Sunday, April 2, 2023

On multiple media platforms, there have been video images of a woman, standing alone, as part of a larger protest, in the small country of Georgia. She is waving a European Union flag, as part of a growing pro-Western opposition to pieces of legislation, by the governing party, that they view as siding with the Kremlin in Russia. As police use water cannons to disperse the crowd, it appears that this woman will have no chance to remain standing and wave the EU flag. Then, a few other protesters come and stand with her, and help support her against the water that would knock her down. Others join them, then more and more. And, the police turn off the water cannons.

In this Palm Sunday’s scripture passage (based on Matthew 21:1-11), Jesus rides into Jerusalem not on a majestic horse but on a simple donkey. A crowd forms, and many spread their cloaks and cut branches on the road on which Jesus travels. Roman authorities took note of the attention Jesus was getting. The scripture says, “When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” Those in the crowd said, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” Some might think that a group led by prophet from Nazareth, with a small number of disciples and few financial resources would not last long. Yet, here we are. What do we see as our role in the crowd today?

Early in the worship service, children, youth, and the young at heart (of all ages) are invited to be part of the Parade of Palms. Also, in our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. Our Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The scripture passage, based on Matthew 21:1-11, will be read by the Thomas family. The sermon title is “Then a Glimpse of Hope and Possibility Emerges from the Crowd”.

Palm Sunday is also our annual invitation to everyone to be a part of “Sit Somewhere Else Sunday”. If you have a regular place you sit in the sanctuary, consider sitting somewhere else. It is just an invitation, as an opportunity to gain a new perspective, and perhaps meet someone new.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, March 26, 2023

Frederick Buechner, novelist and writer of several volumes of spiritual autobiography, puts his own spin on the story of medieval Catholic saint, Godric. Godric, late in his life, is approached by an eager young Monk, named Reginald, who wants to write the story of the holy man’s life. But the seasoned and reflective Godric did not appreciate it when Reginald left out the “sinful” parts of his past. In Godric, we meet an aged saint who is weighing what is important at the end of life. He would say, “What’s lost is nothing (compared) to what’s found, and all the death that ever was, set next to life, would scarcely fill a cup.”

Maybe Buechner’s Godric is correct…that by comparison to life, death could scarcely fill a cup. But it doesn’t always seem that way. Death has intruded in our world in ways unexpected and tragic, taking from us dear ones who mean the world to us. And these losses inevitably are prelude to our consideration of our own death. Whether it is the thought of leaving this world, or the sheer fear of dying itself, the end of life is a vital part of our spiritual journey.

The lectionary reading for this fifth Sunday of Lent is that of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha. Lazarus had fallen ill, and Jesus, who was traveling elsewhere, was notified. Eventually, Jesus did return to Judea, but by the time he arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had already been dead for four days. Mary and Martha approached Jesus separately, and each said, “Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Hearing this, and seeing their sorrow as well as the sorrow of others, Jesus began to weep. The story concludes with the raising of Lazarus, but it is impossible to overlook that faith flows from the experience of compassion…the sense that our dread of death is something God deeply understands.

We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “Now, and At the Hour of Our Death.” The sermon flows from the text in the Gospel of John, chapter 11. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

Sam Wells, Anglican priest and one time Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, recounts a visit he and some friends made to the Blind Cow Restaurant in Zurich, Switzerland. The Blind Cow serves to support the community of visually blind and sight impaired individuals. All the staff members are either completely blind or have some inability to see well. The diner, upon entering the building, is immediately thrust into total darkness, and must rely on the other four senses for the culinary experience. Sam’s crew walked in with hands on the shoulder of the other, hoping no one trip them by seeking to play a cruel trick. Once seated, their hosts guided them through the meal, which was pleasant, but challenging. This was, as Sam would say, an “eye opening” experience.

How do we see deeply into the precious matters of faith and life, some of which seem to make no sense at all? Annie Dillard, in her autobiographical narrative titled Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, has a chapter called “Sight”. She begins by talking about a childhood obsession of hers, in which she would take a precious penny of hers and hide it where folks could potentially find it. She would draw chalk arrows and then write, SURPRISE AHEAD or MONEY THIS WAY. Reflecting on this practice, she writes that for those of us living on this blessed planet, “The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand.” About the illumination that comes from noticing the glories of the world, she writes, “I cannot cause light; the most I can do is try to put myself in the path of its beam.” So, in terms of faith, how do we do that?

