Church of the Reconciler

November Update and Christmas information

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:01:00 +0000

Here are a few dates for you to put on your calendar:

Friday, Nov. 20, there will be a ‘Blanket In” at Kelly Ingram Park in honor of the National Coalition of the Homeless Homeless Day. Members of the Birmingham Coalition of the Homeless will be organizing and participating in the event.
November 22. The children will enjoy a special ‘music camp’ with guests after worship.
The church office will be closed Nov. 26 and 27 for Thanksgiving.
Saturday, Nov. 28 at 9:00, we’ll meet at the church to clean and decorate for Advent.
Wednesdays, Dec. 2 and 9, packing Christmas bags at 6:30.
Sunday, Dec. 13. We’re working on having a Christmas party for the kids after church on this day. We’ll let you know if it works out.
Sunday, Dec. 20. The children will present a special holiday program during worship, and we’ll hand out the Christmas bags to worshippers following the service.

About those Christmas Bags...

We will pack 250 bags for men, 100 for women, and 40 for kids.

Rachael is working on having another church take on the kids’ bags. If she is successful, we only need to collect ‘stuff’ for the adults. Typically we try to have knit hats, gloves, socks, underwear, personal hygiene items, sweatshirts, and candy/snacks. If you can donate, or if you know of a group who is planning to donate, please let us know what items you’ll be collecting so we don’t double up unnecessarily.

We took a vanload of 18 people to Sewannee last week to hear Rev. Michael Battle. Ask someone who went to tell you what the trip meant to them!

We currently have 9 people in Shelter Plus housing with 10 more who have recently been referred. If you have any household goods for people who are setting up a home...linens, dishes, pots and pans, etc...Jo Dobbins has graciously offered to store items until they are needed.

Visits to our Sunday Health Center are growing dramatically. We can use over-the-counter medications, band-aids, and other supplies. Mary Wade says anything you would keep in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit can be of use in our Health Center. (We do not keep prescription meds at the church. Those requiring stronger than OTC meds are given referrals to Cooper Green or Bham Healthcare.) We also need baggies to put the supplies in when we distribute them.

Needs for our children’s program: We need a group or groups to provide lunch on first Sundays. Eight large pizzas or 10 medium pizzas will generally feed our crowd. One church brings hot dogs. The kids enjoy hamburgers too. We always need juice boxes.

Have you started social networking? You can become a fan of Church of the Reconciler on Facebook. And visit our web site www.churchofthereconciler.org. Click on ‘Blog’ at the top of the page for current information about activities and needs. Or add your own comment on the blog.

Peace,

Marti

one-day trip to Sewannee on Oct. 29 for the DuBose lecture by the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:23:00 +0000

If you are available to go with us for a one-day trip to Sewannee on Oct. 29 for the DuBose lecture by the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle, please plan to attend. We’ll take Reconciler vans and the event is free. More details to follow, or visit http://theology.sewanee.edu/dubosemedia for more information.

Sunday school for the children will resume on Oct 25.

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:22:00 +0000

There will be no Sunday School for our kids this week. A couple of our teachers are out of town, and we’ll have our hands full with the new lunch system. Sunday school for the children will resume on Oct 25.

new system for serving the common meal

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:20:00 +0000

We are going to institute a new system for the common meal on Sunday. The line has been getting more and more difficult to manage of late, so from now on, we’ll seat people in the sanctuary and take them in to the lunch room, in the order they arrive, 75 at a time. The plates will be served to them at the table, and they’ll have 20 minutes to eat. When the room is cleared, we’ll bring in another room full and they’ll have 20 minutes to eat as well. Those who wish to have more than one plate will leave by the 2nd Ave N door and re-enter from the 14th St door to wait in the sanctuary for their next turn. We’ll continue in this way until the food is gone.

We anticipate some resistance to this new plan at first, but we feel that once the adjustment is made, it will be a calmer and more civil way to serve food on Sunday and during the week as well. We can use all the help we can get for this first run, however. (The church staff has been announcing the change all week, so many will come to church on Sunday expecting the new procedure.) If you are free to help direct folks and keep traffic moving in the correct direction on Sunday, come prepared to volunteer from noon until we have served everyone (or run out of food).

