The Word

Psalm 97

The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side.
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
and all the peoples behold his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
those who make their boast in worthless idols;
all gods bow down before him.
Zion hears and is glad, and the towns of Judah rejoice,
because of your judgments, O God.
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
The Lord loves those who hate evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful;
he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

Reflect

Like the psalmist, we often think and speak of the immensity of God. God is the almighty force that controls wind and sea. The heavens and the whole earth “proclaim God’s righteousness.” God is king, a powerful conqueror and ruler who protects God’s people. Though we live centuries after the reign of King David, we are not so different from people then. We want a human leader who has a strong presence — someone who is physically fit, a military strategist, a strong communicator, a skilled debater, financially savvy, and more. So it is not surprising that we often focus on the immensity of God, the power of God, the awe-inspiring reign of God. Nor is it surprising that when the people of God found themselves without a leader or ruler, they began looking to passages like this as predictions of the Messiah. A Messiah who would be victorious in battle, a ruler who would seek justice, a conqueror who would restore Israel to its former glory.

I am always struck by the contrast between the festivities of the Christmas season, both sacred and secular, and the night of Christ’s birth as I imagine it. Of course there are likely some similarities — we experience the haste of preparing for company or getting kids dressed to attend a Christmas Eve service; they experienced the haste of finding a place for Mary to give birth as she cried out in labor pains. But now, we spend much of our time and energy on large and loud celebrations at Christmastime, whereas the first Christmas was a small, intimate moment surrounded by darkness and silence, broken only by the cries of mother and baby.

No one expected this Messiah.

The Messiah, born in a stable, swaddled, and laid in a manger.
God incarnate, in the form of a helpless babe.
The Messiah, crying out to be fed and changed.
God incarnate, not in great strength and power, but in the small, vulnerable form of an infant.

This Messiah was not a king, as we define it.
God incarnate was a poor man with no political power.
This Messiah brought no military victories.
God incarnate broke bread with sinners and healed with a gentle touch.

For the past two years, we have all grieved the loss of large gatherings and boisterous celebrations. But we have also found a blessing in the midst of much grief — the ability to slow down and embrace the small, intimate moments that happen upon us. Maybe we can continue to reframe how we approach the Christmas season as we hopefully return to gatherings in the coming years — appreciating the quiet moments and the little joys as much as the celebrations. We can reframe what kind of king we desire, seeking not powerful persuaders, but gentle and compassionate leaders. We can reframe how we think of God, who approaches us not only in awe-inspiring immensity, but also in small, intimate ways. Let the earth rejoice!

Listen

On Christmas Day – arr. Henry Balcombe (1983-2012)

After four full weeks of Advent preparations, the great festival of Christmas has come once again! The organ music for today is that of unbridled joy – “Joy to the World” and “Go Tell It on the Mountain.”

“Go Tell It On the Mountain” was a slave song in the African-American community from the 19th century. John Wesley Work Jr. is famous for transcribing and compiling this and many slave songs and thereby making them accessible to a wide audience. He was employed by the Fisk University as professor of Latin and history 1904. Afterwards he was appointed to direct the Fisk Jubilee Singers and expertly led that group for years both on campus and in tours around the county. His fine work brought songs of the enslaved African-American community to white audiences around the country. In our current hymnal, this song is found as Hymn 136.

“Joy to the World” is an English Christmas carol written in 1719 by the English minister and hymnwriter Isaac Watts. The carol is based on a Christian interpretation of Psalm 98, Psalm 96 (verses 11 and 12), and chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis (verses 17 and 18). Since the 20th century, “Joy to the World” has been the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.

The pairing of these two treasured carols in this organ composition provides us a chance to reflect on the Joy of the Birth of Christ and our response to that joy from two very different musical traditions.

The Word

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
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
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Reflect

When it was released earlier this year, there was much fuss over the new album by award-winning singer Adele. In the spirit of Isaiah and those who would have been his first audience, my thoughts about Adele at the time of writing are: predictions yet to come true but grounded in previous realities. History kissing hope.

