all photos and writing by June Friesen
Annually on December 1st, we commemorate World AIDS Day and reflect upon our worldwide response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. This year has been especially poignant as we mark 40 years since the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS were officially reported, and we honor the more than 36 million people, including 700,000 in the United States, who have died from AIDS-related illness globally since the start of the epidemic.
This year’s theme calls for equitable access for everyone regardless of race, color, gender, and/or where one lives. It is also to emphasize that everyone’s voice, concern, and need be addressed–no matter race, gender identity, or where one lives. As it is with so many situations in our American culture, there is disparity.
I have been privileged to be an active part of the HIV community here in Phoenix, Arizona where I have lived for the past 40 years. I began my involvement with some people who were diagnosed with AIDS in the late 1980s. One was a family where both parents were HIV positive. The young mother died while her second child was very young, and the second child–a little girl–succumbed to the disease at age 4. I remember sitting with that family in the hospital and in the home; in the better moments, and the not-so-good moments as well–such as when the little girl took her last earthly breath. A few years later I became actively involved in the larger HIV community when I started helping a refugee family with HIV diagnosis. The medical clinic gave me several resources that have proved very helpful in my education as well as other things. One of those resources is a food bank that is now in its 33rd year here in Phoenix that was started especially to help individuals who were HIV positive get proper nutrition. Just this year, it has expanded its work to help the greater gender-diverse community. Through this, I have also been invited to attend as well as participate in a Candlelight Vigil every year on December 1st honoring those who have died from AIDS.
Another national memorial project is a memorial quilt. The idea was born in November 1985 with the first panel being birthed in June 1987. This quilt has grown incredibly over the years and groups are able to request quilt pieces to display in their city/region during the month of December. Communities that hold AIDS Memorials usually display the quilt pieces they have chosen, and the names on each panel are read reverently during the vigil. October 11, 1987 was the first inaugural display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. I invite you to research this project online and learn of its activity still today. If you have a loved one or friend who has died from AIDS you can see if there is a piece of a quilt in their honor and if not you can research and possibly make and dedicate a piece in memory of them. When it was unveiled in Washington, D.C. it was a beautiful event. I find the photos and reading online very informative as well as very moving.
The Scriptures teach us to love all people. Jesus taught this on several occasions and also demonstrated His love and acceptance for all people. He met anyone and everyone, whether they were people who knew Him and His ministry, or those who did not recognize Him. I was always fascinated about how Jesus particularly met the lepers–who actually had to live outside the city walls away from family and friends. Not only that, they had to call out, ‘Unclean, unclean,’ if anyone got too near to them. Jesus, however, would invite them to come to Him and He healed many of them. When I think of HIV and when it first was diagnosed, many people treated the ill as if they were lepers. Mostly because we knew that it spread easily, yet no one was sure how it spread. Let us look at a few verses in Matthew where Jesus cared for a leper.
Matthew 8:2-4 (The Passion Translation) 2 Suddenly, a leper walked up to Jesus and threw himself down before him in worship and said, “Lord, you have the power to heal me . . . if you really want to.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the leper and said, “Of course I want to heal you—be healed!” And instantly, all signs of leprosy disappeared! 4 Then Jesus said to him, “Don’t speak to anyone, but go at once and find a priest and show him what has happened to you. Make sure to take the offering Moses commanded so he can certify your healing.”
My first thought: When was the last time that this leper had felt human touch? Yet, he had the courage to approach Jesus, and ask if Jesus would heal him. I can only imagine the joy when Jesus did not just heal him but Jesus actually reached out and touched him first. To be touched with a hand without fear but rather with confidence, love, and acceptance…wow!
Then I am reminded of the gospel of John chapter 3 where Jesus offered hope and forgiveness to all the world.
John 3:14-18 (The Passion) “just as Moses in the desert lifted up the brass replica of a venomous snake on a pole for all the people to see and be healed, so the Son of Man is ready to be lifted up, 15 so that those who truly believe in him will not perish but be given eternal life. 16 For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. 17 “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it! 18 So now there is no longer any condemnation for those who believe in him.”