Reconciler on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:10:00 +0000

Become a fan of Church of the Reconciler on Facebook!

Hosted a first-of-its kind homeless summit

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:08:00 +0000

Check out the link for more information on what was discussed. The summit was covered in an article in The Birmingham News on Sunday, August 16th.

Vacation Bible School!

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

We are having Vacation Bible School this week. Thanks to all the volunteers that are helping us have a great week for our kids.

June 7-12, 2009 Update

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:04:00 +0000

This is a quickie, but here’s a few things to keep in mind:

This Friday, the church will be closed for Annual Conference.Friday, June 12, the office will be closed as well, as our pastors need to be elsewhere. (There may be some meetings, but the Day Program won’t be open for business.)

There’s an education team meeting on June 10 at 5:30 p.m., before the Wednesday night prayer meeting. We’re hoping to include all Sunday school teachers and folks who work with our kids in any way, so please plan to attend if at all possible.

Don’t forget Vacation Bible School is scheduled for June 22-26. We can always use more help, so feel free to drop by if you are able!

Have a great week,
Marti

Reconciler Update from Marti Slay

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:40:00 +0000

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend, so we won’t be picking up kids for Sunday school. Teachers who are going to be there may be needed to work with a few kids who show up on their own, but Mary Wade won’t be there to do music. I’ll be out of town too. Remember that we also won’t have our usual Sunday school on July 5, and Sept. 6, because we have too much trouble getting shepherds on holiday weekends and we’re usually shorthanded on teachers as well.

Our new District Superintendent is Ron Schultz. Kevin met with him recently and said he had a very productive meeting. We look forward to having Ron join us sometime this summer for worship.

We’re working on getting out an issue of the RoundTable very soon. Let me know if you have any news items that need to be included.

Vacation Bible School is scheduled for June 22-26. Plans are coming along nicely, but we can always use extra hands, if you are able to volunteer. We’re still working on the meals. If you are able to donate anything or know of someone who can, call Rachael or Nancy.

We need to have an education committee meeting soon. We’re looking at setting one on an upcoming Wednesday night at 5;30, before the usual prayer meeting. If you work with the children in any way, we hope you’ll be able to be there. Specific date and time to come soonest.

Finally, thanks so much for all the kind words, calls and cards during my father-in-law’s recent illness and following his death. The support of my church family was a source of strength during this difficult time, and I love you all.

Have a great Memorial Day!
Marti

Donation Site for Reconciler

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:48:00 +0000

You can make a donation to Church of the Reconciler online. Support our ministry with a donation.

Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 03:41:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who helped, attended and participated in the Banquet tonight. We will "Invest, Influence, Impact" life.

Jeremiah Castille - Featured Speaker at the Banquet of the Wide Open Door

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:18:00 +0000

Growing up in a dysfunctional home with abuse, domestic violence and alcoholism, Jeremiah was introduced to God’s love at the age of 13 and began to realize that there were opportunities for a better life. Blessed by God with athletic ability, Jeremiah was led to the University of Alabama and played football under the legendary, Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant. Coach Bryant instilled discipline and leadership into Jeremiah’s life and he was taught that with a positive attitude, strong work ethics and integrity, he could do great things. In Jeremiah’s senior year he was selected the M.V.P. in Coach Bryant’s last Liberty Bowl game. For six years, Jeremiah played professional football with Tampa Bay and Denver. As a member of the Denver Broncos, he played in Super Bowl XXII between the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins.

Throughout his professional career, Jeremiah knew that he had a call from God to mentor, coach and minister to young people. It was clear to him that he was being called to return from the roots of which he came, the inner city. He was called to reach out to inner city youth and to bring them hope and faith for the future.

Banquet Invitation

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:15:00 +0000

You are invited to join Church of the Reconciler in this year’s celebration, hosted by Vestavia Hills UMC. The annual banquet allows you to participate in opening the door to provide hope for the growing population of homeless and less fortunate people in the greater Birmingham area.

