

Zephaniah 3: 14-20; Isaiah 12: 2-6; Philippians 4: 4-7; Luke 3: 7-18

Devotional 12-7-21

 Rejoice in All Things

Zephaniah 3: 14-20;  Isaiah 12: 2-6;  Philippians 4: 4-7;  Luke 3: 7-18

“Rejoice in the Lord always…Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 4-7

The date, December 7th, 1941, needs no explanation for most adults.  The peace of a quiet Sunday morning was replaced with horror and disbelief caused by the Japanese bombs at Pearl Harbor Naval Base. Our leaders declared war and we were plunged into the stress and strain of a country at war. I was not born yet, but the stories from history class and the stories of those who lived through these times have been significant for me. How could this have happened?  What made people respond in the way that they did? How did they cope with their circumstances?

December 7th was also significant to me in the year 1995. My son David and I awoke to the sights and sounds of our house on fire. I was not fully aware at the time of how dire the circumstances were, but between neighbors, fire department and health care providers, plus family, friends, and colleagues we were surrounded and cared for by many angel-servants of God. Looking back from the vantage point of many years, I am overwhelmed by God’s presence and ongoing care. At the time, though, I was overcome with anxiety, worry, fear and a sense of helplessness.

The command to “Do not be anxious about anything” in the scriptures was not realistic to me at the time. How in the world could someone just let go of their anxiety and pray with thanksgiving??? I couldn’t. I was praying, but not with thanksgiving! Eventually, though, I began to see that God had granted me life and was healing my wounds and distress. Both David and I would go on. In fact, we not only survived, but in many ways, we began to thrive. Doctors and nurses were God’s servants in the healing process. The house became much stronger and safer after a thorough rebuild. Family and friends acted as strong advisors and helped in multiple ways. And maybe the greatest gift to us all: David became a father on Christmas Day in that same December. We welcomed Austin as a promise that the blessing of family would continue.

The lesson to rejoice in the Lord always remains true today. We have had major worries, cares and concerns in our lives since then, including deaths and a pandemic.  How do we cope with our circumstances?    We can become bitter, cynical and distrustful.  But God calls us to higher thoughts—pray and make petitions with thanksgiving---rejoice in your circumstances—I am with you always!!! 

We lost a lot of material things to that fire in 1995, but we gained a stronger reliance on God and the promise that God’s peace could be ours. Anyone visiting my house today will see that the material things were replaced with abundance. I think that my experience as a patient made me a more caring and patient nurse. I know that my role as a grandmother was a way of rejoicing that my health and strength were restored. God cares for us through every circumstance and leads us to a closer relationship if we follow his guidance and direction. Help us to discern that direction this Advent season.

Dear Understanding and Wise One, We are so thankful for your faithfulness in keeping your promises and guiding us to a closer walk with you.  Your gifts are beyond measure and your miraculous love is amazing. We are not worthy of your grace and mercy, but rejoice that they are so freely given. AMEN.

Chyrl Budd

Devotional 12-6-21

 The Bridge IS Out! The Bridge IS Out!

Psalm 43: 3-6 

³O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. ⁴Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. ⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

The bridge is out! The bridge is out! This conjures up images of an old western when one of the townsfolk is running or racing on a horse towards the train that is barreling towards them > headed for a ravine where…of course – the bridge is out. A bridge built to get from here to there, and now it’s gone. A bridge is defined by Webster as a structure carrying a pathway or roadway over a depression or obstacle. During my early college days in the 1980s, I worked in a one-hour photo lab. While there I processed negatives brought in by construction workers and made prints of the new bridge being built at 31st Street in Huntington. It was going to link Proctorville, Ohio to Huntington, West Virginia. Without having to go all the way to 6th Street or 17th Street West or Point Pleasant, people would be able to move across the river – to eat, shop, visit relatives, or go to work with greater ease. When my parents moved back to the area following Dad’s retirement, they settled in Ohio. This new bridge gave us wonderful access to each other.