Jesus reminded Nicodemus as well as us that God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus is for everyone. He used an example from the Old Testament illustrating God would not discriminate. God was/is not one to discriminate against anyone choosing to follow Him in the Old Testament, or the New Testament today. What was the reason for the snake on the pole? The people had complained mightily against God after He had delivered them so many were dying from snakes biting them and the snakes were everywhere. So God made a way that they could choose to live. So it is with Jesus being lifted up on the cross. It was there that He died to pay for the sin of the world before He came, the world in which He lived and the world ever since – the world since creation until now and until Jesus returns to this earth again. Everyone and anyone who chooses to follow Jesus can become a child of God. As I read and think of these verses and Jesus’ ministry, I believe that Jesus would also be including the HIV population in His walks about the community.
You may not be aware of an AIDS candlelight vigil in your community, and maybe there is not one. I would suggest however that you take some time today or this evening to just pray for the many families whose lives have been touched as well as changed greatly by this disease. It is a disease like leprosy; it affects all ages and all genders in every country of the world. But as of today, there is hope – this disease can be managed and all can live a full, active and productive life.
I invite you to read the following writing prayerfully.
WE REMEMBER
Today we take some time to pause and remember the lives that ended so suddenly,
We did not understand the reason and we still are unsure,
It seemed to happen so suddenly, and no one seemed to be exempt,
It was not a respecter of gender, age, class or culture,
It was something that affected the whole world.
It quickly became known as a death sentence
As many became ill so quickly and the disease attacked the body everywhere,
A fear developed over the world almost reminding me
Of the stories I have read of those with the disease known as leprosy.
We remember the children that were and are afflicted,
Having to face their whole life trying to now manage the disease,
(Thankfully with new medicines it can be pretty well managed).
Yet it still can carry a stigma when one may have to admit what medication they have to take.
We also remember the many children that died before they were ever able to have the medicine to save their lives.
REMEMBER THE CHILDREN
We remember the teens who are and were afflicted,
Some too have left this earth far too soon, before they really experienced life,
We remember the teens who are alive today because of medication to manage their disease,
We pray that they will find the right avenues to live a fulfilled life
As well as make a difference in the world for the good of humankind.
We remember the teens who did not survive to adulthood because of lack of proper treatment.
REMEMBER THE TEENS
We remember the adults whose lives are and were afflicted,
Some too have left this earth far too soon because no one knew how to respond to their disease,
Please O God, may their souls rest in peace.
Some are continuing to live and enjoy life quite fully in many ways,
Thanks to the research and the medication that is available today.
God, may you continue to give them good health, strength to meet their needs,
Comfort as we mourn for those who succumbed to an early death,
That we remember today.
REMEMBER THE ADULTS
And now God as we leave this place today,
We ask that You will watch over each one of us,
Please give us health through the medical care that we need,
Give us the opportunity to have the care available to us that we need,
Help us to continue to live as a community where love and support is the root,
Help us to remember that You are with each one of us
And Your desire is that we cherish each other’s life as we cherish our own.
‘Tis the season to celebrate the Reason–the Light of the World born in a humble manger. Explore Advent and Christmas alongside Christine Sine and others in one of our Advent devotionals, bundled with beautiful Prayer Cards! Waiting for the Light: An Advent Journal + Prayer Cards is more than a devotional; it is a complete guide to the Advent and Christmas season, providing liturgies, weekly activities, and daily reflections to equip and nourish us all through the season. Lean Towards the Light This Advent & Christmas is our newest resource, perfect for the times we are living in, and comes in several bundles, including downloadable forms and bundles that include a journal to enrich your quiet time. A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel from Advent to Lent + Prayer Cards approaches the rich seasons of Advent to Lent playfully, yet with yearning and determination, providing daily reflections from many theological and cultural perspectives, shared family activities, and recipes that will enrich the season for all seekers. All these Advent resources and more can be found in our shop.
