Beloved and Blessed

A blessing for today:

May the spirit of God rest gently upon you, and may you hear God's voice saying to you,

"You are my daughter.  You are my son.  You are my beloved child.  With you I am well pleased."

Go into the world, carrying this assurance of love to all whom you meet.  AMEN

Part 2: The Work of Christmas Begins

The Work of Christmas Begins

Work of Christmas Begins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Howard Thurman (adapted)

"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…

And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.

The message of the Feast of Epiphany announces to all people, everywhere:

Rise up in splendor…your light has come,
The Glory of the Lord shines upon you!

Let the work of Christmas begin, and let it begin with you."

A vlog: 8 Minutes of Christmas Joy!

Thanks, Kristina for sharing this vlog with us.  What we looked like in 2019...  Enjoy!

Hello, 

Here is a video I’ve just posted of footage I filmed last year at St Philip’s [...] In my opinion it is 8 minutes of Christmas *Joy*.

I invite you to share it far and wide, as you see fit, I hope it will bring people joy over Christmas.

Blessings, Kristina 

For when the world seems dark

An Advent Prayer

In this Advent of isolation, we light the candle of Hope

and pray for all of those facing despair, displacement and loneliness.  May they find comfort and joy.

In this Advent of uncertainty, we light the candle of Peace

and pray for your Spirit to calm our anxious hearts, and those of our siblings around the world.

In this Advent of mourning, we light the candle of Joy

and give thanks for the comfort that comes from knowing Christ, even when we are worn out and weary.

In this Advent of division, we light the candle of Love

and pray that we may draw together in unity and mission, remembering that we are all together in service.

Lord, as we expectantly long for the coming of Christ may we be open our hearts with compassion and care and may our prayers and deeds serve to heal a broken world.

(A prayer provided by CLWR.)