It is truly in the faces of our brothers and sisters in need that we see the image of Christ. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…..” Matthew 25:35

Church of the Reconciler provides a church home for all of God’s children, ministering to the needs of food, clothing and medical support for the homeless community. 1500 meals are served each week at the Church of the Reconciler.

Saturday April 25, 2009
Vestavia Hills UMC

Doors Open 5:30 PM for Silent Auction
Banquet at 6:30 PM

Banquet of the Wide Open Door - 4/25/09

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Church of the Reconciler presents
Banquet of the Wide Open Door
With Guest Speaker
Jeremiah Castille

Saturday April 25, 2009
Vestavia Hills UMC

Doors Open 5:30 PM for Silent Auction
Banquet at 6:30 PM

YOU can join us in Celebration and Support !!

Banquet
Your prayers and participation are needed to help us continue this ministry to the homeless. Tickets for the banquet are $150 per person or $1,200 per table.

Silent Auction
The banquet will also include the fun and excitement of a Silent Auction. Items will include artwork by local artists, restaurant packages, tickets to exciting venues, sports memorabilia and a host of other surprises.

Sponsorships
Your donations are always welcome at the Church of the Reconciler. You can be confident in the knowledge that God’s work is being performed in ministering to the needs of the homeless.

Church of the Reconciler
A multicultural/multiracial United Methodist Church
112 14th Street North Birmingham, Al 35203 205-324-6402

Spring Events @ Reconciler

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Upcoming calendar items:
Wednesday, February 25. Ash Wednesday. Our usual Wednesday Prayer Meeting will be an Ash Wednesday service. 6:30.

Thursday, February 26. Alabama Arise Day in Montgomery. A van will be going from Reconciler. If you want to go and/or need more details, call Lawton.

Saturday, April 4. The SCLC will sponsor a march starting downtown and ending with a mass meeting at Church of the Reconciler. These are morning events, and we’ll get back to you on times when we know them. As host of the mass meeting, we want as many members and friends in attendance as possible. Please try to be there.

Sunday, April 5. Palm Sunday. Worship will include our traditional Palm Sunday march.

Friday, April 10. Good Friday Stations of the Cross. Starts at Reconciler at 11:00 am.

Sunday, April 12. Easter.

Saturday is Leadership Development Day

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Please remember that this Saturday is our Leadership Development meeting from 9-noon at the church. We will be breaking into ministry groups and planning the church calendar for the next few months, and we need as many people there as possible. We need YOU! Lunch will be provided.

Banquet: Our primary effort right now is ticket sales. Individual tickets are $150, and tables are $1200. If you need tickets to sell and/or ticket sale packets, please contact the church office.

We also need items and services for the silent auction, so keep begging for stuff!

One other item: We need plates. 3-way divided, 11-inch foam plates. If you know of anyone looking to help out, they can donate plates for our meals.

The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert 40th Anniversary - Free Concert for the Homeless

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

"The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert 40th Anniversary" on Friday, January 30 at 1:00pm.

Event: The Beatles’ Rooftop Concert 40th Anniversary

"Free Concert for the Homeless"

What: Concert

Host: Church of the Reconciler

Start Time: Friday, January 30 at 1:00pm

End Time: Friday, January 30 at 4:00pm

Where: Rooftop of Church of the Reconciler United Methodist Church, downtown Birmingham

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=49598711395

Want to make a donation to help out people this Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Consider giving a donation to Church of the Reconciler. This page has a link to the Paypal donation for Reconciler.

http://www.churchofthereconciler.org/support.htm

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:30:00 +0000

Hello, friends!

I hope everyone had a delightful Thanksgiving weekend and is now looking forward to a blessed Christmas season. It is certainly a busy one.