words and featured photo by Melissa Taft
My grandma Robbie was a savvy gift shopper. With five kids, their spouses, 24 grandkids, and eventually a growing number of grandkid spouses and great-grandkids–not to mention a sister, niece and nephews, and friends–she had to be! For she delighted in finding ways to show love and care through her ministry of thoughtfulness throughout the year. She would start Christmas shopping for the next year as soon as Christmas had ended the previous–sometimes even before. Gifts were her language of love, and she enjoyed finding treasures for her precious ones.
Grandma Robbie had a flair for entertaining and decorating, and a firm belief in giving practical AND beautiful things–that one should build a life full of memories and treasures. That is why I, at the tender age of 7, received a framed Charles Burton Barber painting that year for my birthday. While Grandma did not often give toys, she did give us investments in our future in the form of beautifully bound classic literature or a Bible, piano lessons, trips to the theater and museums, and objects for our eventual adulthood. The painting hangs in my home to this day.
When her grandkids began to marry, she started a new tradition of family gifts instead of personal ones at Christmas time. Each family received two gifts–one on December 1st and one for Christmas. The Christmas gift generally was something the family could enjoy together such as a museum membership or something useful like a new set of pretty potholders and dish towels. Something to be used and enjoyed throughout the year.
The December 1st gift was to be opened and enjoyed right away–meant to prepare our hearts for the coming season and build a collection of treasures. Sometimes it was an ornament, sometimes a devotional or poetry readings, sometimes Advent candles, sometimes another sort of decoration. One year it was lovingly baked Christmas cookies, arranged on a decorative holiday tray for our reuse. Always, a gift meant to be enjoyed in the present and then reused each Christmas. Grandma Robbie passed away a few years back, and whenever I use again the Advent devotional she gifted me or set out the coasters and Christmas tins or serve guests off of the mistletoe platter, I think of her and she is present with me. A legacy of love, giving, beauty, and practicality that carries on through me.
As I look forward to the upcoming season where a ministry of gifts shines, I’m always on the lookout for good deals, good gifts, and ways to invest into people. I have taken on my Grandma’s mantle of the December 1st gift, at least for our branch of her family. As a brand new and excited member of the Godspace Light community, I have been impressed and delighted with the resources available here and I wanted to highlight a few of my favorites!
I fully believe that beauty is a spiritual practice. Not as the world defines it or the magazines tell us to aspire to, but as God defines it–God is beauty. And when we take practical things and celebrate beauty, I truly believe–as my Grandma did–that it is transformative in all the best ways. I personally have enjoyed the Breath cards in my prayer times. Prayer cards make a lovely gift–bonus, they are definitely stocking-stuffer sized! I love that there are beautiful images to focus on as well as the prayers. You can find prayer cards for a whole variety of occasions and holidays in the Godspace shop—from Advent and Celtic prayer cards to everyday moment prayer cards to prayer cards that complement other resources, such as the Gift of Wonder prayer cards. Most are available in a single set or a set of 3, or are able to be downloaded, or bundled with another resource–a great way to save.
The bundles do save money *and* make a nicely rounded gift–and it’s not too late to purchase an Advent/Christmas devotional or bundle! I rotate through Advent devotionals from year to year, including the one my Grandma gave me. I find it to be such an anchoring practice through the hustle and bustle of the season, particularly for the devotionals I have long used. There’s something comforting about returning year to year to the traditions of the season, the same songs, the same stories. Yet each year brings new light and revelation and joy, and an opportunity to expand my collection–I have this year, adding Lean Toward the Light this Advent and Christmas! There are several devotionals available, and if you bundle them with the lovely Advent Prayer Cards, you can save as well.
