Archive for category Devotional
Finally – George MacDonald’s ‘Justice’ on Youtube
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 30, 2010
This is one of the finest sermons preaches which I can almost promise you, many of you, will not like. I would urge you, however, to give it a listen. MacDonald echoes the greats of Christian historical theology here and it is one for those who believe that God is indeed love.
About Chrismons – Better than the Christmas Tree?
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 29, 2010
- Image via Wikipedia
This type of tree was mentioned in service over the weekend, and since we didn’t know anything about it, we did what everyone in this day and age does when they don’t know about something – we googled it.
In 1957, Frances Kipps Spencer began thinking of a way to decorate the Christmas tree in her church that would be more suitable for a sanctuary. She thought that the usual brightly colored Christmas ornaments were just not appropriate for a setting of worship, so she began researching and looking for something that would reflect the Christian faith.
Mrs. Spencer began by trying to imagine herself in the shoes of Mary, the mother of Jesus. She asked, “How would Mary celebrate Jesus’ birthday?” The answer from our culture and time period would have a cake and candles and his name on it. Mrs. Spencer then looked upon the traditional Christmas tree as a cake and placed on the tree the name Jesus and his title Christ. Instead of using the name and title in English, however, she used Greek monograms. Thus the letters in Greek, “Chi Rho,” became one of the earliest Chrismons because they are monograms for Christos, the Greek word for Christ. The word chrismons itself is a combination of the words Christ and Monogram.
Simple monograms of Jesus Christ, as well as a few crosses, decorated the first Chrismons tree. As the beauty and meaning of Chrismons attracted people, Frances Spencer added other designs, which were copies in present day material, of signs and symbols used by the earliest Christians. These later ornaments grew more sophisticated in meaning and complex in execution. She began to create original designs that depicted Biblical teachings and events. For example, in 1960, a large figure 8 that delineated the Christian year, which follows the life of Christ, was added to the tree. In another case, at her husband’s suggestion, Mrs. Spencer created a series of Chrismons based on the Beatitudes and added to the tree in 1968.
Read the rest here –
About Chrismons.
Just thought it was interesting…
Sunday Thoughts – 11/28 – First Sunday of Advent
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 28, 2010
- Image via Wikipedia
It has been a very, very long week for me. I got back from Atlanta on Tuesday, only to spend a few hours working on our first contract proposal which I had to rush, with 15 minutes to spare, to FedEx. Wednesday, of course, was recovering from SBL and well, you get the picture for the rest of the week and weekend.
This morning’s service was an especially welcoming one. I don’t know why – maybe because I missed last Sunday. Maybe it was the sermon (which I suspect had a lot to do with it). The sanctuary was packed, and there was, to use a completely non-academic term, or Baptist term, but a wonderful, wonderful spirit there this morning. It was rather cozy. I hope to post on the sermon and the challenge of the sermon later this week.
Of course, this is the first Sunday of Advent, and the topic of today was Hope. One of the readings today is from Isaiah,
This is a vision that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all- the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”
For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.
Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD! (Isa 2:1-5 NLT)
The Church is a Community – not an individual relationship with God. As we join the throngs of Saints here and not here in the celebration of the Advent of the Christ-child, I would encourage you to lay aside some of those differences which keep us away from the Other, the Stranger. Remember the Incarnation and what we have come to understand it as, and live incarnationally. If you must, dare I say, condescend to those who are lower than you in some way. That’s polite – if I was to be frank, I would say to get off your high horse and become what others need to see from God, but I want to be polite.
I have a busy two days, with papers to write and two meetings, but over all, this month isn’t too terribly busy. As a matter of fact, I plan on taking some time off to recoup and to read a lot before the start of the next year. I cannot believe that it has already been a year since last Christmas… whew…
But, this year has seen a lot of changes for me. A lot. I mean, leaving a faith tradition which I had for 32 years, into another one. And other stuff. Of course, like all bloggers, I am sure that I will get around to reflecting on some of the changes which I have seen this year.
