http://doroteos2.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/the-story-of-yuletide-carol/
Dan Dick has written much about Christmas this month. Some has really challenged us. It often has connected with what I have been thinking. This week, he has written a very personal story that is very moving. This is a really worthwhile read, which I have been recommending to all my friends. I’m so thankful for Dan Dick’s writing!
Longest Night Service
From Tuesday- December 21, 2010
First United Methodist Church of West Allis
One of the first services I helped design after being certified as a Lay Servant in the United Methodist Church was the Longest Night Service at First Church in 2010. As it turned out, I had pneumonia and was unable to be there, but the experience was a focus to my discipleship in 2010 and throughout 2011.
Call to Worship: Isaiah 26: 1b-6
We have a strong city, Salvation City, built and fortified with salvation.
Throw wide the gates so good and true people can enter.
People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole,
steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit.
Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing.
Those who lived high and mighty he knocked off their high horse.
He used the city built on the hill as fill for the marshes.
All the exploited and outcast peoples build their lives on the reclaimed land. (The Message)
Opening Prayer:
With responses from Isaiah 40:31 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16
One: Sometimes we are so depressed we think we may need
psychiatric intervention.
All: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles.
One: But sometimes we see only black and blue thoughts. The deeper
we get into the holiday season, the sadder we get.
All: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles.
One: Even when we are called to live a life of joy, sometimes we see
circumstances that are dark and gloomy.
All: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles.
One: Sometimes we feel so alone.
All: Rejoice always!
One: Sometimes we feel our health failing and our bodies growing old,
and we feel we have nothing anymore!
All: Rejoice always!
One: Sometimes we are so deep in grief, grief is all we see. We are so
tired of pretending to be joyful! We feel like we have to pretend
to be Christmas-y!
All: Rejoice always!
One: Sometimes we know we will get over this hump, but we need the
prayers of many others. We need the gentle hugs and the
attentive ears of our brothers and sisters.
All: Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They
will soar on wings like eagles.
Lord, teach us to remember to pray for others. May we be so
bound up in love with those for whom we pray that we may
feel their needs as acutely as our own and intercede for them
with sensitivity, with understanding and with imagination.
We ask this in Christ’s name. Amen. (byJohn Calvin)
I missed the Longest Night service in 2010, but as it was occurring, I received an email request from a woman in another state, asking me to pray for a woman in California, a woman who was contemplating suicide. I quickly passed on the scripture references for the Longest Night worship, and some comments from my message for that night, to this woman in another state. My laryngitis was so bad that night, that I could not speak to her on the phone. My breathing was so bad that I was exhausted by writing and praying my prayers. She was moved by the words (which she could read, or have read to her, even as I was speechless), and she finally contacted me from a hospital. A prayer relationship began that night, and continues to this day. I have long felt that I was where God wanted me to be on December 21, 2010. I sometimes feel sorry for myself at having missed that worship service, when I was to deliver my first official sermon as a Lay Servant. But I thank God for using me in a way that reminds me of where I am to truly be in my ministry.
Scripture Lessons:
Psalm 103: A David Psalm
O my soul, bless GOD. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name!
O my soul, bless GOD, don’t forget a single blessing!
He forgives your sins—every one. He heals your diseases—every one. He redeems you from hell—saves your life! He crowns you with love and mercy—a paradise crown. He wraps you in goodness—beauty eternal. He renews your youth—you’re always young in his presence.
God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet. He showed Moses how he went about his work, opened up his plans to all Israel. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins. As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we’re made of mud. Men and women don’t live very long; like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, but a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, leaving nothing to show they were here. God’s love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, making everything right for them and their children as they follow his covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.
God has set his throne in heaven; he rules over us all. He’s the King! So bless God, you angels, ready and able to fly at his bidding, quick to hear and do what he says. Bless God, all you armies of angels, alert to respond to whatever he wills. Bless God, all creatures, wherever you are— everything and everyone made by God. And you, O my soul, bless God! (The Message)
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(The Message)
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(The Message)
1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (The Message)
Matthew 10:29-31
What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. (New Living Translation)
Response:
One: This is the illuminating Word of God.
