Advent word - Home

Merry Christmas and thank you to anyone who's taken the time to read my blog this advent. I'm always surprised that people do read it- I do it as a way of ensuring I take some time to think and be with God each day.

In the craziness of our lives, remember one thing: that God really does love you, and wants to make a home in your heart just as he made a home in that stable so many years ago.

-Br. James Koester

This is the sermon I preached at midnight mass, based upon Isaiah 9:2-7, Titus 2:11-14 and Luke 2:1-14. It reuses/rejigs part of a sermon on storytelling I wrote in October 2015.

I wonder what your favourite stories were growing up? I loved books as a child, I was always reading. When it came to fiction I loved fantasy and writers who built their own worlds like Narnia, Middlearth and Discworld.
Then there were bible stories- somewhere between fable, myth and reality. I went to Sunday school from being very small so I knew all the bible stories we tell to children, I think my favourite was always the story of Moses’ birth and how his mother saved him, but there were other Old Testament tales such as the Garden of Eden, Noah and David and Goliath. Then there were the gospel stories- feeding the 5000, Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem and of course the Nativity story which we’ve just heard retold.
These stories were part of my childhood, part of me, absolutely ingrained in me. I was really shocked when I went to high school and realised how few of my classmates knew these bible stories. It was just normal to me, going to church and having these tales be part of me, and I’m sure these stories have helped to shape me, my beliefs and my life, just as the stories others grow up with shaped theirs.
Because narrative and story-telling is an incredibly powerful thing. Stories matter. We’re a race of story tellers. Novels, fairy tales, family stories and bible stories. We remember them, we share them, and we pass them on to our children. Our story telling expands far beyond books or even the more ancient tradition of oral storytelling. Our lives are packed with narrative- TV, cinema, DVDs, online streaming, gaming- we may be more often immersed in imagined worlds than the real one. I could probably tell you more about the geography of Discworld than Europe.
Every culture has its important stories, those which are deeply imbedded in our history. They may go some way to encapsulate the core beliefs of that culture or society, family stories may do the same. This is who we are, where we’ve come from, this is what we believe. Stories may reinforce the stereotypes we buy into, or serve to challenge them. The stories our leaders tell us may shape how we view our national identities, and those of other nations.
The Hebrew people - like Mary and Joseph - would have grown up hearing many of the same stories as you and I – Moses, David and Noah. These stories are part of their identity, but I don’t think I had any bible picture books about the prophet Isaiah. There’s familiarity in the Isaiah reading, some of the words are repeated in the new testament and in our Anglican liturgies, and Isaiah is present throughout our Advent journey in the readings.
Isaiah and this narrative or story of the coming messiah would have been as woven into Mary and Joseph’s lives, as the Nativity or resurrection are for us. Children would know them as well as  I knew the stories I learned in Sunday school.
For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
Parts of the scripture led to expectations of what kind of a leader the Messiah would be; defeating armies, ruling nations, bringing peace. This saviour would be a great military leader or mighty king and monarch. He’d have to be to save and subdue.
And yet these expectations are completely subverted in the gospels. The expected military leader or political king becomes a prophet, a teacher and a miracle worker, and more than that, what those hearing the stories and prophecies never would have imagined; the Messiah was God. God incarnate. And it all begins here in the manger, helpless and fragile, a fragile, vulnerable God- what a paradox.
Stanley Hauerwas is a writer on the subject of Christian virtue ethics, and he’s a big believer in the power of narrative. He writes that Christianity doesn’t rest on abstract philosophical principles but on these stories, that God has indeed revealed himself narratively in the history of Israel and in the life of Jesus. These stories shape the character of the individuals and communities where they’re still repeated today. We tell and retell the stories in order to maintain our identity and we see the narrative of our lives within this wider story- the bigger picture.
By telling and retelling the stories about Jesus and his life we build that narrative into our lives and try to reflect something of him. But what story do we want to tell? Where do we want to fit in the story? Will the story of our lives be part of the ongoing revelation of the God who has concern for the least, most vulnerable members of our society? Who was born amongst the least, visited by the least? Who subverted that expectation that strength comes through military or political power, showing that true power comes when we make ourselves vulnerable.
What we have woven through the bible is the story of a people wanting to be closer to God, yet continually turning away from him, only to have God always draw closer to them again. Because we don’t in any of these stories get closer to God by any of our actions, it’s always God drawing nearer to us, and never more so than in the gift of the Christ-child.
This is our story. The ultimate story. God comes to us and dwells amongst us, reminding us of the infinite possibilities of life available to us, and we celebrate that in this season of good cheer, gift-giving, and community. And we tell and re-tell the Nativity story, reminding ourselves that God did, does and always will draw near to us.
Our part in the story is to reflect that in the way we live our lives, not being afraid to be vulnerable ourselves, honouring those perceived as being the least and most vulnerable and knowing that true power belongs to God and God alone.

