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Blue Moods

By Vicar Lisa

I had the wonderful privilege of attending Zion’s Blue Christmas event last night and what a beautiful service it was.  I had never been to a Blue Christmas service before and I was so moved, thank you so much Pastor Kate and Pamela Serafini and others who shared to make that service so special.  

The service really seemed to tie into my recent experiences of loss: loss of my sister a few years ago, loss of John’s dad, losing my mom to dementia bit by bit each day, leaving a long career at the end of the calendar year....  All of these combined have made me a bit blue as well.  However, it helps me to focus on our always faithful God who is there for us, no matter how blue (or purple or red or black) emotions may run.

In one of the blogs I read there was a poem entitled “Let the Bells Jingle” by Helen Jesty that seemed to speak to my current mood.  I will share…

Let the bells jingle but make time for the tears to fall.

Eat, drink and be merry but do not go hungry in that inner place.

Rest, reflect and remember. Be true to yourself.

Many of us can’t play happy families at this time of the year.

December is for a difficult diagnosis as well as dreaming of a white Christmas.

December is for divorce as well as decorations.

December is for death and dying as well as discos and dancing.

December is for distances that separate us from people,

even those in the same room.

Disappointments in December are especially hard to bear.

Sometimes the light no longer shines in the darkness.

The desolation swallows us up and we die a little.

Yet a kindly word, a bird in flight, a tree alive with hoar and hips

can drown out despair and kindle determination to move on.

Dig down deeper than the tinsel to the place where hope is found.

Maybe, just maybe, the flickering flame will be fanned gently into fire.

The poem is so perfect for this time of Advent.  Rest, reflect and remember. Be true to yourself. We all can’t play happy families with the Norman Rockwell images we would desire.  Life and death go on, even in December.  But we can be the one who digs deep and provides that kindly word that makes a difference to another and drowns out despair. Fan the flame of hope!

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

--Romans 12:12

Announcements:

Worship Leaders: Pastor Kate Schlechter, Vicar Lisa Rygiel

Lector:  Carol Smith

Zoom Leader(s): Dr. Kathy Broman and Mike McNeil

Musician: Connie Pallone and Melodie Lanosga

Ushers: Jeff & Carol Smith

Communion: Peggy Gustafson and Kathy Humphrey

Flowers: Donated by Doris Blalock in celebration of Christmas

 

Other Announcements:

  • Sunday Potluck!  Please join us this Sunday for a Potluck supper and tree decorating in the Fellowship Hall!  Bring something to share!  And, because we cannot find our Christmas ornaments, we bought a couple of boxes, but store-bought ones are so bland L.  If you would like to make an ornament donation to spice up our tree, please do!  And if it has a story to share, even better!
  • Saturday, Dec. 24, at 11 p.m., Zion’s will offer a traditional Candlelight Christmas Eve service in our church sanctuary.  In winter’s deepest night, we welcome the light of the Christ child. The angels declare that Jesus’ birth is good and joyful news for everyone so celebrate with us and come as you are!  Invite your friends and family. All are welcome because Jesus welcomes everyone!
  • Sunday, Dec. 25, at 10 a.m. we will have worship on Christmas Day!
  • Save the Date: Jan. 1 is Pastor Kate's last Sunday as our intentional interim pastor, we will have a special worship service and farewell party  honoring  her wonderful service to our congregation. Please plan to join us.
  • Save the Date: Feb. 5 is Zion's Annual Meeting, watch your email, E-formation, bulletins and newsletters, for updates and information.
  • The Flower Chart has been replaced by the Flower Book, located in the back of the sanctuary. Now is the time to sign up for Sundays in 2023, many dates fill quickly so volunteer now. Sign up and use the envelopes in the book for your flower donation, which can be placed in the offering plate.
  • The December issue of our Connections newsletter is available in the back of the sanctuary, via email, and on our webpage. If you need a copy, you also can contact Jo Moss or send an email request to zionsluth@gmail.com. 
  • The deadline for the January issue is Dec. 21, please give contributions to Jo Moss, or send to Zion's email address.

E-formation -- Advent:

Throughout Advent we acclaim that God comes, in the past in the history of Israel and the incarnation of Jesus, in the present in the word and sacrament of each Sunday, and in the future at the end of all things. Only on this Fourth Sunday do the readings in Advent refer to the story of Jesus’ birth as an arrival of God among us.

Matthew 1:18-25

Church Year A relies on the gospel of Matthew for many of its narratives. According to Matthew, especially the men in the Jewish tradition are called into God’s plan for salvation, but in this Sunday’s gospel, God’s promises are present through a woman. The child born is named “Emmanuel”: God is with us, in word and sacrament, today and always.

Isaiah 7:10-16

Matthew sees in Christ a fulfillment of the promises in the Hebrew Scriptures. One example is his applying the Isaiah oracle about a newborn infant to the birth of Jesus, since the Greek rendering of “young woman” suggested “virgin woman.” We read Isaiah 7 on this Sunday in order to understand what Matthew wrote in chapter 1. In this reading, we stand with believers of past centuries who place their trust for salvation in God, and we recall the tradition of interpretation upon which we stand, even when our methods of interpretation are different.

Romans 1:1-7

All of Advent, all of the entire Christian year, is summed up in Paul’s opening sentence. On every Sunday throughout the year, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and call one another into the obedience of faith.

 

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Zion's Lutheran Church

zionsluth@gmail.com

719-846-7785