All: For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from
my youth.
Hymn: “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” Hymnal Supplement
(verses 1 & 2) The Faith We Sing, No. 2146
Message: “A Revival of Hope”
Ministry Through Music:
Vocal solo
I often hear the music from this service I missed—echoing in my minds’ ear.
Lighting the Advent Candles
One: We light the candle of Hope as we await the coming of
Jesus, who is our source of hope. (first candle is lit)
All: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of hope, in our times of
emptiness and Darkness.
One: We light the candle of Peace, knowing that Jesus is the
Prince of Peace. (second candle is lit)
All: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of peace in our times of
uncertainty and fear.
One: We light the candle of Joy, knowing that our comfort and help come from God. (third candle is lit)
All: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of joy in our times of
sadness and Grief.
One: We light the candle of Love, knowing that God is love
revealed to us in Jesus Christ. (fourth candle is lit)
All: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of love in our times of
loneliness.
One: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God.
All: The Word became flesh and lived among us, full of
grace and truth.
One: In him was life, and that life was the light of all. We know that
Jesus is our hope, our peace, our joy and the source of love.
Lighting our own Candles
All who wish, may come forward to light a candle in memory of someone, in prayer, or as a sign of hope – it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. During the lighting, we will sing “Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel.”
Hymn: “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” Hymnal No. 211
(verses 1, 5, and 6)
The Christmas Story: Luke 2: 1-20
Hymn: “Silent Night” Hymnal No. 239
(verses 1 and 3)
Benediction:
One: Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can
overwhelm. Stay with us, Lord, for it is evening, and the day is
almost over. Let your light scatter the darkness and shine on your
people. Renew our Hope. Alleluia!
All: and Amen.
This Year, I will be at the Longest Night worship as the Liturgist.
I look forward to hugs and opportunities to smile with friends and strangers. I look forward to new echoes of O, Come, O come, Emmanuel!
“Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel”
I wrote this meditation at a Lay Servants Teach Adults class at Salem United Methodist 
Church on January 27, 2010. I was leading a study on Luke 4:1-13 as my teaching assignment. I included an exercise for 14 adults, most over 45 years old, to write an impromptu poem inspired by the text. After some initial protests, all of them participated with enthusiasm. For many of us, the small published book of the poetry created that night is a cherished possession.
Temptation and Word
Lumbering and lazing along Lake Michigan,
Alone on an early morning path I’ve walked
Many days alone and many days in community,
Today alone,
My morning podcasts wind and wire ’round me,
Up to my ears–then tunneling toward mind and soul.
Money Matters, composers of the day, and
Deuteronomy on audio, Global Economics and
High Tech and political gabbing.
I listen to Deuteronomy,
Then pause the audio,
Lunging, leaping some, lifting my walk intensity.
I pause to pray and listen before Luke.
I lift my pace and lift my eyes,
Not a desert here but lonely lake this morning, as the
Sun shines embers over the lake,
Lonely, glistening, living Son.
My thoughts shift,
Dreams of money,
Lusts, power-craving.
Ego? Is it lonely, lack-of-confidence?
All-About-Me?
Can I respond with Your Word?
What did I miss in Deuteronomy today? I drifted.
Was it there for me, and I missed it?
That Me-First-Feeling again: How can I reply?
I laze again, lessen my pace,
Listen.
You grant the Wisdom of Your Word
When I stop,
When I listen,
When I love Your Word.
—-Tom Bolton, Salem, WI, January 27, 2010
I published a little book in 2010 with the products of that exercise. I would love to share the other poems, because they turned out so well! The poems were all composed in a ten minute exercise as part of a study of Luke 4:1-13 during a practicum session in the the third week of Lay Leaders Teach Adults on that snowy, cold January Wednesday. There was much grumbling and many fearful looks as I explained the assignment. But everyone finished–even the older man, a car mechanic, who explained he had NEVER written a poem. Each was excited to share his or her poem and each was anxious to have me add it to the book. Beautiful!