Sunday Plans
This Sunday, Dec. 7, Christian Walk church will be with us to help shepherd the children. Most of the kids will practice for the pageant, and following the rehearsal, we’ll have a Christmas ornament project for them to do. We’ll take pictures of all the kids for the ornament they will make on the 14th. The ornaments we make on the 7th will be sent to Enon UMC as a way of saying thanks for buying pizza once a month for the kids this year.

Sunday, Dec. 14, Morningstar UMC will be with us as shepherds. They are also bringing stuff for breakfast. (A real one, like pancakes and stuff!) Teachers, please note that some of the youth coming will have spent the night in a lock-in. Most of those will be in the youth room doing a program with Rachael, while the more mature kids and adults will be shepherding with us. We’ll have to manage all the kids in the Sunday school area without the youth room that day. Santa will be coming to the fellowship hall at 12:45. The children will sit with Santa for a free picture, get a gift from a child from Morningstar, and then get on the van to go home. Church families can get a free picture with Santa, but they will have to stay at the church until 12:45. The pictures will be ready on the 21st.

Sunday, Dec. 21. The children will perform their pageant, we’ll be handing out Christmas bags, and Bluff Park UMC will be with us as shepherds.

Sunday, Dec. 28. We will not be picking up any children for Sunday school, as we won’t have shepherds on this day and we are likely to be short teachers as well. We may have a couple of kids who are either dropped off or who come with a parent, so we’ll have a simple project for those kids to work on.

Other Dates to Note:This Wednesday, Dec. 3, we’ll have our regular prayer service.

Wednesday Dec. 10 and 17th are work nights, and we’ll be packing Christmas bags. Come one, come all.

Also on Dec. 17th, our parish nurse, Elaine Marshall, is giving a Christmas party for the homeless women during the day program.

The church will be open on Wednesday, Dec. 24 until noon, then closed on Thursday and Friday the 25th and 26th.The church will open until noon on Dec. 31, then be closed on Jan. 1 and 2.
The church will be open on Monday, Jan. 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We’ll have breakfast, and William Boyd will be this year’s speaker.

On Saturday, January 24th, David Korten will be here. He will also preach on Sunday, Jan. 25, and lead an afternoon session. On January 26, we’ll have a morning session at the church to discuss Korten’s presentation, and he will return to meet with us in the afternoon.
Sunday, February 1st will be Stewardship Sunday.

Mark your calendars now for Saturday, February 21, Leadership day. We’ll be asking all members to come to the church for a day-long planning conference that will include break-out sessions for various committees. We need you there.

Thanks to each of you for all you do to make our ministry a reality! Have a great rest of the week.

Marti

Hope from tumult is in another's eyes

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:53:00 +0000

Hope from tumult is in another's eyes
Sunday, October 12, 2008

The Rev. Rachel Martin had her eye on commodities last week.
Coffee.
Sugar.
You can't run her business without them. And demand, in the last few weeks, put a dent in supply.

"Do you have any idea how much coffee and sugar it takes if you're trying to feed 300 people?" she asked.

Three hundred people?

That's the number coming regularly for breakfast to the Church of the Reconciler in downtown Birmingham, where Martin serves as associate pastor.

Three hundred hungry people.

Once upon a time that would have been high even at the end of a month, when the money is spent. This month, it was just a start.

It's as if volunteers at the Reconciler, who prepare and serve breakfast each Tuesday through Friday, are sloshing in a leaky lifeboat. They bail as fast as they can, but still the water rushes in.
This perfect storm of hopelessness should serve as warning to us all. The economic meltdown - illustrated nationally with a daily shot of a chagrined stockbroker - has real implications on the alleyways that split off Main Street.

There's the price of gas and tightening credit. Here we have poor mass transit and fear in the banking and health care industries. Carraway hospital is in trouble, along with the county itself. And Alabama Power picks this time to jack up rates.

The victims, sometimes, look just like us.

Last week Martin scrambled to find shelter for a pregnant woman with two young children who lost her job at Waffle House and was evicted from her apartment.

"She was not the type of person we're used to dealing with," Martin said. "DHR would take her children if we didn't get her off the street."

Just one lady. Just one situation. Just one story out of, oh, 300 a day.