Faith is a call to learn new ways to see. In John 9, Jesus meets someone who was born blind, and eventually heals this person. He does so by mixing some of his saliva with dirt to make a mud paste and putting it in the man’s eyes. He then tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. After coming up from the waters, he can see. What follows is a lengthy and sometimes contentious conversation among Jesus, the healed person and the offended religious leaders. The last group believed that Jesus had violated the Sabbath in making the paste, and by urging the man to go to bathe. At heart, Jesus chose to bless this man’s life in some of the most common, and indeed, offensive ways possible. Wonder why?

We’ll chat about this on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “A Tender and Grimy Grace”, language taken from a poem by Jan Richardson. John 9: 1-11 will be read by Ken Beckley, and Leigh Richey will read John 9: 24-38. We will sing, pray and have a time for children. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically.

Sunday, March 12, 2023

Something remarkable happened on April 5, 1877. Helen Keller described this in her autobiography. Her incredible teacher, Anne Sullivan, was struggling to help Helen, who was both unable to see and unable to hear, to understand the difference between “mug” and “water”. She wrote, “We walked down the path to the well-house, attracted by the fragrance of the honeysuckle with which it was covered. Someone was drawing water, and my teacher placed my hand under the spout. As the cool stream gushed over one hand, she spelled into the other the word water, first slowly, then rapidly. I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten--a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me.”

“Someone was drawing water.” In lands where water is scarce, the very presence of water is breathtaking. But in a culture like ours, with easy access to bottled water, tap water, and an abundance of rivers, streams and oceans, we might forget, ironically, that our bodies are composed of at least sixty percent water. Water is at the heart of who we are. Its absence quickly threatens us, and its presence, if we allow it, can open us deeply. Around the world, religious communities find a great deal of solace and thrill in the presence of water.

One day, Jesus asked someone at a well for a drink of water. This opened into a deep engagement that pushed the boundaries of gender, race and religious understandings. But mostly, it was a conversation about the nature of thirst: thirst for water, thirst for God, thirst for connection and deep knowing. Jesus told this woman, who deduced quickly that he possessed the gifts of a prophet, about a water that would reach to the most deep places in her being…deeper than all the things she had been taught, deeper than all of the limitations that had been placed on her. She would need to read all of her own history, and all the history of those who came before her, in the light of this water.

We’ll chat about this conversation on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “The Thirst Which Drives Us Deep.” The Scripture for the day is John 4: 1-27, to be read by Terry Clapacs and Leana McClain. We will also hear an update on the Refugee Task Force from Craig Stewart. We’ll sing, pray and have a moment for children. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Have you ever intentionally invited someone into a conversation, knowing that individual held different views in areas that mattered to you? If so, did you learn something from that connection? I think about the unlikely close friendship between the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Antonin Scalia (and their spouses). Their shared interests and mutual respect for each other was strong, even with their differences of ideology.

In this Sunday’s scripture passage, Nicodemus, named as a Pharisee, comes to see Jesus in the night. We sense, in Nicodemus, a yearning to deepen his faith. He intentionally enters into a late night conversation with Jesus, that opens him to embrace new understandings and possibilities. What conversations and experiences might we embrace, in this Lenten season, that may deepen our faith and the ways in which we live that in the world?

The sermon is titled “Late Night Conversations and Embracing Life Anew”. The scripture passage is based on John 3:1-16. In our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. Our Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Sunday, February 26, 2023

Some of you know that, through the kindness of the St. Mark’s community, and with funding from the Lilly Endowment, I’ll be going on leave from May through July. One of the things that I’ll be doing during that time is hiking in Maine, with some friends, the northern most section of the Appalachian Trail. The literature and the Internet are replete with stories of hikers who did not prepare well for their trip. One group tried to use their cell phones to signal to authorities when they realized that they might be in trouble, but poor reception blocked that plan. Later that day, they were able to make phone contact, and asked for emergency assistance. They were found later in the day, with all hikers showing the advance signs of dehydration. They had been gone fewer than 48 hours.

Preparations for hiking in the wilderness include making sure you have adequate water and food, are prepared for inclement weather, have good clothing and shoes, and have a good sense of where you are going. But what are the ways one may prepare for a sojourn into spiritual wilderness?

The story of the temptations of Jesus in the Gospels is the suggested reading for the first Sunday in Lent. After his baptism, Jesus was led to the wild and there experienced a version of deep testing. The temptations took several forms, including the temptation to do something to avoid sacrifice (turn stones to bread), to do something spectacular (jump off this temple) and to seek false empowerment (bow down to Satan). And these tests that would recur in Jesus’ life, and they show up in ours as well. What did Jesus do, and what do we do, to prepare for this kind of wilderness sojourn?