We too can be a bridge. In the Psalm passage we hear words like “lead” and “bring.” People come to our churches – leaving the place where they are, physically and emotionally, and look to us to be the human structure along a pathway to a new place. What will they find? Love? Caring? Understanding? Acceptance? Or will they run away yelling, “The bridge is out!”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, put us along the path where you need us to be and help us to be strong and supportive and the link that brings others to you. Amen.

Steve Matthews

Devotional 12-5-21

 Scripture: Luke 3:1-6

It was a long-ago August afternoon and my children and I were returning home after a day at the pool. While the swimming was wonderful, we were now tired and hungry. It wasn’t long before the sounds of bickering came from the backseat. As the volume of the argument increased, I stopped them with my own tense plea. “Please, stop it! You two are giving me a headache!”

My daughter was immediately chastened and turned to her younger brother, saying “I’m sorry Daniel”. Daniel, mustering up all the indignation his 4-year-old self could express, replied “Oh, DON’T say that to me yet, Lydia. I’m not through being mad at you!”

I inwardly laughed and vowed to add that to my list of funny “Daniel sayings”. By dinner time, all was forgiven, and peace was restored. Over the years, I have remembered that moment many times. I thought Daniel’s reply was funny at the time, but I now view it differently. How often have I had trouble being through with anger, resentment or bitterness? How hard is it for us as adults to get through with our bad feelings over something that was said or done to us?

Too often forgiveness is withheld - even between members of a church family. I know of times when care was required to keep two people who didn’t get along from being placed on the same committee. Perhaps we all know of instances like that. Isn’t that sad? 

In today’s reading, John the Baptist is calling the people to “Prepare the way for the Lord”. I believe that one way we can prepare is to examine our hearts to see if we are carrying any bitterness, anger or resentment. Are we still mad with someone? Is there some past wrong that we need to forgive? If so, then perhaps it is time to ask God to help us get through with that. 

Yes, forgiving is often so very hard to do. But what better time than Advent to start that process. How can Christ truly be at home in our hearts when He must share it with our grudges? With prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I believe we can get through with being mad. We can make the Christ child’s path to us smooth and straight by emptying our hearts of bad feelings over past wrongs. 

Let us prepare to receive Christ’s love and light this Christmas by getting through with our anger, bitterness and resentment. Then may we be filled with His love and light, so that His love will shine out from us into all the world. 

Mary Sue Beam

Devotional 12-4-21

Please read Luke 21:25-36 

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea, and the waves.  People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see ‘the Son of Man’ coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.  Luke 21:25-28

I imagine as you read this passage, you are thinking that surely, there was something different I could have used as a basis to write this devotional – something about a baby boy born in a manger or a priest struck mute by the thought of a child to come?   It’s not a passage that I really want to write about, and I could have chosen a different one, but part of our Advent journey should be to think about the return of Christ, and what that means in our life today.

The passage, an example of apocalyptic scripture, uses symbolic themes and imagery to describe Christ’s second coming.  Knowing that, but also knowing that “about that day or hour no one knows” (Mark 13:32a), I think we make a mistake if we try to read this passage as a way to predict an end-time.

Instead, we need to face our fear, and try to understand what these words means to us, today.  Today is a bridge between the past and the future.  Standing here, on this day, and looking back, who could have predicted what has happened over the last two years?  No one.  Looking forward, do we have any idea what tomorrow will bring?  No idea. 

What do we know?  We know that sad times will roar into our lives like the sea.  The earth will shake as catastrophes strike in our families.  There will be dark times when it seems like the sun, the moon, and the stars fail to shine.  This passage reminds us that even in those times, Christ comes.  God is here.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:27).  This was true when Jesus told it to his disciples.  It is true for us, also.

Prayer: Loving God, even when the earth moves, the dark comes, and our world seems to end, make yourself known to us in your love and light.  Amen. 

Kim Matthews

Devotional 12-3-21

Read John 3:1-6 -- John the Baptist Prepares the Way

In these verses John goes out into the desert and preaching baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. He quotes the words of Isaiah that call for preparing the way for the Lord and make straight paths for him.