I have a few posts planned for this week. But. Not. Much.
I hope that each of you have a great and wonderful week.
Related articles
- The First Sunday of Advent: Hope (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
- anticipation and hope (hopeseguin2010.wordpress.com)
- And So It Begins… (biblicalpaths.wordpress.com)
- A Candle of Hope — Advent Lectionary Meditation (pastorbobcornwall.blogspot.com)
- The First Sunday of Advent (godspace.wordpress.com)
- Collect For the First Sunday Of Advent (cehwiedel.com)
- Advent: Preparing Our Hearts for the Future (godspace.wordpress.com)
- A prayer for the first Sunday of Advent….Bernard of Clairvaux (westernthm.wordpress.com)
… touched the hem of his garment
Posted by Newtaste in Devotional on November 27, 2010
A close encounter with N T Wright.
I walked into the hotel expecting a large crowd of scholars and academics and was surprised to find a small crowd of lay people and ministers. As I was standing in line for registration N. T. Wright himself walked up and stood right next to me (talking to someone else). Margaret even touched the hem of his garment. It was awesome. I would have been content with just that, but the night just got better.
Wright didn’t turn around to see who had drained the power from him?
After he was done speaking we ended the night with a responsive prayer reading called compline. When the session was over, I hung around to see if I could maybe talk to ole Tom Wright (we’re on a first name basis now that I’ve been in a room of 100 people with him). I walked over to him, he’s actually a rather big guy (easily 6 foot 3) and stuck out my hand. He kindly shook while I told him how wonderful he is, and that if he only asked I would be his personal slave until Jesus comes back. He humbly turned down my offer for voluntary slavery and simply said, “Thank you.”
No, this wasn’t one of the well know attendees at the recent SBL conference in Atlanta …
Full story: meeting a hero | a humble attempt at being human
A Life Giving Christmas
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 27, 2010
This is going to be the theme for our church (if I understand it correctly) during this holiday season. Much prefer this to Black Friday…
Related articles
- Online sales see 16 percent spike on Black Friday (msnbc.msn.com)
- The holidays should not be defined by ‘Black Friday’ (philly.com)
- “When Black Friday Falls” and related posts (jabartlett.wordpress.com)
Sunday Thoughts – 11/21
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 21, 2010
I’m in Atlanta. Pictures will follow. I am surrounded by a great atmosphere, good food, lots of conversations, and better, I am surrounded by great people. Some of them don’t believe like I do, or you do. No doubt. Truly Great People.
I am tired, after driving since 3am this morning and constantly moving all day today. So, enjoy the song, and I will update later.
God bless!
Community, From the Beginning to the End
Posted by Joel in Devotional on November 18, 2010
- Image via Wikipedia
This is actually a conglomeration of thoughts from two classes this week.
In the first class, the topic of community and individualism came up. To think that we have always seen a push towards individualism is to not know the history of either civilization of Christianity. Just the opposite is true, which is why we read ‘body of Christ’, ‘we all’, and ‘We the People…’. (Although, in reality, the ‘People’ of that last document was only white, land owning males.’) The sense of corporate direction is present throughout human civilization and thought.
But, the press towards individualism came up again in the first class this week. My response was that from the very beginning, we were made for community, and depending on the Creation account, in community:
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Gen 1:27 NLT)
In the second account, man was created first and then woman. But, why? When Adam was created, he was alone. Nothing, no plant made for him, no animal made for him and all of Creation could not feel that gap in his humanity. So, God created Ishshah. Why? Because without another, a human is lonely.
And then, reading last night in Romans, someone brought up Romans 14 as a standout in which we read about the community of the Saints. (Or Romans 16, for that matter). If we are all one in Christ –
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. (Romans 12:4-5 NLT)
There was a community in the beginning which was purposed to commune with God; and now, we have a community of one another, to commune with God through Christ.