The sermon for Sunday is titled, “If You Would Enter Into the Wilderness”. The title arises from a Jan Richardson poem titled, “Beloved is Where We Begin.” The Scripture readings for the day are Psalm 32, and Matthew 4: 1-11. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll sing, pray and have a moment for children.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Years ago, I went camping with my son to the Sierra Nevada mountains, about six hours north of Los Angeles. The website we consulted said that if one had anxiety issues, the drive up to the campsite at about 7000 feet would be sure to reveal that. The website was correct, for sure. That night, the temperature dropped below freezing, and there was a light snow falling when we got up the next morning. But there was also a cloud encompassing us, evoking a truly eerie feeling. I walked to an overlook, about 200 feet from our tent, and discovered that the cloudy fog was intermittent. There I was able to glimpse a taller snow capped mountain across the way, with clouds dancing near its top. It was, without doubt, one of the most transcendent things I have ever seen. The anxiety and the cold paled in comparison to that moment.

Have you ever had a time of mystery and even cloudy foreboding which opened into a time of clarity, wonder and change, either personally or in the larger community? The lectionary reading of the Gospel for this Sunday is the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus. In this mysteriously told story, Jesus is on a “high mountain” with several of his disciples when Elijah and Moses appear before them. Jesus’ clothes, the story says, are dazzling. At this moment in the story, a “bright cloud” appears, and from the cloud, the disciples hear a Voice from the cloud telling them to listen to Jesus. In this story, there is a moment of deep clarity and transformation.

What in the world can this story mean for contemporary folks like you and me? We’ll play with that in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “Beneath the Dark Clouds, the Passing of Light.” This sermon arises from Exodus 24: 12-18, which will be read by Mike Sonneborn, and Matthew 17: 1-9, to be read by Linda Crawford. We will sing together, pray together, and have a moment for children. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Each Sunday, in worship, we conclude our prayer time by saying the “Lord’s Prayer”. David Owen, who served as a pastor at St. Mark’s for years, and who is greatly missed, wrote about this prayer in his book “Getting There from Here”. He notes that the last words we say, ending in ‘forever, Amen’, were not Jesus’ words, but were added by the early church.

David reminds us that “One of the mysteries of life is that time and eternity- that is “right now” and “forever” exist side by side…Time and eternity are not separated by a thick, impenetrable wall, but by a soft yielding curtain.” (150-151). In the last few weeks, here at St. Mark’s, we have celebrated the lives of three wonderful people, who are also incredibly missed. At the same time, the love, care and gifts they shared, are living on through others and blessing our world.

In our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, and share a Children’s Moment. Misty Smith will read our scripture passage based on Luke 11:1-13. There will also be an important update from our Refugee Task Force. Our Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. Patrick Conklin will also sing a solo of “The Lord’s Prayer” by Albert Hay Malotte. The sermon is titled “Love that Knows No Bounds”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.

Owen, D. 1995. Getting There From Here: Meditations for the Journey. Bloomington, IN: Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church, pp. 149-155.

To connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning, click the link on our website www.smumc.church. The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Jesus said in Matthew 5 that those who choose to be disciples are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” What is that kind of language intend to arouse in those who would embrace faith in the world? At the least, those words signify that we are called to be visible in the world, and impactful in the life we share in it.

Anne Lamott, in her story of her own coming to faith, writes starkly about the despair in which she lived, and the role that addictions had played in her life. With stunning frankness, she describes her own journey to faith. Telling her story with a disarming honesty, she writes that her faith story “did not start with a leap but rather with a series of staggers.” She also lets her readers know that the members of a tiny Presbyterian church were key players in her own life saving discovery. She writes, “I want to mention once again that I do not think I would be alive today if not for the people of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, Marin City, California.”

German Lutheran theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who notably resisted the regime of Adolf Hitler, formed a confessing movement that stood as a faithful witness when much of the church had capitulated. Near the end of his life, while in prison, he would write, “I thought I could acquire faith by trying to live a holy life or something like it. Later I discovered and am still discovering up to this very moment that it is only by living completely in the world that one learns to believe.”