In fact, there is a *SALE* this week on most Advent bundles! Today through Saturday, 12/4, check out our shop to see the deals. A Journey Toward Home: Soul Travel from Advent to Lent comes bundled with Advent Prayer cards, as does Waiting for the Light: An Advent Devotional. I have been delighted with the timeliness in particular of Lean Toward the Light This Advent and Christmas Devotional and Journal, and can see it will be a favorite in rotation. In particular, the newest addition to Godspace’s advent journals comes available in many forms and bundles–including a convenient download and bundles with the Advent Prayer Cards. Sometimes an event makes a lovely gift investment, so you could also consider the accompanying Lean Towards the Light Advent Retreat.
Speaking of retreats, one of the ways Grandma invested in her family (and taught us to do the same) was by balancing the material with the experiential. One year she paid for my ballet lessons–which was as much a gift for my parents as it was for me–and gave me a little ornament of a ballet slipper with the card explaining. Another time she sent me extra birthday money specifically to be used on an upcoming trip, another time tickets to a concert. Sometimes the experience was with her, other times I got to enjoy it on my own or with friends. Especially in these pandemic times, sending someone on a virtual experience can be an easy way to encourage loved ones.
I was honored to be a small part of the latest retreat Walking in Wonder Through Advent–now put together as an online course–and found it both profound and nourishing for the season. If you are in a ‘dry and weary land’ heading into Advent and Christmas, I highly recommend it. Now is a good time–it is on *SALE* through Saturday! Use the code ‘advent’ when you check out to take $10 off– a savings of 25%.
Any of our online courses/retreats make wonderful gifts; an experience with plenty of time to work through rather than a one-time set date on the calendar makes for a flexible long-distance way to give care. One such online course is an accompaniment to Christine Sine’s latest book, The Gift of Wonder. Join Christine as she leads you through The Gift of Wonder in a lovely retreat format–or send it along with a copy of the book. In fact, there are several great resources related to the book, including Gift of Wonder Prayer Cards–which come in bundles with other resources too!
Of course, you can find many other resources in our shop–including free ones–that make wonderful gifts, but you may also want to check out our Christmas resource page for more ideas. And if I have inspired you to go forth and gift, I am merely carrying on the legacy that was gifted to me by a wonderful woman of God–my Grandma Robbie.
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Join Christine Sine and Lilly Lewin on Wednesday, December 8th at 9am PDT (check my timezone) for our next FB Live happening on our Godspace Light Community Facebook Group! Can’t make it? No worries–we upload the sessions on our youtube channel so you can still enjoy the lively discussions and interesting topics discussed. And catch us live for the next session–happening here every other Wednesday!
by Laurie Klein
“Adventures are never fun while you’re having them.”
—C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
November 29 marks the birthday of beloved author C. S. Lewis. He created Lucy, who sailed the seas of another world: perilous, wondrous Narnia.
I love her character. I like sharing Lewis’ birthday. But braving the unknown? Book me for armchair travel, please.
God’s sense of humor intervenes. I spend my entire 50th birthday traveling to a remote village in northeastern Thailand. In the company of spirited, short-term-mission teammates, I cross the international date line where time hiccoughs, then replays itself.
“Good thing we’re headed east,” they joke. “Or you’d be 100.”
Another world
*ADVENT, 2000: RURAL THAILAND*
Epic humidity. Uber-hot spices. Unusual plumbing. Deadly fire ants, spiders the size of hands, roadside cobras.
We are outliers here. Seems we must relearn almost everything: all. day. long. Villagers with pointing fingers, dazzling smiles, and laughter muffled behind a hand, call us farangs: big noses, ghosts, people of white race.
Incrementally, culture shock flattens me: it feels like fallen arches of the soul.
Still, I want to serve God and these gentle people. I try to traverse the winding, red dirt lanes via the Spirit’s leading. As I do, my feet feel 100 years old. And hopelessly gauche. Villagers in flip flops, teammates in sandals—am I the only one wearing socks?
