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Vol 7 No. 52 Happy New Year! |
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Dear Folks,
Harold Camping, the American Christian radio broadcaster (and someone who brings disrepute
to many things Christian) has finally retired. The media has reasserted itself as the prophetic predictor
of all things. The particular outlet that was especially galling was the BBC, galling because they mention
the death of Amy Winehouse and the Royal Wedding, but not the G20, its riots, nor even as a left
coaster, the Stanley Cup riots. In all seriousness, they do mention the Arab spring and most significantly,
the Egyptian revolution. Earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan, brutal economic evaluations and
devaluations, the death of Bin Laden, Gadhafi, and Kim Jong-il, Canadians troops left Afghanistan,
American troops left Iraq. The Afghanis and the Iraqis are, many of them, already home and can’t leave.
There is few times when we look back on a year that we are doubtful about its outcome: not because
many important events didn’t happen, but rather because we don’t know the results of those particular
events. (By the way, I’ve already mentioned Christopher Hitchens in a blog and a tweet. He didn’t really
deserve mention but it is there for your interest if you wish.)
Let me take you back to the beginning of January 2011. NATO Defence Chiefs were meeting in Brussels
two weeks prior to the implosion of much of the Mediterranean base line. If you looked out onto the
world in January 2011 as they did, you would find a fairly calm Middle East and Mediterranean basin.
Not two weeks after they met, Tunisia was in an uproar, to be followed by Egypt, and a host of other
countries, culminating in the turmoil that still exists in Syria. There were major upheavals in the occupy
movements in the U.S., riots in Britain, and in this last week, a huge public disenchantment expressed
with Vladimir Putin, someone whom everyone believed was completely beyond reproach. It is an old,
tired and worn out notion that the Christian faith is known for when it talks of all the wild things that
have happened, the pain of the world pathos, a wild and disturbing picture of the world (which is usually
accurate) while forgetting to mention the hope in the Christ child at Christmas. Confession and criticisms
without absolution and reconciliation.
I am trusting, hoping and praying there will be less war, mayhem, and economic upheaval and for some,
even starvation this year. I am hopeful, given some of the events this past year, that there is a possibility
and reasonableness in that optimism. In the end, my hope rests on this epiphany Sunday where, when
the Wiseman show up, we are to be like them; that we can be like them. What we need to remember
about them is not that they were wise or that they gifted the Christ child but before they were wise and
before they gave gifts, they offered themselves in worship. So what comes first - worship or action?
Rabbi Bulka from Ottawa commented last month that the rabbis often debated which was more
important, study or action? He claimed that they came to the conclusion that study was more important
if it was followed by action. Not just clever but insightful. Making our way back to the Wiseman, what
is more important – worship, giving, or being wise? Maybe in this new year we could sum up the
Wiseman at Epiphany by saying that they were wise to worship Christ first, and out of that worship
to find themselves in an act of giving, not only material gifts but themselves. I end this newsletter by
sharing with you a poem that I have shared in the past taken from the British Baptist Manual, Gather to
Worship:
Among the poor,
among the proud,
among the persecuted,
among the privileged,
Christ is coming to make all things new.
In the private house,
in the public house,
in the wedding feast,
in the judgement hall,
Christ is coming to make all things new.
With a gentle touch,
with an angry word,
with a clear conscience,
with burning love,
Christ is coming to make all things new.
That the kingdom might come,
that the world might believe,
that the powerful might stumble,
that the hidden might be seen,
Christ is coming to make all things new.
Within us,
without us,
behind us,
before us,
in this place,
in every place,
for this time,
for all time,
Christ is coming to make all things new.
A very Happy New Year to you all,
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy
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Vol 7 No. 51 To Us A Child Is Born |
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Dear Folks,
Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness
on those living in the land of deep darkness
have seen a great light;
a light has dawned.
Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
And he will be called
and the government will be on his shoulders.
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
It seems an odd way to begin a Christmas letter, but I recall hearing earlier this year, that when
the English writer, speaker and evangelist, John Stott, passed away, he was, as the news report
chronicled “surrounded by friends listening to Handel’s Messiah”. I sort of grew up that way, especially
at Christmas, surrounded by family, friends, and the church community, and under the influence of
my mother, listening to Handel’s Messiah. We were never wealthy as a family and because we lived in
neighbourhoods wealthier than our means, Christmas, materially speaking, could be a challenge; but it
was never for want of the richness of the coming of the Christ child. And so I grew up amongst those
who were as excited about the coming of the Christ child as they were, it seemed, about life itself. After
the “Hallelujah Chorus”, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ also gave me the annual gift of “For Unto Us a Child is Born”.
I remember most of the scripture used in the libretto of the Messiah, but I still to this day listen, sing,
mutter, and pray the words of “for unto us a child is born”.
The newsletter today is an invitation to re-affirm these words but more importantly to re-navigate and
re-covenant around these words for their personal meaning. It’s not enough to imagine the quietness
and power of John Stott’s passing nor is it helpful for me to remember, even sentimentalize, but to
remember longingly the memories of my childhood and early adulthood. (This is way too complicated to
explain, but officially, my wife Kerry and I only went on one date – I paid for the tickets to the Messiah,
she paid for dinner. I think on the grounds that she was hoping it wasn’t a date, who knew?!).
How do memorable, ‘hard-wired’ words begin to have new meaning for us? I believe that this Christmas,
like every day and season of our lives, can be made new when we ask God to make the life of Spirit new
and fresh. That renewal also happens when the Spirit makes himself known to us and we do not resist.
Two years ago I began to listen to Sarah McLachlan’s ‘Winter Song’ CD. The song “The First Noel/Mary
Mary”, which runs almost 5 minutes, is lulling, sweet and memorable until just before two minutes into
the song there erupts for me something powerful. There is a power, majesty and almost a tearing open
of the heavens as the angels appear and the Christ child is born. The world in which we live, the era we
inhabit is filled with war, hunger, economic uncertainty and poverty for many who reside here. There
are many that are well off, some extremely wealthy, and there are those without any sense of reflection
and are apparently content. All these things not withstanding the coming of Jesus whether it is at his
birth or in my renewal and rebirth in Him this Christmas; it is a tumultuous event. There is no muzak
here, no calmness, but a virulent, almost violent and history-changing event.
In trying to write and rewrite this particular piece, I want to ask that each of us seek to re-covenant
around the words of scripture quoted in Isaiah 9 at the beginning of this letter. I trust and pray that the
sameness, the plainness, and the ordinary would in these words become extraordinary once again. I am
particularly drawn to verse 6 and the names of Jesus: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting
Father, and Prince of Peace. The aspects to the character of Christ captured in these names invite us to
anything but an ordinary celebration of his birth.
God be with you this Christmas,
Warmly,
In Christ,
Jeremy
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