John’s message was well received as most everyone( from tax collectors to soldiers) came forward to be baptized.  People were aware of their sinful ways and were open to his message of repentance!

These verses serve to remind us again during this Advent season that we are called to get ready!  In today’s world we have so many conveniences and distractions that we can be easily be distracted and get off track.  Advent presents us with both a challenge and a opportunity.  The challenge is to have the discipline to invest our time in bible study, prayer and reflection in anticipation of Christmas.

The opportunity is that if we do, then we will reap the benefits of a stronger faith and deeper understanding of John’s call for repentance and the receiving of grace!

It is interesting to note that Jesus does not start his public ministry until John’s ministry has concluded.  This Advent season presents all of us the opportunity to share the good news of forgiveness and the promise of life everlasting in Gods’ kingdom here on earth as we await that house not built with hands but eternal to the heavens. May it always be so!

Prayer: Father help us to focus on you this Advent.  Forgive us when we get confused and place emphasis on the commercial side of the season and lose sight of the true celebration. Help us to do your will and not ours. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Marv Jones 

Devotional 12-2-21

Note: This devotion is provided online by Luther Seminary: “Filled with Hope and Gratitude, “ 2021 Advent Devotional, http://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/advent-devotional.  The book includes daily advent devotionals, and the scripture in this devotion drew my attention. I didn’t know about the book of Titus, and from my Student Bible, I learned that Titus was Paul’s trouble shooter, providing help as Paul’s associate for 15 years  The very brief book of Titus was written by Paul as Titus’ instructions as he dealt with the problems within the church of Crete.  The members, Paul felt, needed basic lesson of morality, spelled out for the church members.

Titus 1:11-14:  For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, trainig us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ

From the writer:  Advent and the time before Christmas are a time of intense preparation, both in our homes and congregations.  But what out our own, personal preparations for the coming of Christ? Are our thoughts and lives ready for the birth of our savior?  Titus reminds us that in this present world we are called to live lives worthy of the name that we have been given, as a child of God.  What are you own personal, spiritual preparations for Christmas?  Don’t let these get lost in the rest of the busyness that can so easily consume these days.

Prayer: Transform us Lord, into the people worthy of your name.  Help us to make our lives ready for the coming of your Son. Amen

Provided by Diane Feaganes

Devotional 12-1-21

 Luke 3:1-6

A voice crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight.
Every valley will be filled,
and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight
and the rough places made smooth.
All humanity will see God’s salvation.”

Reading that scripture I am reminded of the beautiful tenor recitative and aria from Messiah, “Comfort Ye” and “Every Valley.” I grew up listening to them every Christmas Eve, as a tenor would sing them, accompanied by my Mom on the organ.

With Advent and Christmas music on the forefront of my mind from September to January, I am reminded how odd it seems to again not perform “A Ceremony of Nine Lessons and Carols” this year. Too many factors, including shorter rehearsal time, spacing, and safety issues continue with our Covid precautions. I think I’d perviously done seven of them here. On one hand, there is less stress involved in the preparation of the program. So that’s good. On the other hand, there is less to be excited about by not having the program. So that’s not good.

Choir has been singing again for a few months now, and my goal is just to try to have a good time while making good music — yet staying safe. It’s annoying to sing with a mask, and to sit a mile away from the next singer. So we try to at least have a nice time.

But I must tell you, being concerned with everyone’s safety during this pandemic has been exhausting. There’s the inconvenience of singing with a mask. The inconvenience of getting vaccinated. The inconvenience of trying to maintain normality while living with the new normal. Not seeing friends, losing friends, not seeing church members, losing church members, not having live theatre, not having live concerts.

Right now, I try to imagine the inconvenience of an expectant couple traveling to Bethlehem, the inconvenience of giving birth in a manger. The inconvenience of people talking behind your back, “Oh, God’s the father of the baby?” You know they did— people talk.

Maybe it’s our approach to dealing with inconvenience that matters. I wonder if Mary griped about laying on straw, and also the smelly animals. Was there a midwife there to help? I doubt it.