And counting.

Through August of this year, the Jefferson County sheriff's department physically evicted 3,023 people - about 378 a month - from their homes or apartments.

That's a brutal event, kicking folks out of their homes and setting their possession on the curb. It is, as sheriff's Lt. Randy Christian says, "the saddest detail we work."

And it happens about 60 times a month more this year than last.

To 60 more families.

Samford University nursing professor Elaine Marshall brings nursing students to Reconciler, among other places, to offer services for the homeless. They check blood pressures, and offer advice. Recently they gave HIV tests.

It is a good service, and a dose of real-life education for students. But talk to Marshall and you find it is something more.

"It keeps me focused on what life is about," she said.

What's that?

"When you look into someone's eyes and develop a trust between you, then you see how precious life is."

It is about people. People helping other people.

Yes, times are hard. But it's not all about Wall Street or your 401(k). When just one human looks into the eyes of another - that's where we will find hope.

John Archibald's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Write him at jarchibald@bhamnews.com.

Update, October 8, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 02:37:00 +0000

Hello friends!
Here’s a few dates to put on your calendar:
Tonight at 5 pm, Staff/parish relations (personnel) ministry team
Friday, Oct. 10 at noon. Finance ministry team
Monday, Oct. 13, Charge conference at Enon UMC
Wednesday, October 22, Banquet committee meeting, 6:30 pm at Vestavia Hills UMC. We will not have our usual prayer meeting at Reconciler that evening. All friends of Reconciler are encouraged and invited to meet at Vestavia as we make plans for our 2009 banquet. Thanks to Tom Bole of Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church for agreeing to be our banquet chair. Tom supported last year’s banquet and silent auction in significant ways, and we’re deeply appreciative of his help.

Other news: Elaine Marshall, a professor at Samford University has agreed to be our parish nurse. We are grateful for her commitment to the health of our community.

The Youth Y in Birmingham will make their facilities available to our children! We plan to schedule a tutoring session or two there and perhaps our recreation time for VBS as well. The gym include a climbing wall and track and other facilities that our children will enjoy.

This Sunday: We expect shepherds for Sunday school from Morningstar UMC. Enon UMC will be bringing lunch. From now on, we will no longer be asking the groups that shepherd to bring lunch for the children. The logistics of doing both are difficult. For now we will feed the children the adult meals. If you know of any groups that may want to bring the children’s lunch on occasional Sundays, please let Rachael know. We can usually purchase pizza or McDonald’s for about $50.

Please remember that the children are singing in worship this Sunday! If you help transport the kids, remind them that it’s a special Sunday to make an effort to attend. They are to wear khaki pants (or jeans) and white shirts. They’ll be singing after the passing of the peace and before the creed, so we’ll need to do our best to get them to church on time and get them breakfast in a timely manner.

And finally, our deepest condolences to Jo Dobbins, who lost her husband Ellis this week. The funeral was this morning. I know we’ll keep Jo in our thoughts and prayers.

Peace,Marti

Supplies you can donate to help our ministry!

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:49:00 +0000

Thank you so very much for your concern and support for our ministry to the poor and homeless in downtown Birmingham, AL. Church of the Reconciler is very much an embodiment of the Connectional Ministry of the United Methodist Church. Through your prayerful gifts and
support, we are in ministry, offering the The Bread of Life to the hungry, both physically and
spiritually.

Here is what we regularly need during the course of each week at the church:

Garbage Bags: 39 gallon or greater
Coffee
Sugar
Creamer
Peanut Butter
Jelly
Large Deep Steam Table Pans
Toilet Paper
Sanitary Gloves
Foam Cups: 8 oz.
Foam Plates: 11 inch
Napkins
Spoons/Forks

Thanks so much for your generosity in our ministry with the poor.

God Bless Us All,
Kevin Higgs
Pastor
Church of the Reconciler
205-324-6402

Children's Tutoring Program

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:07:00 +0000

"Count Your Many Blessings, see what God has done!" can be the theme song for the children's tutoring program at Church of the Reconciler UMC.

