We ARE Better Together…thanks Jack and Friends for the reminder.

New Day’s Lyric

Names for us today have become largely a matter of personal autonomy. People often give their children highly unusual names, occasionally making up new ones; some people change their first name, occasionally as a way to “dress up” an ordinary name. In any case, our names in modern America seem to be a matter of personal property. The biblical notion of names was quite different.

My view from the side pew is that people who try to work out their own salvation either haven’t heard about forgiveness or don’t believe they deserve it. But forgiveness can’t be earned anyway – it’s a gift. And it’s offered to all of us, regardless of merit. That’s some pretty good news.

Christ is the light of the world and a reminder of the goodness of humanity. And when it is darkest…the light is needed most!

So, there is that beautiful, dramatic version of love, like the first time you hear Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” and then there’s the other: when our human-ness creates a path of destruction from anger, frustration, pettiness, misunderstanding, ego…whatever…and the only thing left on that “cold and broken” landscape is love. I am so blessed to have the gift of God’s love because, without it, there’s no way I could practice that love with others.

I have a card sitting on my window sill that says “There is no remedy for love but to love more”.

Our Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Michael Curry’s Christmas Message

Leaning into the Ordinary Miracle of Christmas

Through an act of pure, loving submission, Mary birthed pure love. May I follow in her footsteps, as closely as possible.

Feeding starving children 7,500 miles away from Portsmouth is not easy. The good news is that the WFP has been doing this in Afghanistan for the last 60 years. When many international agencies had to leave the country last Summer the WFP stayed and is continuing to deliver food - bags of beans and rice to children and their mothers. We carefully checked the WFP program and can report their strong reputation for delivering food where the need is greatest.

Peace, Love, Light this Christmas from our family to yours. By your AGAPE, be sure that none of God’s children need be born in a cold, rude stable; wrapped in swaddling clothes; and placed in a manger.

From our final meditation service of the Advent season, Samantha DeFlitch offers a reflection on love.

Even something that used to feel routine is more special now. It was a light in a time of prolonged darkness.

…I was a stranger, and you welcomed me…. (Matthew 25:35)

So, what is the bottom line with love? To begin consider Sunday mornings, 8:00, Rite 1 with Anne and Rob: (The second great commandment is like unto it) THOU SHALL LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. Day by day, bit by bit, love is all around us. We don’t always recognize it but it’s there. Sometimes it takes a Mayfield, Kentucky to remind us of love.

Joy is a small word but it has a large presence.

I know that soon the days will be longer, Jesus will be born, bringing hope to the world, and life will seem less stressful. And I also know that quiet joy is joy enough.

Last night’s service of Lessons and Carols was a continual experience of being blown away by the outcome of the hard work, high spirits, and sense of joy put into the atmosphere by so many amazing humans. I am so grateful for the gift of being present to the service last night, for so many reasons. There are two moments in particular that really cracked my shell…