The birth of Jesus in Luke is a beautiful story. I just reread from the first chapter. It makes me feel all Christmassey and warm inside. I’m not so worried about what we can and cannot do this year. We’ll do the best we can, we’ll make the best of it.

“Every valley will be filled...” Those valleys to me are the lows, the valleys of emptiness and change. But they will be filled! “...and the rough places made smooth.” Well, we’ve certainly been living in rough times. Smooth? I'll take it.

When I feel low in the valley this Advent season, I will try to think of Luke’s writing. When I feel blue, when there are people missing around the Christmas tree, when there are no formal lessons and carols — I will try to remember that there is always a carol to be sung.

Bruce Rous

Devotional 11-30-21

 Please read Philippians 1:3-11, Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi.

This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight.  I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Change isn’t easy. For thirty-nine years, I taught English and social studies to middle school students. As teaching tools changed from blackboards and chalk to computers and smart boards, I was forced to change with them! When my students would tease me with the adage, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” I would counter with the idea that we “old dogs” couldn’t be taught new tricks because we already knew ALL of them! One thing I did know for certain. Keeping up with constant change was going to be rough on this old dog! 

My mother had lost her battle with cancer in 1997; nothing could change that, but someone who helped me navigate changes in my life was my friend, Sunday school classmate, fellow chorister, and mother confessor, Mary Dial!  Mary and I had not always been close, but when she was in a collision and needed a ride to church, I offered to give her a lift! After all, she lived two blocks from my house, and the arrangement would be only until she got her car back! 

Then she decided it would be best if she didn’t drive anymore! That was really hard on her because she was used to coming and going when she wanted. It was extremely hard on me because I was used to coming and going when I wanted! But she needed me. Little did I know that I needed her, too. 

As weeks turned into years, I took the Locust Street, Norway Avenue, Greenoak route to choir practices, church services, Super Bowl parties, Christmas parties, Young at Heart luncheons, and Marshall concerts! But the tradeoff was in the therapy sessions that took place in my car! She would ask how my week was going, and my tirade would begin. She would listen, commiserate, and then quietly talk me off the ledge. 

Eventually I moved from the neighborhood. Mary’s family and the church van drivers took over; there were fewer rides and shorter conversations. Then the isolation of the Covid Pandemic and health concerns kept us apart completely. On November 12, 2021, her daughter, Terrie, was kind enough to message me that Mary had passed away.

I know that this sounds more like a eulogy than a devotional, but Mary was an example of what Advent is all about! She was thankful for all that she had been given! She loved everyone she met from the Walnut Hills bus driver to her great-grandson. I think what impressed me most about Mary was her youthfulness and her ability to keep an open mind. She rarely became “preachy” or judgmental. She loved being with people, learning about them, and listening to them! Just as Paul hoped in the above scripture, she learned that love became richer as she gained knowledge and insight. Then she passed it on to her family and friends. I thank God that I was one.

Dear God, thank you for your son, Jesus Christ. As we enter the season celebrating his birth, help us to remember that we know “the rest of the story,” that the baby will grow into a man whose message is clear: love one another. Thank you also for those who have helped us cope in a changing world and have shared with us love that has become richer through knowledge and insight. We ask this in your name.  Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 11-29-21

 Please read Malachi 3:1-4 and Luke 3:1-6

My father, Floyd Taylor, died in 2009 at the age of 80. During the last ten years or so of his life, we had  many deep theological and political conversations. He was a mature, lifelong Christian and I was questioning and growing. He wrote anonymous devotionals for his church’s newsletter, often inviting me to critique and edit. He helped me write today’s devotional.

Throughout history, humans have searched for meaning, purpose, and identity in relation to a higher power. This searching has taken many forms, including idolatry, mythology, and religion. In God’s own time, God revealed God’s self to a receptive and spiritually mature Abram. Thus began a covenant relationship between God and God’s people. Humans being human, the relationship has not always been smooth sailing. Over the centuries, prophets would predict a liberator who would protect God’s people and make the way smooth.