We averaged about 22 children each session (Tuesdays and Thursdays each week.) Students from Samford University came and worked with the children one on one each time. We have six computers set up with learning games for different grade levels. We had two students who knew all about computers to work with them and set up the programs for them on their level.

Refreshments were served each time thanks to Oak Mountain Mission. Many of our children do not get to have an evening meal because of

1. no electricity in their homes,
2. no money to buy food,
3. no car to get to the grocery store.

The children would store away extra food to take home to eat that night. We want to thank everyone who supports Church of the Reconciler in it ministry to the homeless and poor.

"When you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me" said Jesus. May you experience Jesus Christ anew this Advent and Christmas season when you look into the eyes of those who are poor.

Nancy Higgs, Church of the Reconciler UMC

Children Painting a Mural

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:30:00 +0000

Today, March 6, 2007, at 3:45 inner city children from around Birmingham, AL will have an opportunity to paint at mural at Church of the Reconciler United Methodist Church.

It is an interesting story on how this came about.

Jebb Brown (mother Leslie Brown from Trinity UMC in Homewood had a birthday recently. He had been with his mother and father down to Church of the Reconciler to serve a common meal on Sunday and his little heart was touched at the number of people who did not have enough to eat. He sent out invitations to his birthday party (a big deal for an 8 year old) and asked rather than bring him a present, to bring some money for Church of the Reconciler.

His mother has a friend, Janet Holloway, who paints murals and Janet, Jebb, and his mother will be at the church to help the children of Church of the Reconciler paint a mural on the wall in the children's section. They will paint Noah's Ark, showing God's great diversity of creation.

Just as in the Bible where a little child had a lunch and that lunch was turned into enough for all, God has used Jebb Brown at an early age of 8 years to bring together black and white children from Birmingham, Alabama to celebrate the diversity and goodness of God.

Please come and see for yourself ( and bring your camera) and write up this story for all to know.

We hear so much bad news; I hope this piece of Good News will get your attention.

Date: today, Tuesday, March 6
Time: 3:45 till 5:00
Place: Church of the Reconciler UMC at 112 North 14th Street
(across from old Sears property)
Contact Person: Rev. Kevin Higgs, Church pastor
Rev. Lawton Higgs, Sr. Pastor Emeritus
Nancy D. Higgs, Children's Ministry Representative

In Awe of the Christ Child

noreply@blogger.com (RmrJmrGrl) — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:53:00 +0000

Scripture: John 1:1-14
“The Light has come into the darkness; and the darkness cannot put it out.”

We are once again, looking down, in awe at someone else’s baby. What do we see when we gaze at this child? To some, Jesus is about the past: A great historical figure whose life revolutionized religion, art, government, and social life… even commerce. For some he was an advocate of a humanistic philosophy, for others, an apocalyptic prophet, or a healer of body, mind, and spirit.

He and his legacy have been surrounded by harsh old saints, pious peasants, religious academics, zealous monks, in ascetic caves and in magnificent cathedrals. To some, Jesus is about the future: He is the Prince of Peace, that will come between Arabs & Israelis, Serbs and Croats, the privileged and the outcast. He is a changer of political systems and the bringer of a just economic world. To some, Jesus is nostalgia: recollections of a childhood Christmas, or belonging to the world of grandparents and great-grandparents. To many of his own time, both Jews and Gentiles – and to many today – Jesus was just another baby, nothing special at all, a poor child, born to a poor family, in a poor, occupied nation under the heel of a brutal dictatorship.

Those who lingered at the manger in Bethlehem saw something very different. In the mystery of the Incarnation, they saw hope and possibility, promise and fulfillment, light in the midst of the shadow of oppression, a light in the midst of what was, showing what can be. Come to the manger today. Hold the baby in heart and mind. Realize the light of God is with us, and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:
O God, who makes us glad at the yearly festival of the birth of Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence hold strong the faith that God is with us, the Word made flesh, Emmanuel; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Rev. Kevin Higgs