So, on Sunday at St. Mark’s, we’ll reflect on what it means to be “salt” and “light” in the world. The sermon is titled, “Blessed Are You Who Bear the Light,” arising from Matthew 5: 13-20. The Gospel passage will be read by Patrick and Becky McClellan. There will also be a brief mission moment by the St. Mark’s Refugee Task Force. We will sing, offer prayers, and have a moment for children. We will also celebrate Holy Communion.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, January 29, 2023

Do you ever have trouble sleeping? For years, I have had a tendency to awaken during the night, only then to have great difficulty getting back to sleep. I find I am not alone. For some, there are episodic occurrences of nighttime wakefulness: a new infant in the home, an illness of a loved one that requires around the clock care, a situation that evokes deep stress. Others have occupational wakefulness. They have jobs that have them awake when others are sleeping. And of course, there are those of us who for reasons we cannot easily explain develop our own forms of an unwelcome insomnia.  In the early church, there was a belief that the early hours of the morning, especially from we consider to be 3:00-4:00, was a time alive with spiritual activity. Evil could be active in that period, but deep prayer allowed for a healing and blessed experience of the divine. This connects with prayer language in the psalms which read, “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.”

The Gospel passage for the morning is what we call the Beatitudes, which offer virtues (poor in spirit, meek, mournful) that, contrary to conventional wisdom, are marks of the divine presence. Some have suggested, however, that these beatitudes also teach us that we have the divinely given capacity to lift up every day, overlooked graces, and to name them as them blessed. So for Sunday, we’ll note one of those, the struggle to stay asleep, and title the sermon, “Blessed are the Insomniacs”. The biblical texts are Psalm 134, which will be read by Eleanor Lahr, and Matthew 5: 1-11, to be read by Eric Metzler. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll sing hymns, pray, and have a moment for children.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Can you remember a time when you surprised yourself, by saying “Yes” to something you had not considered before? Perhaps, it was changing careers, raising children, moving to another state or country, learning a new skill, or embracing a leadership role as a volunteer. Was there someone who helped open you to a new possibility?

In his book, To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Invocations and Blessings, John O’Donohue writes “The Greeks believed that time had secret structure. There was the moment of Epiphany when time suddenly opened and something was revealed in luminous clarity… Part of the art of living wisely is to learn to recognize and attend to such profound openings in one’s life.”

In the scripture reading this Sunday (based on Matthew 4: 12-23), Jesus comes upon four fishers by the Sea of Galilee and says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Something opened inside of them, and they said “Yes”, likely even surprising themselves. What might be opening in our individual lives, or for us as a community of faith? And, how might we attend to that? We will consider that this Sunday. In our time of worship, we will also sing hymns, pray and reflect, and share a Children’s Moment. Kim Van Lue will read our scripture passage. We will also have the blessing of receiving New Members and celebrating a baptism. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. The sermon is titled “Attending to Profound and Sacred Openings in our Lives”.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream!

Sunday, January 15, 2023

How would you say that faith, wisdom and love, and any virtue for that matter, have taught us to live with the complications of a dream deferred? How do we live in the present with a future of unrealized hopes? As we enter a weekend in which we remember the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, it makes sense that we turn to his memorable, “I Have a Dream” speech. This well-known address was delivered from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In it, he spoke of his dreams for racial justice for current and future generations. While “dreams” often invite our minds to think of a longing for a different future, in this speech, Dr. King also spoke of the “fierce urgency of now.” As he said it, “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.”

It was a more somber Dr. King who, five years later, in a sermon owned that he, and many others, live with the reality of “unfulfilled dreams”. Citing the biblical David’s failure to build a temple, Schubert’s leaving a symphony unfinished, Gandhi’s dying before people he loved gained independence, Dr. King reflected on his dreams that had yet to come to fruition. How do we deal with our dreams of justice, grace and love that are only partially fulfilled?

Early in Jesus’ ministry as it is described in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus came to his hometown of Nazareth. As was his custom, he went to service at the synagogue. During the service, he stood and read from the scroll that passage from Isaiah which describes a Year of Jubilee, when land reverted to original owners and those imprisoned were allowed to return home. Jesus concluded with, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” At first, the listening crowd was moved by his authenticity and wisdom. However, the more what he was saying began to sink in, so did the favor with which he was viewed. There is always a crisis point when someone, in this case, Jesus, takes a lofty future dream, and declares that the dream is not just for the future. It is for today.