Chronic nerve pain afflicts my left foot, leaving it frigid and bruise-blue. I wear tennis shoes for support, micro crews for warmth. Rusty earth-colored stains ruin my socks. I hate red dirt.
We are here as assistants to the resident missionary, an American, about my age, fluent in Thai. I secretly call her the Advocate. She mediates questions, cultural quagmires, and occasional quarrels, so she’s often unavailable, meaning: we hone our pantomime skills.
In addition to all the Advocate juggles, she’s lovingly bent on keeping us busy.
Party party
The Advocate envisions an all-day birthday party to celebrate Jesus. For Buddhists. Who don’t speak English. She assigns tasks: food, games, clearing the field of rocks.
She turns to me. “Will you supervise the evening program?”
I lean into Lucy’s courage. I try to emulate Mary’s “Yes.”
I nod. Reluctantly.
Lord, I trust you will see me through.
And then . . .
The Advocate asks me to mentor an Earnest Young Convert (I’ll call him EYC). Newly arrived from the city, he might know a dozen English words.
The lad seems born to lead. Independent and aflame with ideas for the program, why wouldn’t he dodge my input? I must look 100 to him. Plus, I’m a farang.
EYC envisions an open mic, ceremonial dances, and a children’s sign language choir complete with white gloves. Thais only. So much for the performing talents of my teammates and yours truly.
The Advocate pats my arm. “You’ll be so good for his development.”
EYC also writes a play, but he declines to discuss it with me, preferring the ease of shared language with the Advocate.
I should not take this personally. But I am (supposedly) in charge.
He does make an effort to connect. Or is it a dare? One afternoon EYC hands me a stick crowned with a knob of meat: mmm-Mmm, barbecued rat.
Somehow, I nibble a corner, pretend it tastes like chicken. Might he trust me now?
I begin to understand the three Wise Men braving foreign cuisine, day after day, during their travels.
Lord, help me collaborate. And help me tread gently.
Into the jungle
Lucy found her sea legs. Mary endured the donkey’s lurching gait. Facing discomfort, with faith, they sallied forth.
Today, map-less, I wander the jungle. I’m supposed to ask a stranger to make costumes for EYC’s play. If only I had a translator.
How dare I impose? It feels like white entitlement. I dread being misunderstood, resented, judged. The errand gnaws at my pride.
But I keep walking. Thanks to the Advocate, colorful cloth overflows my arms. I shift it over a shoulder. Once I reach the seamstress, how will I pantomime, “Please, you don’t know me but will you make traditional costumes, for free, so that children you don’t know can dramatize a Western story you probably don’t want to hear?”
The wind kicks up, and I hug the traditional cloth for warmth. Where am I? All these palm trees appear identical. If I get lost, who will point this hapless farang homeward?
I begin to understand Joseph trudging mile after mile, seeking shelter and welcome among strangers.
Stop, I tell myself. Breathe. Remember Lucy praying aboard ship as terrified crew members manned the oars, desperate to escape the Dark Island.
“[If] ever you loved us at all,” she whispered, “send us help now.”
I second Lucy’s prayer. And watch for snakes.
A clearing . . .
My aching feet finally reach uneven ground where ragged tree stumps make footing dicey. A woman drapes wet laundry over a porch rail.
I step forward, smile, act out my errand. Several times.
A long silence ensues as she studies the fabric, then me. A level, assessing gaze. It feels heavier every second. Finally, she nods. I give her all the colors within my hands. I wish I could pay her.
She chuckles, and I am sharply aware my God has preceded me here, preparing the stage for this interplay. That glimpse dazzles me. I tent my hands, in grateful respect. The woman returns my gesture. Then she points out another red dirt path. I hope it’s a shortcut.
Relief hums through my bones, lightens my steps. I begin to suspect wonder afoot. (To be continued . . .)