We use a different part of our brains, and engage our spirits, when we contemplate Scriture with poetry. The words flow and the thoughts gel in a whole new way. I love it.
We had a Missions Celebration Event throughout the Wisconsin United Methodist Church this month. I was really invigorated by the message of Dr. Thomas Kemper, who is the general secretary of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM). It is exciting to me that he is a lay leader and that he is from Germany rather than the US, giving some emphasis to the global in GBGM.
“We think it’s all about money, but it’s about people, giving of ourselves,” Kemper said. As Christ sends his people into the harvest, which Jesus describes as “plentiful,” he said, “Let us work together that so the Kingdom of God is right at the doorsteps of people we meet and serve.”
I really appreciated his emphasis on ministry with, rather than ministry to or ministry for the poor. Dr. Kemper used a new video that was fantastic at making this very point.
http://www.ministrywith.org/download/intro_video.mp4
With* is a United Methodist campaign to raise awareness, educate, and inspire people around Ministry with the poor . With*, including a website, which provides resources for learning, mobilizing, connecting, and engaging with ministries and people to eradicate poverty. The goal is :
1) to create a space for visitors to encourage, share with, and challenge one another as we transform how we view and talk about “the poor” and
2) to go out and transform communities.
Ministry with the Poor is about answering Jesus’ call to discipleship in God’s mission of love and justice. Following Jesus’ example of servant leadership, those who enjoy greater privilege are called to listen to, learn from, walk humbly with, and empower those at society’s margins. We are called to work as partners with the marginalized in eradicating poverty and transforming this world into a just and caring Kingdom of God.
The video is great, and it made me aware that some of the most effective missions I see in action, do have this emphasis on *with.
Click on the video link above.
It was very moving for me.
I believe that the cold weather intervention on the south side of Milwaukee exemplifies this principle very well. http://tippechurch.org/DivineInterventionColdWeatherMinistry.dsp
With a committed, small group of people, in discipleship with Jesus, wonderful ministries are happening.
I wrote this while at a Faith Alive retreat at the Moravian Converence Center in Mt Morris, Wisconsin, in September 2011.
We were contemplating thoughts involving inclusiveness, and looking for new thoughts (new to us individually) about theology.
I have struggled through Job over the years, and this just seemed to flow for me.
Originally, I wrote for 15 minutes as an essay, and suddenly, the words just looked like a poem, so I shifted and started over that morning.
Like a Moth and a Flame, or Not
I hear Job. He bellows and seethes and
from his tear and chastisement, he erupts.
What is fair and what is not?
Am I burned by God now?
The law, the comfortable, legalistic disciplines
(sometimes)
I am pulled there (sometimes)
Too often?
Like the moth drawn to the candle–
first in small flame, and then–surprise –in big flames–
The moth doesn’t think (does it?)
as it sees the brightness and anticipates the warmth
and may be burned.
But things seem to happen all around me this day.
Unjust
Unfair!
hurtful things
Happening to strangers and people I love (moths?)
I blow up (or fret)
God, how can you do that?
Why do you allow that?
Is this your way?
And then I remember (for a while at least)
that sometimes these dangers and
the hurt that happens,
Happen
when we–mere men–tell God
to judge, tell God how how to judge.
Ah, I remember now–to listen,
to bask in the love, the comfort, the soft-bright
Hope of God.
I recall–at an instinct–that God is with us–
close and comforting, hugging and caressing,
lighting us up and guiding
Toward the gentle, beautiful Path in the light,
and not pushing us off the path.
Not shoving me out.
Not burning us.
In our dark moments, we may light the flames
that consume.
Creating God lights the the flames that produce:
Light and comfort-
Illumination and warmth,
Light in the loving moments.
As the flame burns to ash, we are moths, unthinking,
(or thinking too much?)
And the New Flame is softly torched, warm, and vital,
inviting.
