December 19, 2013
Advent Hymn – Hark! A Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding! Text: Latin hymn, 1632; tr. Edward Caswall, 1814-1878 Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding! “Christ is near,” we hear it say. “Cast away the works of darkness, all you children of the day!” Wakened by the solemn warning, from earth’s bondage let us rise; Christ, our sun, all…
December 18, 2013
by Paul Allen Blue Christmas – A Reflection on Psalm 42 “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.” – Psalm 42 Today’s Psalm of Lamentation could not be better placed in the Lectionary. Just this past Sunday we heard exuberant joy and gladness in the readings: “…the desolate places shall rejoice; Happy…
December 17, 2013
by Steve Olson When I was younger, not quite a teenager but past childhood my grandmother decided I was old enough to cut her lawn. I think it was so that she could give me money without quite spoiling me. She talked to my grandpa, who had been the chief grass cutter until then. I’m not sure how much cajoling she had to do, but one warm sunny day in July, I showed up at…