Advent word - celebrate

Celebrate
Christmas is a feast of the senses! It is a celebration of our ability to see and know and taste and touch the power and glory and revelation of God. It is not just about a birth that happened long, long ago and far, far away. It is about the way in which God manifests himself to us in the person of Jesus as friend and food and hope and love. It is a celebration of our ability to grasp God and to sense him with all our being.

-Br. James Koester

Advent word - live

Live
We are meant for life in all its fullness. Our getting together for the sheer pleasure of it anticipates the Kingdom and the heavenly banquet. Conviviality and celebration, especially in the face of difficult circumstances, bring light into the world.

-Br. Mark Brown

Advent word - animate

Bit different tonight- a longer reflection, which I read at a carol service at Christie Hospital earlier:

What’s your favourite Christmas film? Is it a black and white classic like It’s a wonderful Life? A timeless classic retold again and again such as A Christmas Carol or a modern feel-good comedy like Elf?
We all have our favourite and the traditions that go with watching them- maybe it’s a full family event, snuggled up in onesies with hot chocolate or mulled wine. Whichever film is our favourite – and we might have several – Christmas films undoubtably have one thing in common: their story arcs are always redemption stories.
In It’s a Wonderful Life George Bailey, contemplating suicide, gets to see how much worse off people would have been without him. He goes back to his family a changed man, ready to face the troubles ahead, and is rewarded with unthinkable kindness.
A Christmas Carol shows Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from lonely, unloved miser to the beating heart of his community.
We see in Elf how Buddy’s dad, Walter, a modern-day Scrooge, has his heart transformed through his relationship with Buddy to embrace Christmas and have a loving relationship with both his sons.
These are inevitably the story arcs we want from a good Christmas film – the feel-good factor. These stories of redemption reflect what’s at the heart of the Christmas story itself, although rather than being the story of one person’s redemption it’s the story of everyone’s and it’s achieved through love.
The characters in our films- George, Ebenezer and Walter, don’t redeem themselves; they each need a catalyst, usually driven by love, to help them realise the error of their ways and put them on the path to redemption.
There’s a less well known Christmas Carol whose words are as follows:

Love came down at Christmas
Love, a lovely love divine
Love was born at Christmas
Stars and angels gave the sign

Love will be our token
Love be yours, and love be mine
Love from God to all of us
Love for plea and gift a sign

It’s love that provokes the change in our film characters, love which is central to the message of Christmas, and love that caused the divine to enter our earthly lives as a tiny helpless child, the catalyst that can cause that outpouring of love in each of us.
The Christ Child reminds us of the infinite possibilities of life available to us, and we celebrate that in the season of good cheer, gift-giving, and community.
The enchantment of Christmas and indeed in the Christmas films we love, are a taste of what’s possible if human beings could really love each other. The infant in the manger symbolizes new life and the potential we all have to be dedicated to a love of the other.
As we’re gathered here today to sing it reminded me of something else in Elf which I think reflects the love at the heart of Christmas: The Elf Code, which goes as follows:

1.     Treat Every Day Like Christmas. Every day is a day of endless possibilities.
2.     There's Room for Everyone on the Nice List. No-one is beyond redemption.
3.     The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud for All to Hear.

The Spirit of God animates us, but it all happens in the flesh: every deed of kindness, every act of generosity, every word of encouragement happens in the flesh. Every embodiment of Christ’s grace or truth or love happens in the flesh—or it doesn’t happen.

-Br. Mark Brown

Advent word - abide

Sometimes - and it's particularly difficult at this time of year - all we need to do is just 'be', abide or rest in God's presence. Not doing. Just being.

God’s invitation for us to abide in God as God abides in us is not an invitation to settle down and get comfortable. It is a call to mission, a summons to fruitfulness. We are meant to share the fruits of the divine life with others.

-Br. David Vryhof

Advent word - prune

Sometimes we need to let go of stuff, prune things from our lives so we can bear fruit. It can be really hard, especially if it's part of us or our lives, but afterwards we're usually thankful as we see what letting go of things can achieve. Advent is a really good time to assess what we need to let go.

We prune to let go of growth, letting die what is alive but not growing in the best direction. We prune to let go of death, letting go what is dead but still taking up space. Pruning is a form of dying in order for the tree to more fully live and bear more fruit.

-Br. Luke Ditewig

Advent word - simplify

We over complicate Christmas; rush, make, buy, clean, give, consume. How much of it is to do with expectations and what actually makes us happy? Sometimes it's the most simple of things that brings us and those we love the most joy.

A simpler lifestyle can be a way to share with those who have less and a way of returning to them what is usurped by unjust social and economic structures. Assuming a stance of under-consumption can be a provocative invitation to others into a conversation about affluence, poverty and social justice.

-Br. Robert L'Esperance

Advent word - open

I find it heart breaking to hear about churches where openness is actively discouraged or suppressed. The church of England may have it's flaws but I've never felt like I couldn't question or challenge theology and doctrine. It's also a place that's open to all - admittedly not all of it's churches - but it's always been my belief that no matter who you are, your background, theology or orientation, there's more than likely a congregation waiting for you.

When we open our hearts enough to truly love, our enemies can open up the possibility for our healing. It’s not just about treating our enemies a certain way; it’s about the fruits of relating to each other, to everyone, in the fullness of Christ’s love. When we practice loving fully, our great reward is being free from holding onto feelings like anger and hatred.

-Br. Nicholas Bartoli

Advent word - embrace

Sometimes all that matters is holding each other - to celebrate the joys and comfort through the losses.
I know not everyone is comfortable with being embraced but we all need some kind of physical contact and comfort- if not from our fellow adults then from our children or pets. If you're a "hugger" it can be hard to understand those who aren't, but we need to be empathic about other people's boundaries and respect them.

We are a manifestation of Christ in the world. Our mission is not to bring Christ to people, but to help people come to know and embrace Christ already present.

-Br. Mark Brown

Advent word - awaken

It's easy sometimes to live in a bubble, going from moment to moment, task to task, obligation to obligation. I'm not always truly awake to what's going on around me- the joys, the needs, the presence of God. In this final week of advent can I try to be awake to the things I might otherwise miss?

Jesus calls us to live into the fullness of our humanity, to embrace what we, in our brokenness, experience as physical, psychic, or spiritual limitations. Jesus urges that, rather than seeking to be cured of our limitations, we ask God to heal us in them, and waken us to the spiritual gifts hidden in them.

-Br. Jonathan Maury

Advent word - trust

Trust terrifies me - not trusting others, I do that quite readily, sometimes to my detriment. It's having the trust of others that scares me, worried that as an imperfect being I'll let them down. My family trusts me, my patients, my colleagues and parishioners. That's a huge responsibility. What helps is having permission to be vulnerable, permission to make mistakes. Scripture is littered with people messing up and God uses them anyway. That's really reassuring!

God’s love, like any love, involves real trust. And in relationships, trust requires mutuality. Sometimes it may require a part of myself that I don’t necessarily want others to see. This same vulnerability, intimacy, and mutuality should characterize our love for and trust in God.

-Br. Robert L'Esperance

Advent word - surprise

It's the unexpected things in life that keep it interesting...if not a little stressful. We don't necessarily like the unexpected at Christmas, but what could be more unexpected than God incarnate? Who could have seen that coming? We still see God in the unexpected places, but we have to remember to look.

God comes to us as a vulnerable human baby to an unlikely couple in an obscure place. And in doing so turns the world upside down. Jesus says: Stick with me even if I am different, confusing, or surprising. I have come, and I am coming to you today with love! Look for me. Listen. I am coming in an unexpected way.

-Br. Luke Ditewig

Advent word - mend

Our brokenness is part of what makes us human. It's tempting to want to find a quick fix - to magic away what needs mending in our life - but sometimes it's the broken places where we better relate to others, accept ourselves for who we really are and find ourselves drawing closer to the divine.

Christianity is really all about mending. That is what redemption means: mending something which is broken. Every Christian is called to share with God in mending that which is broken: mending our relationship with God, with one another, and mending the torn canvas of God’s broken world.

-Br. Geoffrey Tristram

Advent word - Rely

I'm not the sort of person who's good at letting stuff go- even if I'm trusting someone else to do something I'm really not letting go of it. This means, preferring to do things myself, I end up with too much on my plate and get overwhelmed.
When I've got a big task or difficult day ahead, or I'm feeling overwhelmed, I try to remember one of the most important things we were told (in a self-care session at vicar school): we're not doing any of this in our own strength. We can't.
If I were to look back at the events of the last three years and the last twelve months especially I know I could not have done it on my own. Learning reliance on God is a difficult but necessary skill.

When we are inconvenienced, we have to rely on God. When we have to rely on God, the impossible becomes possible, and we find that we are able to do and achieve that which we never could do or achieve on our own power. We have to have God’s help.

-Br. John Braugh

Advent word - glow

Proverbs 4:18 (The Message)

"The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine."

I love meeting people who are clearly glowing with the holy spirit. They might not call it that, they might identify as atheist or a different religion, but the glow is unmistakable.

As children of the light we have the opportunity to either squander God’s riches or to capitalize on them by being ministers of God’s light, life, and love for all people.

-Br. Jim Woodrum

Advent word - befriend

Totally out of sync with working nights shifts!
Working full time, having kids and being a minister means my friendships suffer. I feel it particularly at this time of year when being a nurse and involved in church make me particularly unsociable. What matters then is to be a friend to the people I'm with- those missing families, those with no choice but to be in or at the hospital and those in my church who are alone or lonely. It's part of our humanity to acknowledge the basic need for friendship in each other.

On my journey of faith, Mary has become a kind of friend, and our shared experience of Jesus has become a sacred communion. He invites me into her presence with contagious joy. She points me to him with fresh insight and renewed simplicity.

-Br. Keith Nelson

Advent word - promise

What promises did I make at the start of this year? Probably something along the lines of getting fitter, more organised, sorting out the house, being more hospitable, being "better". In fact I probably make similar promises each day, as each day offers me a new opportunity to try and be "better" and try to fulfil the promises I've made- to my family, my work, to God.
I start each day with a similar prayer, it's a little different every day but it usually includes "I give you my life this day", each day promising myself to God anew, usually ending the day saying sorry that things didn't go quite at planned! But if (as I heard debated recently) God can't love us any less, then he can't love us any more- we're loved to full capacity. This is part of his promise, loving us exactly as we are even if in our own eyes we messed up.
Each day does bring new promise, new opportunity, but God loves us regardless.

God gives us the responsibility of doing something ourselves about those faithless fears and worldly anxieties that are holding us back. We don’t have to do this alone. We have God’s promise of holding our hand and of helping us.

-Br. David Allen

Advent word - Hope

Wittertainees, the devoted followers of The Church of Wittertainment (or Kermode & Mayo's film review show on radio 5 Live), are familiar with one particular peculiarity of the Friday afternoon show where listeners write in with their trials and misfortunes, asking Mark Kermode to repeat the comfortable words "everything will be alright in the end...and if it's not OK it's not the end". Those of a religious persuasion may recognise the similarity to Mother Julian's much quoted "all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well".
It's been difficult to find the hope in such a tumultuous year, which means the pressure is on Christmas to bring some much needed joy, yet it doesn't always deliver. The hope, the joy, is something we need to find within ourselves, I think that too often we look to external things to bring us happiness. It has to start with us...and everything WILL be right...in the end.

Converted anxiety is hope. Anxiety is dreadful expectation; hope is expectant desire. They are like cousins to each other. Pray for the conversion of your fretful anxiety into promising hope. If you are anxious just now, you are almost already hopeful.

-Br. Curtis Almquist

Advent word - Act

I'm a massive fan of James' epistle. I think what we do matters as much as what we think, feel and believe. If we think but don't do what does what we think matter? Our faith should drive our actions, there should be a congruence. Our actions should reflect our beliefs.

James 2:14 "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

What will we do with the blessings God gives us in answer to prayer? When we pray and God heals us, what will we do with our restored health? When we cry out of our need and God meets that need, what will we do with the resources that have come to us in answer to our prayer?

-Br. David Vryhof

Advent word - Be

Today's reflection from brother Curtis reflects so much of what it means to be an MSE (minister in secular employment); It's not about doing, it's about being. Nothing to see, nothing to measure, no outward signs or symbols of ministry. Being and acknowledging and without anyone even knowing bringing it all before God at the end of the day.

People in trauma need our presence and our prayer rather than our preaching. We will bear a much more comforting witness to someone facing deep loss by simply being with them, and in so doing, representing God Emmanuel – God with us – by our being with them. Not by our words, but by our presence.

-Br. Curtis Almquist