FRIENDS, FRIENDS . . . THIS IS WAY-FINDING
*ADVENT, 2021*
THESE DAYS WE ALL INHABIT A STRANGE NEW WORLD NOT OF OUR CHOOSING: perilous, yet still wondrous.
What weighs you down today? What will you release?
***
Editor’s Note: We are excited to present this Advent series by Laurie Klein. Stay tuned! This is Part I of the Advent series Advent*ture in Asia.
Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash
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An enriching accompaniment to Christine Sine’s latest book The Gift of Wonder, our online course will have you remembering childhood stories, doodling for fun, painting on rocks, relearning the awe and wonder of nature walks, and so much more. We invite you to reawaken your inner child and rediscover the depths of awe and wonder that reconnect us to our passionate God who delights in life, celebrates with joy, and exudes a sense of awe and wonder! Click here to sign up for 180 days of access to retreat at your own pace. Don’t have the book yet? Don’t worry… Click here for the book, and click here for all the related resources!
by Christine Sine
This year Advent really wowed me.
It began with preparation for our virtual retreat Walking in Wonder Through Advent (now available as an online course) but my excitement grew as I entered into the celebration of Celtic Advent and now into the more familiar traditional Advent. Wow, wow and wow. It is an incredible story the impact of which often passes us by with hardly a thought. So what excites me so much?
First I am wowed by the Advent beginnings written into the creation of our world. The apostle John expresses this better than anyone:
In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone.14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (John 1:1-4, 14)
God knew even then that the Word would need to become flesh and dwell amongst us. And I think God was slowly preparing the world for that moment from the very beginning. And then it happened. So much hope resting on that tiny baby Jesus conceived in a young unwed peasant girl. At his birth the heavenly hosts couldn’t contain their excitement. They burst into the earthly realm with songs of jubilation.
That is not the only wow of the Advent season though. I am wowed by the faithfulness of those who take centre stage in the Advent story. Mary – willing to obey God even though she knows it could mean alienation from her family and community. Everything and everyone she loved even her life could be lost in that moment of obedience. And Joseph – he too stood to lose reputation and standing in the community. Yet he gave it up, choosing instead to embrace Mary and her unborn child, protecting and obviously loving them both. Recently I read that Joseph did not need to take Mary with him to Bethlehem for the census, and you would think that he would choose to leave such a heavily pregnant woman behind, but he took her on what must have been an incredibly uncomfortable journey, probably because he was afraid of what would happen if he left her behind.
I am wowed too that this incredible story still has as much vibrancy and impact 2000 years later as it did then. It has inspired millions over the centuries–in spite of attempts to suppress or even wipe it out on one hand or to make it into a sugar-coated fairytale on the other. Fresh interpretations expressed in cultures across the globe bring hope and promise to us and to the oppressed and the downtrodden everywhere. One of my vivid memories from my days on the mercy ship M/V Anastasis is of our visit to Poland not long after its release from Russian rule. People were hungry to hear the gospel story. The seeds of faith still lay within many of them, just waiting for new life to emerge.
Last but not least, I am wowed by the incredible ways the Advent story is lived out in so many aspects of our world. Glimmers of the Word made flesh were birthed long before Jesus was born. I think they continue to be seen in the conception and birth of every living creature in creation.
Perhaps you feel that you lack the wow factor this year. It’s hard to wait at the best of times; it can be painful and uncomfortable. Perhaps it means holding grief in one hand and gratitude in the other as Lynne Baab suggests in her book Two Hands – Grief and Gratitude in the Christian Life. Perhaps it means finding an Advent devotional that draws you into the wonder of Advent again. I read two yesterday that have that effect on me: All Creation Waits by Gayle Boss and Advent in Narnia by Heidi Haverkamp. I love what Heidi says in the introduction: Lewis by placing Christianity into another world makes it unfamiliar again. He gives us the chance to feel newfound wonder at the depth of God’s love, the power of Christ’s grace and the totality of his sacrifice, and the wonder of a world infused with the Holy Spirit.
