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The Power of a Smile

by Vicar Lisa

I regularly read a blog for women entitled Wholly Loved. Their focus is to help women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. This week, there was an excellent article by Jessica Brodie that I thought was worth sharing with everyone following our message of joy last Sunday and it seemed appropriate for this busy season.

A couple weeks ago, I encountered a grocery store cashier clearly having a hard day. My heart tugged. I greeted her with as friendly and sincere a hello as possible. Because of COVID-19, I wore a mask that hid my smile. So, I cocked my head at her and gave her as warm-eyed a smile as I could. My body language instantly felt more relaxed, more expansive, which was an interesting observation.

I saw the effect it had on her, which was even more interesting. She slowed her pace, then swiveled her head a little my way. We made small talk about nothing and nonsense—the weather, that sort of thing—and then I left.

But my smiling-with-my eyes thing transformed our interaction. So, I’ve started doing it everywhere I go, and guess what? I saw how such a seemingly small act could impact others. Plus, focusing on letting my joy spill out in new and more obvious ways relaxed me. It warmed my heart, literally and figuratively.

When we feel joy, it should spread through us and into others. Our joy in the Lord should explode — into a smile, into our eyes, and keep going! Our whole body should radiate that love and light! Our joy doesn’t depend on emotion—it isn’t rooted in happiness or mere feelings. We can feel joy even in our darkest, most painful hours.

Remember to let your light shine always, no matter what.

 

Serving Thursday Blue Christmas Service, Dec. 21, 2023

5:30 p.m. Worship 

Serving This Sunday, Fourth Sunday of Advent, Dec. 24, 2023

10 a.m. Worship with Communion

Congregational Meeting Notes: Voting members of Zion's Lutheran Church met after worship on Dec. 17 and approved the changes to the constitution and by-laws. These documents have been submitted to the synod for their approval and we will vote to ratify the constitution changes at the annual meeting on Feb. 4, 2024. Thanks for your participation.Each year the congregation elects 3 members of the church to serve 3-year terms on the church council. We also have positions open for the nominating committee. If you are interested, please contact Vicar Lisa or Julie Wersal.

Blue Christmas Worship: Zion's is offering a Blue Christmas service at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21 in the sanctuary. We invite all who desire to honor their losses and who wish to do so in a safe and sacred space to join us. The service is a quiet and contemplative experience that respects those who are walking through grief and struggling with loss. It is intended to create a sacred, holy setting for comfort.

Reminder! Christmas Dinner Help Needed: As you may have heard, the Soup Kitchen will not be preparing Christmas meals this year, so Zion’s has volunteered to prepare meals for the individuals on our 5-Loaves list and Meals on Wheels. These will be deliveries only; no meals will be served at the Church. We have been asked to show up at 9 a.m. on Dec. 22, to start assembling and doing initial preparations. On Dec. 23, meet at the Fellowship Hall at 8 to do the final assembly and deliver. We need people to cook turkeys and to make and package Christmas cookies. If you can help with meal preparation or delivery for that event, please contact Norine Hazen.

After Worship: Join us in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, snacks, and conversation.

E-formation – Fourth Sunday of Advent
Dec. 24, 2023

This Sunday, we light all four candles of the Advent wreath, and we read the story from Luke about the angel Gabriel coming to Mary. Christians believe that in baptism we too are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit so that Christ will dwell in us. Despite what the shopping malls suggest to us, Christmas is not yet here: we still anticipate what Romans calls “the revelation of the mystery.”

Luke 1:26-38

The third gospel, written probably between 80 and 90 ce for a Gentile audience, proclaims God’s forgiveness and salvation available to the entire world through the Jewish Jesus. Tradition says that the gospel was written by Luke, an associate of Paul, although the author’s introduction states that he is a third-generation believer who researched the story of Jesus. Jesus’ infancy narratives were probably developed decades after the death of Jesus to give fuller understanding of his person and ministry. Intertestamental literature describes Gabriel as the angel announcing the eschaton. The Old Testament includes several stories of God’s granting pregnancy to infertile women. More like Greco-Roman tales of extraordinary births, Luke’s narrative involves a virgin and is the source for the church’s immense focus on the person and role of Mary. “The Lord is with you” repeats the greeting of Boaz to his reapers, thus connecting Mary with Ruth and the Davidic line. Jesus means “The Lord saves.” The Spirit “overshadowing” Mary recalls the divine cloud hovering over the temple. The child being “holy” means set apart. In the Old Testament, as in other ancient Near Eastern ideology, the king is the son of God.

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

In 2 Samuel, originally one book with 1 Samuel, is collected various even contradictory stories about Israel’s monarchs, with a focus on David, who is praised as the greatest king of Israel, a warrior who trusted in God’s covenant. Compiled after the fall of the northern kingdom, the two books of Samuel attest to God’s faithfulness to the people and promise for the future. Characteristic of ancient Near Eastern kingdoms, the palace and the temple stood together to indicate divine blessing of the monarch. However, the Jewish temple was not built until Solomon was king; thus, the reading states that the house of God is the Davidic line of kings.

Romans 16:25-27

Romans 16 may be an appendix to Paul’s letter written in about 56 ce. The final doxology in verses 25-27 refers to the mystery revealed in Jesus Christ.

Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785