All too often, we limit our theological understanding of Christmas to the “babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.” We love singing about Jesus taking on flesh as we glance at our nativity scenes lit up by fireplaces and Christmas tree lights, imagining a mother and father looking at their newborn with tenderness as sheep and cows are also in awe. The Christ child is indeed Christmas, but so, beloved, is the anticipated return of Christ and the coming reign of God. History kissing hope.

For us who claim Christ, this passage in Isaiah reminds us not only of the revelation of the Messiah in the manger but a glimpse into a cosmic future with the very same Messiah. Today on this Christmas Eve, it’s here: the birth and the belief, the wonder and the waiting, history kissing hope.

Listen

O Little Town of Bethlehem

On Advent 3 we lit the pink candle in the Advent Wreath. Also known as Gaudete Sunday or Rose Sunday (“gaudete” is Latin for “rejoice”), on this Sunday of Joy we focus on the building sense of joy as we await the great festival of Christmas.

The theologian Henri Nouwen described the difference between joy and happiness: while happiness is dependent on external conditions, joy is “the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing—sickness, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death—can take that love away.” Thus joy can be present even in the midst of sadness.

This Christmas Eve, we focus our attention the beloved carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” In many churches, the tune ST. LOUIS is most often paired with this text. This tune was composed by Episcopal priest, Phillip Brooks, in 1868. The alternative tune, FOREST GREEN, provides a more flowing melody to this gentle text and is performed by the Westminster Ringers. In the recording you will notice that the handbells begin with the tune in a minor mode, then move to major. 

Pray

Christmas Eve—the Christ Candle

The children and youth of Westminster were asked to talk about the word gift. This is their response:

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for the most wonderful gift of Jesus. As we celebrate Christmas, we are most grateful for your gift to us.

Serve

Where to Serve in the New Year

The end of one calendar year and the beginning of a new one often leads us to resolve new ways of being, new ways of sharing our blessings with others. The challenge often is knowing how and where to give that support, especially in this time when our patterns of being and doing are being transformed. Each week, the church updates a list at wpc-alex.org/serve of how we may help our local brothers and sisters.

As Advent comes to a close and we celebrate the birth of Christ, we encourage you to take a look and see where you might yourself serve, or where you may direct your prayers on behalf of those who are able to do so. Allow time for this to be a matter of prayer, so that any resolutions that come emerge from a deeper place of listening and desire.

If you have any questions, contact localmission@wpc-alex.org.  

The Word

Luke 1:39-45

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Reflect

Contagious. Because we are currently living through a global pandemic, the word “contagious” may be more readily associated with COVID protocols than with joy. But Luke 1:39-45 is an extraordinary account of the contagiousness of the joy that is spread from Mary, mother of Jesus, to Elizabeth. 

We like to think of the ordinary joy that Elizabeth would have experienced receiving family at this time. She was six months into a pregnancy that she thought would never happen at her age. Being in her second trimester, she was probably feeling pretty good physically, attending to the mundane tasks of the day, whilst inwardly marveling at the miracle that was unfolding inside her. Mary, by contrast, was just starting her pregnancy journey. She probably had morning sickness as she traveled to the hill country. But going to Judea to visit Elizabeth was Mary’s first instinct after learning that Elizabeth, so advanced in years, was also expecting a miracle baby. Such joy must be shared! 

These two pregnancies, both wrought by the Holy Spirit, attracted one another like magnets. The joy rises to a crescendo as Mary enters into the house and greets Elizabeth. So intense is Elizabeth’s joy at seeing Mary that her unborn son leaps within her and she bursts out with a prophetic proclamation that Mary is the mother of her Lord. Surely this was revealed to her by the Holy Spirit, for how else could she have known that Mary was pregnant at this early stage? Elizabeth’s prophesy in turn triggers Mary to burst out in a long and beautiful song, known today as “the Magnificat.” Beginning with a greeting and ending in song, the contagious joy that was shared between these women moves them to glorify God.

In a season of Advent shadowed by the fear and uncertainty of the pandemic, let us look for opportunities to experience and spread joy. Whether by reuniting with family thanks to the vaccine, returning to worship in person, or sharing God’s love with a friend or neighbor, let us pray that our joy, perhaps ordinary, transforms us and those around us. And that it ultimately moves us to worship God in new and extraordinary ways.

