An Allstar cast at 3rd Advent, Dec. 11th
An allstar cast was present today - St. Nicholas, Mary, John the Baptist, Alex Long IV and Hamilton Duke. Three of these stars were actually in person - St. Nicholas, Alex Long IV and Hamilton Christopher Duke. The first has forged his place in history with his works and the latter is just beginning his life and we celebrated his baptism today. The second is maturing within a challenging environment. God is not finished with them as God is not finished with us. Here is a Third Advent photo gallery for this Sunday.
We had 20-25 people at St. Nicholas celebration at 9:45am. Cookie and Betty prepared 4 types of drinks, including hot chocolate and cider. We had associated cakes, breads and oranges as refreshments. The latter symbolizes the three bags of gold that Nicholas provided for a poor man as a dowries for his three daughters. While waiting for St. Nicholas, the children played bean bag toss for chocolate versions of St. Nicholas. The adults wrote their names on gold paper and drew names of other parishioners to pray for over the next year. We held a prayer service for Nicholas which included readings, stories about Nicholas and finally a visit from St. Nicholas himself. Nicholas brought peppermints for the children and described the meaning of Christmas for all.
60 people were at the 3rd Advent service which included the baptism of Hamilton Duke and the lighting of the third candle. We changed the Gloria to a majestic setting by William Mathias to usher in Christmas. The word “hope” is applied to this Sunday along with “light.” There is a sense of fulfillment of Old Testament promises toward salvation and sanctification. Indeed the penitential fee of 1st Advent has faded.
The sermon provided a dramatic account of two that helped to change the mood - both Mary and John the Baptist. Catherine actually assumed the role of Mary We had the reading of the Song of Mary an story of the surprise and mystery of the angel's announcement of the impending birth of Christ through her despite the fact she wasn't married. God was putting new life into her. The readings are here and the 11am bulletin.
Mary believed all of what was revealed which is part of the amazement. However, Mary was also mystified, uncomprehending, and totally puzzled. While she needed divine reassurance, with the encouragement God provided her through Elizabeth's experience, she chooses to believe. It all came together in Mary's young mind, and then she sings this song with all her heart. The promise from Mary in her song is that those who do not restrict God's activity in their lives will never be the same.
We likewise heard another account of John the Baptist, this time from the Gospel of John. The story of he Baptist in John is different from the one in Mark. John is not just a herald and a prophet as he was in Mark but a witness sent by God. John is the first person in this gospel to bear witness and confess that Jesus is "the Son of God." A witness usually has a personal connection to the events he or she related. The Baptist's testimony was the conduit of faith for the listener. We also prepare our own paths this advent season through God for both ourselves and others.
These stores were related back to the Baptism in the sermon - "May Hamilton find, when he is in our midst, that he is with people who are filled with God’s power as Mary was" and May Hamilton find that he is with people who know, as John the baptizer did, that we are not the light, but that we are here to testify to the light..The One who brings good news to the oppressed..The One who binds up the brokenhearted..The One who proclaims the Lord’s favor to each and every one of us throughout eternity."
We celebrated the return of Alex Long IV over the week from Afghanistan. We participated in an "embodied prayer" where the church gathered around him in the front of the church to demonstrate our support and to offer a prayer for his continued safety.