I also revisited my book The Gift of Wonder. To feel a newfound wonder in God’s story is what Advent is meant to be all about. Like me, perhaps you need a daily dose of wonder this year. It is part of the reason we converted our virtual retreat a week ago into an online retreat process. Participants described it as “beautiful and inspiring”; “an incredible gift.” I found listening to the recording again this week just as inspiring and suspect I will return to it several times over the Advent season.
What Wows you about the Advent story? How do you enter into the true joy of its message?
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Prayer cards are available in the shop for many occasions and seasons–from everyday pauses and Lenten ruminations to breath meditations and Advent reflections, enjoy guided prayers and beautiful illustrations designed to delight and draw close. Many are available in single sets, sets of three, and to download–even bundled with other resources!
This week’s contemplative service in the spirit of Taize
A contemplative service with music in the spirit of Taize. Carrie Grace Littauer, prayer leader, with music by Kester Limner and Andy Myers.
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-710-756 with additional notes below:
“Down in the River to Pray” Traditional American spiritual, public domain
Arrangement by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
“In God Alone my Soul (Mon Ame se Repose) — Taizé song” “Within our Darkest Night (Dans Nos Obscurites) – Taizé song” By J. Berthier — copyright 1991, all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé
“Kristus, Din Ande / Jesus, Your Spirit In Us (Banjo version)” Copyright and all rights reserved by GIA/Les Presses de Taizé
“Kyrie” Text and music by Kester Limner, shared under the Creative Commons License, Attribution (CC-BY)
Thank you for praying with us! www.saintandrewsseattle.org
by Christine Sine
Several years ago I wrote a series of litanies for the weeks of Advent that were published in the book Waiting for the Light. I like to revisit these each year and thought I would adapt them for our current situation and repost them once again. (You can also purchase it through Godspacelight with our prayer cards) Enjoy!
Litany for the First Week of Advent
The advent of the Lord is near.
New light dawning where there has been darkness.
The advent of the Lord is near.
New hope reigning where there has been death and despair.
The advent of the Lord is near.
New light, new hope, new life for all creation.
Pause for lighting of the Advent candle
This is a season of preparation,
We prepare for the coming of Christ who broke down the barriers between us and God, each other and God’s creation,
We wait with repentant hearts to prepare the way of the Lord,
This is a season of watchfulness,
We watch for the One who heard our cries and shared the suffering of our world,
We wait in anticipation for God’s light to penetrate the darkness and shine within us,
This is a season of promise,
We wait for the promised coming of Emmanuel, God with us, God for us, God in us.
We wait in hope for our Redeemer to bring God’s love into our broken world,
This is a season of reflection,
We expect to be transformed so that we can serve in God’s kingdom as bearers of light.
We wait expectantly for God’s Savior to come and dwell in our midst,
This is a season of fulfillment,
We await the promise of God’s kingdom: wholeness, reconciliation and plenty for all.
We wait for God’s covenant to be fulfilled, for God’s kingdom to come in its fullness,
This is a season of joyful anticipation,
We anticipate the day when God’s glory will be revealed to all people together.
We wait expectantly attentive to all the signs of Christ’s coming.
Read scriptures for the day from daily lectionary
Lord whose light shines in the darkness,
Have mercy upon us,
Christ whose birth gives hope to all creation
Have mercy upon us,
Lord whose advent brings joy and love,
Grant us peace.
O Eternal One who abides in heaven, may your name be honored and your kingdom come soon. May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give all your people food for today, and forgive us the wrongs we have done, just as we forgive those who have wronged us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Into our troubles and weaknesses,
Into the barren places of our souls, Come O bringer of light,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into the war torn and the refugee,
Into those who live in conflict, Come, O bringer of life,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into the homeless and the unemployed,
Into those who feel abandoned, Come, O bringer of abundance,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into the sick and the disabled,
Into those with COVID and cancer and depression, Come, O bringer of health,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into the poor and the starving,
Into those who are oppressed or abused, Come, O bringer of justice,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into the lives of loved ones,
Into those from whom we are estranged, Come, O bringer of love,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Into our joys and celebrations,
Into our work and our achievements, Come, O bringer of hope,
Come down, come in, come among us and make us whole.
Pause for participants to offer specific prayers and thanksgivings to God
Lord we long for your coming. Hasten the day when those who seek you in every nation will sit at you table. Hasten the day when suffering, pain, sickness, oppression and death will be overcome forever. Hasten the day when we will be resurrected as a multicultural family and live in peace, harmony, joy and love together in your eternal world.
Calm us to wait for the gift of Christ;
Cleanse us to prepare the way for Christ;
Teach us to contemplate the wonder of Christ;
Touch us to know the presence of Christ;
Anoint us to bear the life of Christ. AMEN
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Over the last few years, I have noticed anxiety arising more often in my mind and my body. Perhaps you have, too, since anxiety is one way that humans respond to times of long-lasting stress and we’ve collectively been experiencing the stressors of a global pandemic and increased societal divisions. In addition to a visit to the doctor to regulate my hormones, I have been gathering tools to help me not to worry. One of those tools is gratitude.
In Philippians, Paul invites us to let go of anxiety. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Notice that he says thanksgiving, or gratitude, is part of the alternative to anxiety. Behavioral scientists have observed the truth of the connection Paul makes between the practice of thanksgiving and the lessening of anxiety. How does this work? How does it contribute to peace? As I have practiced gratitude regularly, this is what I notice. Gratitude helps me with anxiety because it grounds me in the present moment rather than the uncertain future or past mistakes. Often, I feel anxious when I feel like the future is out of my control. When I become aware that I am anxious, and begin to practice naming specifically what I am grateful for, it brings me to the present moment. And in the present moment, I find I am safe and I am okay. God is present here. There is goodness and beauty. There are warm cups of tea, thoughtful family members, smells of baking bread, soaking rains, and singing birds.
When I experience challenges and difficulties that lead me to lament or concern, gratitude helps me to also pay attention to what is good. If I feel stuck in the negative possibilities of worry, gratitude provides the balance that I need and reminds me that I can hold both difficulty and goodness at the same time in my life. One need not cancel out the other.
Expressing gratitude reminds me of God’s care both in the present and in the past. As I remember the gifts that God has placed in my life, even in the midst of difficulty, and how I have come through difficulty in the past, I feel assured that my current concerns will be met by God as well. I feel stronger and more hopeful when I think of the people that have journeyed with me, how we navigated challenges, and how I was not left alone in my hardship. Practicing gratitude helps me relax into the belief that God will accompany me through difficulty and continue to provide help and companionship for whatever may come.
Finally, gratitude for creation assures me that I am part of a larger story that goes beyond my own concerns and worries. God and the story of the world have been going long before me and will continue after me. It calms me to know that my story is not at the center of the world or of history. I am held and cared for, and I am part of a much bigger story. Recently, I wandered along a Minnesota creek and wrote these words.
I am grateful for the land of my birth:
the green smell of freshwater lakes,
rolling fields, harvest of golden corn.
Tangy apple cider,
brilliant white birches topped
with autumn yellow,
maples in multiple stages of fall glory.
Brown lobed oak leaves,
sound of trickling water,
lapping waves, vast skies,
fluffy clouds, stacking one on top of another.
And birds…so many birds.
Bald eagle, downy woodpecker,
cardinal, blue jay, sparrow and chickadee,
trumpeter swan, Canada goose,
turkey vulture, hawk.
Crisp chilled autumn air—
hinting at the coming snows.
Prairie being restored plot by plot,
wild turkey flocks
crossing the roads.
Silent gliding through lake
waters in a kayak.
I feel it deep in my bones
How about you? What gifts are you grateful for in this moment? I’d like to invite you to take a moment to breathe deep, and name them.
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