Listen

Chant du Berger (Shepherd’s song) arr. Lani Smith (1827-1885)

I can only imagine the fear the Shepherd’s must have felt as they found their slumber disturbed by an Angel! And then, the words of the Angel: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” I’m certain there was much discussion after the Angels departed about what to do next. Of course, Saint Luke tells us that the Shepherds “came with haste [to Bethlehem], and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

Today, Yeri So provides us with a 20th century arrangement of the 19th century German Carol “Chant du Berger.” The original melody came from France (hence the title) however it was German composer Gustav Merkel that harmonized that tune into a Chorale. This quietly joyful tune truly paints a pastoral scene for me. Yeri highlights three distinct colors of our Westminster organ. She begins with the full tone found on the Great (middle keyboard). For dramatic effect, she moves to the Choir (bottom keyboard) about halfway through. Here we hear a sound that employs higher sounds. She concludes her performance with sounds from the Swell (top keyboard). The sounds are soft and sweet; serving to depict the shepherds disappearing in the distance as they journey to Bethlehem.

Pray

Fourth Sunday of Advent—the Candle of Love

The children and youth of Westminster were asked to talk about the word love. This is their response:

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for love. Thank you for the ability to give love as well as to receive it.

Serve

Donate Food to ALIVE!

Did you know that ALIVE! (Alexandrians Involved Ecumenically) provides 30,000 pounds of food to those facing food insecurity locally? The next time you go shopping, pick up just a few of these items and drop them into the bins in the parking lot lobby (open on Sundays during worship, and business hours during the week). 

It’s by a “little bit here, and a little bit there” that they can provide food by the thousands, so please join the wise men in leaving gifts at the manger by donating food to the bins in the Christ’ child’s name.  

ALIVE! Food needs:

The Word

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflect

I don’t know about you, but this past year has felt anything but peaceful. Many of us continue to face rocky waters even as we might glimpse that ever-so-desired light at the end of the tunnel. Storms and natural disasters physically and emotionally shake our world. Global pandemic still overwhelms us. Fear and violence are ever present in our society. With these troubles in mind, one might wonder how it is that we could feel any Peace. Indeed, on the surface, it would seem much more realistic to be consumed by worry or at worst, feel totally out of control.

But Paul tells us that we ought not to worry about anything, for God’s Peace will guard our hearts and minds. As someone who likes to be in control, this is a challenging statement for me. I have particular trouble letting go, and even more trouble finding Peace about it. In my search for that deep Peace over the last few years, however, I have often turned to God with this simple breath prayer, particularly in moments of deep spiritual turmoil: 

(Breathe in) God, I give you my mind, body, and spirit…  

(Breathe out) …for Peace and healing.

Sometimes, I will repeat this prayer over and over for several minutes. The more those words become connected with my breath, the more I feel the Peace of the Holy Spirit settling in on my heart. In a sense, I feel like I am breathing in God’s Peace. 

You might find yourself skeptical of the power of prayer when things seem so out of control. As we prepare for the Birth of Christ, brothers and sisters, I encourage you to find ways of experiencing God’s Peace, in both moments of turmoil and moments of tranquility. 

Paul calls us to pray with supplication and thanksgiving. 

What does that prayer look like for you? 

How does God bring you to experience Peace amidst the chaos? 

How can we share that Peace with others, whether it be Passing of the Peace in a service or passing by someone on the street? 

Peace of Christ, to all! May the Peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, today and always. Amen.