–Tom Bolton 9-18-2011 Mt Morris, WI
Like Job, I often blow up about what is fair and what seems unfair. On the one hand, I am pulled toward the law and legalistic discipline like a moth to a candle; I don’t think the moth thinks much about the flame, but it sees the brightness and is drawn toward the warmth, and may be burned. But when bad things–unfair, unjust, hurtful things–happen to people (or moths), I blow up (or I fret) about how could God DO that?
And then I am reminded of the dangers and the hurt that happens when we–mere men–tell God to judge, tell God how to judge. Then, I may remember to listen, to bask in the love, the comfort, the bright Hope of God.
I wrote a good bit more about God and flames and consuming versus comforting production, but I think the poetry is better, and shorter! When the flame burns to ash, we are the moth, unthinking. Or thinking too much?
I read Patrick Morley’s post last week at Michael Hyatt‘s Intentional Leadership blog. He says “Everyone knows we have a “men problem.” You can hear about it on CNN, read about it in the New York Times, and watch the destruction it creates on Dr. Phil.
The stats are jarring. For example, 80 percent of men are so emotionally impaired that not only are they unable to express their feelings, but they can’t even identify their feelings. The collateral damage is staggering. One-third of America’s 72 million children will go to bed tonight in a home without a biological dad.
“But perhaps the greatest cost to the physical absence of dads is the practical absence of moms. Essentially, one person must now do the work of two. A young woman said, ‘When my mom and dad divorced, I didn’t just lose my dad. I lost my mom, too, because she had to work long hours to support us.'”
It made me reflect on some of the ministries I have pursued over the past ten years, because of my observation that there are few male role models in Sunday School classes for young children and tweens, for instance. That led me to teach 4th and 5th graders and to help with Junior Church. It led me to work on Parent’s Night Out and to help design the Seder Meal day in our worship. It led me to learn how to work with bigger varieties of youth and to “just be out there, praising God publicly.”
Morley observes that we have many ministries and social programs that deal with the consequences of men failing—teenage crisis pregnancy centers, prison ministries, and rehab programs, for instance. Truly we will always need pregnancy centers and prison ministries. Unfortunately! Morey asks, “wouldn’t it be great if we could go upstream and devote some resources to help men get it right before there were “babies in the river?” Cancer treatments are essential, but how much better to prevent cancer in the first place?”
Like Morely, I am thankful for the models and mentors who helped me over the years–men like Tom Brown and Gerry Cheske. But I wonder if a program like Morely envisions would make a difference. I am inclined to believe it will.
I’m hopeful, that my new group at First Church —Learners Leaders and Relationships–may make a difference too–with young and old leaders–as we develop relationships like the one between Timothy and Paul.
I wrote this poem when I was co-leading a youth mission trip last summer. We usually think about Samuel when we read the stories about him, but I was thinking about Eli one morning, and about being a father/encourager of youth:
As Eli, Restore Me, a Parent
These days in the Psalms,
Not just in funeral meditation, but
Comforted, Truly restored, Daily restored in the Psalms
Of our Lord,
I seize refreshment.
I yearn for restoration, joy and glowing in the Lord.
Possessing, seeing provision, peaceful,
Pardoned, always pardoned—so near to restoration—
And Partnered, Prepared, and praised by my Father,
Pardoned and prepared—for Paradise.
Am I here as Eli,
Surrounded by new and also known
Samuels and Sammies?
Have I come here as Eli—
More a priest, and now pulled back again
As a parent?!!
Am I now restored to Give my children
in service with a thankful heart?
These Samuels again are prophets so
Often—the fresh mouth-piece of our Lord.
Was I Eli so often?
Have I missed the focus with my kin,
In my daily work clans?
My expectation too modest?
My example—what is it I live?
Do I show it?
Do I walk the path with the visible gait
of going with God? Am I too tied
up in the trappings of career and rite?
Is my job today to listen to Sammy, to help
her practice, to obey?
To help him assume the position—to be quiet
and listen to our Lord?
To help them be proximate, embraced by God!
Lord, help me to see, to guide and coach the
Next Wave of Prophets.
Restore me Lord, a Father.
–Tom Bolton June 29, 2010
Hopeful 