Again, in God’s own time, God chose a further, more intimate revelation, offering a new covenant through his Son Jesus Christ. At the time of today’s Gospel reading, John the Baptist was roaming around the area of the Jordan River preaching repentance, that God’s revelation was imminent. 

Try to imagine living in that time and place. How would you react to John the Baptist and his message? It is easier for us who have the rest of the Gospel story to guide our thinking. We know of the life and ministry of Jesus. We know some believed and changed their ways, but ultimately Jesus was rejected. Which side would you have been on?

How are we doing some two thousand years later? Is the way any more straight than it was when John was preaching? Has all humanity seen God’s salvation?  What if a John the Baptist presented today? How would we receive his witness? Would it depend on our party affiliation or political leanings?

How do we know? By God’s grace, we just come to know and believe. It may be a sudden awakening or a slow thought-out process.  After becoming a true believer and Christian we should move on in love, trust, and service.  However, the more things change the more they stay the same—we are often just as “stiff-necked” as those of old.  When we are assailed by the difficulties in life we may fall away or develop an “I can do this myself mentality.”

Jesus interceded for us through his death and resurrection and sent the Holy Spirit to support us.  During this Advent Season, I invite you to look for God’s presence. What do you see, what do you hear, that reassures you of God’s presence in your life?

Jeff Taylor

Devotional 11-28-21

 “An invitation to a discipline of daily prayer”

As the new Christian year and the holy season of preparation for the yearly remembrance of Christmas (Advent) begins we are called as followers of Jesus Christ to discipline ourselves, to renew our commitment to be Christ-centered in our lives. We are being given the annual opportunity to renew our faith and to practice those times when we stay connected with God, who loves us enough to have entered human life. We are reminded again in our celebrations and experiences that God chose to become human and dwell among us as Jesus, a baby in Bethlehem. The season of Advent, the beginning of a new Church Year, and our preparations for a holy Christmas, is the opportunity to renew and discipline ourselves in a life of intentional prayer. 

For some twenty years now in my life journey as a United Methodist Christian and a Benedictine Oblate I have been committed to the praying what the Church has for centuries called “The Liturgy of Hours”. My spiritual discipline has included daily prayer (joining with the Church universal) – Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Night prayer. Very specifically involved in this experience of prayer is joining the Church throughout the world and down through the centuries in praying from the Scriptures three canticles (hymns) that are entwined with the Advent & Christmas story. My personal prayers, intercessions and quiet reflection conclude with the canticle in these three significant times of daily prayer.

The three canticles, found in Luke’s Gospel (Mary’s Magnificat,1:46-55; Zachariah’s Benedictus, 1:67-79; and Simeon’s Nunc Dimittis, 2:29-32) hold a unique place both in the Bible and in the life of the Church. They point and draw us into the very message of this holy season – God choosing to become human and dwelling among us. God with us! These ancient hymns are rich in meaning and praise. 

As we pray them daily, along with many across the world, we as contemporary followers of Christ adopt the words of Mary, Zachariah, and Simeon as our own. They express our praise of God, a reminder of who we are, what our life is all about, and for what purpose we are each called. They can help to keep us Christ centered in our daily life. 

Our United Methodist Book of Worship says – “From the earliest days of the Church, Christian worshipers saw the rising of the sun and lighting of the evening lamps as symbolic of Christ’s victory over death. . .The Orders of Daily Praise and Prayer enable United Methodists to celebrate daily the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (page 568).

I invite you to join in a regular discipline in this holy season and into a new year to pray with the universal Church – Morning (Benedictus [Luke 1: 67-79]; Evening (The Magnificat [Luke 1:46-55]) and Night (before bedtime) (Nunc Dimittis [Luke 2:29-32]). We join with others across the world and down through the centuries in the universal life of daily prayer.  How much each of us and our world needs this life of prayer.

Rev. Dr. Bill Wilson, retired 
Former Assistant to the Bishop, W.Va. Conference, UMC