Listen

Meditation on “Veni Emmanuel” – John Scriveyner

These familiar words from scripture inspired Baroque composer George Frederick Handel to include them in his oratorio, Messiah. Oratorios are musical compositions for choirs, soloists, and orchestras. Most

The hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (tune: VENI EMMANUEL) gives us a joyous way to conclude our season of Advent. Historically, the western church has used the Great “O Antiphons” as a part of prayers services during the final seven days of the season. They are referred to as the “O Antiphons” because the title of each one begins with the vocative particle “O”. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture. They are:

17 December: O Sapientia (O Wisdom)
18 December: O Adonai (O Lord)
19 December: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)
20 December: O Clavis David (O Key of David)
21 December: O Oriens (O Dayspring)
22 December: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations)
23 December: O Emmanuel (O With Us is God)

In today’s recording, Yeri So has prepared a beautiful chorale prelude on this beloved tune. You will notice her hands using the upper keyboard (swell) of the Westminster Organ. This keyboard is used for expressive playing. The pipes are located in a chamber to the left of the choir. Behind the silver fabric are a series of ‘shades.’ These open and close (as directed by the organist) to allow more or less sound from the chamber into the Sanctuary. Throughout the chorale prelude, the shades are open, save the final chord. If you listen closely, you can hear a faint squeak as Yeri closes the shade to make the sound fade.

Pray

Third Sunday of Advent—the Candle of Joy

The children and youth of Westminster were asked to talk about the word joy. This is their response:

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us joy. Help us to give joy to others, especially to those who need it more than we do.

Serve

Send a Christmas Card to Spirit Lake

Since 2001, Westminster has maintained a relationship with the Bdecan Presbyterian Church on Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in North Dakota. As part of that relationship, we have sent mission teams, conducted Vacation Bible School, and helped support Bdecan’s food pantry and clothing closet. We also provide scholarship funds to students attending the Candeska Cikana Community College, a tribal college located on the reservation. 

This has been a challenging year for the Bdecan church, with the death of longtime members and medical challenges facing the ministry’s program coordinators, Rosie and Bob Helland. Please consider sending our sisters and brothers at Bdecan a Christmas card or greeting, and identify yourself as being from Westminster when you do. Their address is: PO Box 141 Tokio, ND 58379.

The Word

Malachi 3:1-4

See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Reflect

When we hear the word “pure,” we often imagine something that began clean and has never been otherwise. Pure water flows from the spring of a wild mountain stream. The pure innocence of a child has not yet been tested by the cares of the world. Eden was pure in the early days of creation, and the Psalmist likewise asks God to “create in me a clean heart.”

At Christmas, this quality of perpetual purity is an element of the celebration of Mary. Several of our most treasured carols – “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing;” “O Come, All Ye Faithful;” “Silent Night” – don’t even mention Mary by name, describing her only as “the virgin.” Some Christian churches profess the doctrine that Mary remained pure for her entire life, both before and after the birth of Christ.

That standard may be attainable by the mother of God, but what about the rest of us sinners? It’s not every Sunday that we can bring our offerings to church in righteousness. For us, Malachi brings words of reassurance: God does not only come for those who are already pure; God makes us pure. The prophet likens this to refinement, which drives out impurity and leaves only what is precious and valuable. A people that was once righteous, in days gone by, shall become so again. This is good news!

The trial, though, is whether we can stand when God appears. After a time of preparation, the Lord will come suddenly. In Handel’s Messiah, this text from Malachi is set to some of the most frenetic and intense music in the oratorio. The baritone sings of the refiner’s fire, and the music paints the rising and leaping flames.

Those whom God touches by fire, however, are made clean by that fire to do God’s work. “Woe is me,” said Isaiah, “for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!” But God sent an angel to touch Isaiah’s mouth with a fiery coal, preparing Isaiah to prophesy. At Pentecost, too, the tongues of flame over the apostles’ heads were a sign of the Holy Spirit. This Advent, may God appear to us, even as a refiner’s fire, to make our hearts pure and ready to receive Christ incarnate.

Finish, then, Thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee.

Listen

“Thus Saith the Lord” & “But who may abide” from Messiah

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.  
Haggai 2:6-7

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s fire.
Malachi 3:1-2

These familiar words from scripture inspired Baroque composer George Frederick Handel to include them in his oratorio, Messiah. Oratorios are musical compositions for choirs, soloists, and orchestras. Most often, they are used to retell biblical stories from the Old Testament. Messiah, as the title suggests, retells the story of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. It is divided into three parts. Part the First quotes bible passages regarding the prophecy and nativity of Our Lord. Part the Second focuses on his passion and resurrection. The final section, Part the Third, reminds us of our promised life eternal. The word oratorio comes from the Latin verb orare, to pray (hence oratory). The musical composition was named from the kind of musical services held in the church of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Rome. In this devotional, Dr. Ben & Chris Hagan have prepared the fifth movement of Handel’s Messiah for you. In it you will hear Handel’s musical depiction of the Lord “shaking the heavens.” To paint this text, he employs the musical device, melisma, a group of notes sung to one syllable of text.