The sermon on Sunday at St. Mark’s is titled, “The Fierce Urgency of Now,” arising from Psalm 118, 1-5; 22-29, which will be read by Ceci Puntarelli, and Luke 4: 14-21, which will be read by Charlie Nelms. We’ll have a moment for children, prayers, hymns, and choral music presented by the Chancel Choir. Together, we’ll reflect on the life and work of Dr. King.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Are there baptisms you remember especially well…your own, or perhaps, another’s? I recall a time in my pastoral ministry, as a Baptist, when I was to officiate at the baptism by immersion of a young man. We were borrowing the baptistry of another congregation, since we did not have our own. It may be news to you that those baptismal tanks are often heated…for understandable reasons. But for some reason, on this cold January day, the heating mechanism did not work, and the water was quite cold. I called to give the fellow the bad news, and to see if we could reschedule the baptism. He said, “Why? I can take the cold. I want to be baptized today.” I chose not to explain that my south Mississippi, heat loving roots kept me from seeing this as an option. I just said, “OK”. So we went ahead with the event, and with his teeth and my teeth chattering, we baptized him in the name of the Triune God. And he entered into the memorable, invigorating waters of the community of the baptized. Baptism, when fully embraced, has a way of moving us to our bones.

Do you remember your own baptism? If not, it could be that you were baptized when you were very young…a common practice among Methodists and many other Christians. Perhaps you have not even been baptized. But this Sunday during worship, we will recall the story of the Baptism of Jesus during the ministry of John the Baptist. When John initially paused when he saw Jesus in line, Jesus reassured him that his doing so would be a right thing to do to fulfill all righteousness. We remember this story every year as a way of helping ourselves remember who we are, and who we are called to be.

The sermon is titled, “Remembrance of Baptism: On Not Losing Sight of Why We Are Here,”, arising from Isaiah 42: 1-9, and Matthew 3: 13-17. Claire Schaffer will read the Isaiah passage, and Tom Shafer will read the passage from the Gospel of Matthew. There will be a moment for children, prayers and hymns. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll also have a ritual of remembering our own Baptism, or if not baptized, of being offered a blessing.

If you have been a part of the St. Mark’s community for years, or if you are just discovering us, we look forward to connecting with you on Sunday. To join the 10:30 service online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, December 18, 2022

“The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes. But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.” It is one of the most famous and sweetest verses in that lullaby Christmas carol, “Away in A Manger.” An uncertain tradition has it that the German Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, composed this song for his children. What is easier to say is that the sentiment is likely not accurate. The healthiest of babies cry when they are hungry, when they are needing a diaper change, when they are sleepy, and sometimes, it seems, just because it feels good. I’ve often thought what might have happened if Baby Jesus’ family had just gotten him to sleep, finally, when some cow let go with a good and loud, “Mooooo!” I doubt they would have spoken poetic language about the lowing of the livestock.

Such “no crying infant” language rests on an assumption that Jesus lacked the traits of being fully human. But the beginning of John’s Gospel, which has no infancy narrative, says, “In the beginning was the Word….and the Word became flesh.” Theologians have called this “incarnation”, meaning that in Jesus, the Divine expression came with the fullest of human qualities. Jesus grew weary, became angry, got hungry, wanted both companionship and alone time. And in this season, in which we are leaning into Advent practices, one of those practices is the act of embracing humanity, Jesus’ and our own.

Let’s chat about this in worship this Sunday. The sermon is titled, “The Spiritual Practice of Embracing our Humanity: Incarnation”, and arises from John 1: 1-5, 14. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. There will be a moment for children, prayers and we will sing Christmas carols together.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

It’s no secret this season is full of music. The malls and stores have been playing Christmas music for weeks now. Schools, community organizations and faith communities are having special performances of seasonal music, new and old. And while we don’t see it as often, this is one of the only times of the year that it is customary to have groups of roving singers caroling in hospitals, retirement communities, and even in our neighborhoods. The Advent/Christmas season is, for some, as the song says, the “most wonderful time of the year.” Could it be that the significant emotional power in these days resides largely in the collection of wonderful music that we sing together?

Some of those songs, like Mary’s song in Luke 1: 46-55, speak prophetically of the way the world will change to embrace the way of the Christ. Mary Beth will offer a reflection on this song, and its role in the story of the church. Others are basically lullabies, telling the story of Luke 2: 1-20 in lyrical form. They are sung as if to help an infant or a struggling world find a peaceful silence. Jimmy will reflect on these carols.

On Sunday at St. Mark’s, as we continue our Advent Theme of the “Spiritual Practices of Advent”, we concentrate on the practice of singing together. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Ackerbergs, will sing “Sweet Was the Song” and “O Little Town of Bethlehem” from Bob Chilcott’s, “On Christmas Night”. Jenna Kuchar and Joseph Canter will present solos in those pieces. The Chancel Ringers will present “Carol of the Bells”. As noted, Mary Beth and Jimmy will each do a reflection on the power of the sacred found in the carols. And we will all sing some of those beloved carols together. There will be a moment for children, and prayers for the congregation and our world.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream.