Advent brings out an interesting mixture of emotions for me. On one hand, I remember the Decembers of my childhood and the anticipation of Christmas, presents, and an obscene number of cookies. As I’ve grown older, though, I’ve been initiated into “grown-up Christmas.” Finances can pinch. Weather can threaten. But more than anything, Advent is […]
Saddest Christmas Song Ever Read More »
Maybe the greatest challenge of the Advent and Christmas season is to keep its true meaning in front of us. What is Advent really about? Why the trees and the presents and the caroling and the parties? Why all the hullabaloo? The word advent means “coming.” What’s coming? Who’s coming? Well, when you come to
Our refrigerator died again this week. We saw the writing on the wall when it started making a clunking sound a couple of weeks ago. Thankfully, up here in Vermont where it’s really cold in the Fall and Winter this is not a huge problem since we can just put our food out on our
The Gift of Waiting: An Advent Reflection Read More »
In a few nights a small crowd will gather at Red Door Church for our annual Ash Wednesday service. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40 day season (not counting Sundays) of preparation leading up to Easter. Every year I’m overwhelmed with the sheer number of potential Lenten themes. As a pastor, my
The Ashes of Our Praise Read More »
The feast of the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, and marks the end of the celebration of Christmas. The night preceding Epiphany has been called the Twelfth Night, an acknowledgement that the twelve days of the Christmas celebration are at last complete. The word “epiphany” means a manifestation or an unveiling of something that
Since becoming a Christian in college I have not attended a church that observed Lent (to my recollection), at least not while they were observing it. I have been active primarily in non-mainline Presbyterian, Baptist, or Independent circles and I gather that these traditions generally do not practice Lent and its attendant days and rituals.