Pray

Second Sunday of Advent—the Candle of Peace

The children and youth of Westminster were asked to talk about the word peace. This is their response:

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us peace. May we find it within ourselves and help give it to others.

Serve

Reach out to PC(USA) Mission Coworker, Paula Cooper

Jesus emphasized love of neighbor and invites us to have a more global sense of what it means to be a neighbor. At Westminster, we practice his teaching by extending our love and care beyond our local and national boundaries. This Advent, consider sending a Christmas email to Paula Cooper, whom WPC supports as the Presbyterian Church (USA) mission co-worker based in Zambia. As regional liaison for East Central Africa, Paula facilitates PC(USA) relationships with partner churches and institutions in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia, where the church is growing rapidly, and pastoral training and leadership development are of major concern. The pandemic has imposed particular burdens on her ministry. 

Paula may be reached by email at paula.cooper@pcusa.org, and you may copy internationalmission@wpc-alex.org, so that we may echo your well wishes.

The Word

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Reflect

Joining or starting or belonging to a new community, no matter what age you may be, can be invigorating. Church provides a very unique venue in doing so: like Paul and the Thessalonians, who faced intergenerational opportunities for spreading good news despite trials and tribulation.

As they discovered long ago just after Jesus’ life, trying to start new paths call us to look for learning; look for the possibility for growth. At first not all that well received, the new community at Thessalonia looked for pain’s possibilities. Paul called them to be alert. When faced with change and upheaval they were to look for the good; to render thanks.

Being in community strengthens and encourages us in faith. Trials are our common lot but we are to lean into faith, which consoles. Paul and those of the new community in Thessalonia didn’t idle during great trials but allowed loss to evolve into gain. Their failures led to learning.

So share your breastplates of faith with one another and discover threads of courage and light; the flickers of hope for tomorrow.

Listen

Savior of the Nations, Come

“Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland” (English: “Savior of the Nations, Come”) is a Lutheran chorale of 1524 with words written by Martin Luther. The chorale was used as the prominent hymn for the first Sunday of Advent for centuries. The tune – simple and beguiling – fits perfectly with this season of preparation for the great Feast of the Nativity. 

From God’s heart the Savior speeds;
back to God his pathway leads;
out to vanquish death’s command,
back to reign at God’s right hand.

Now your manger, shining bright,
hallows night with newborn light.
Night cannot this light subdue;
let our faith shine ever new.

Praise we sing to Christ the Lord,
virgin’s son, incarnate Word!
To the holy Trinity
praise we sing eternally.

This week’s recording is of this tune played on the Westminster Organ. Verse 1 is just the melody and showcases the foundation stops in the positiv division. Verse 2 is performed on the Oboe. Verse 3 is a choral prelude by German Baroque composer Dietrich Buxtehude. Verse 4 returns to only the melody and features our “chiffy” flute: the small percussive sound at the beginning of each note is a “chiff,” and is cause by the sudden rush of air into the pipe.

Pray

First Sunday of Advent—the Candle of Hope

The children and youth of Westminster were asked to talk about the word hope. This is their response:

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us hope. 

Serve

Support the Alternative Giving Bazaar

As a part of your Advent devotion, we encourage you to participate in this year’s Alternative Giving Bazaar, which supports the essential needs of the children of the United Orphanage and Academy (Moi’s Bridge, Kenya) and those served by our other local, national and international mission partners, as well as the Westminster Community Grant program.

To participate, go to wpc-alex.org/agb, where you will find videos and introductions to these partners and how your support enables their mission. Or visit the AGB display (and potentially pick up some goodies) when you attend in-person worship the weeks of December 5 and 12.