Author: lakewooducc

Advent Devotion 2: Naughty or Nice?

The season of preparation for Christmas brings to mind an image of Santa looking at a list with two columns:  Naught or Nice.  And in each column are lists of names;  those who are considered and those who are considered nice.  And the assumption is that those who are on the naughty list do not get toys, candy, and treats for Christmas.  Maybe they get a lump of coal, something hard and dirty.  Yuck!  And those on the nice list?  Well, they DO get toys, sweets, and treats.  This concept of the naughty and nice is often used by parents in the lead up to Christmas to get their kids to behave:  Put away your clean laundry or Santa won’t bring you any toys at Christmas. . . 

Today is World AIDS Day, and we know since the 1980’s when AIDS erupted on the public health scene, there was definitely a “naughty and nice” list associated with this horrific disease.  When AIDS became prevalent in this country among people who were gay or intravenous drug users, the message became clear:  Those who got this deadly disease, well, they were naughty.  Not deserving of needed health care.   Ostracized.  Blamed for their condition.  Not given much sympathy.  Or, more importantly, funding for treatments and cures.  

This is a season to prepare for the birth of Jesus.  And Jesus doesn’t withhold love or blessing or food or healing from anyone because they are naughty.  And he doesn’t grace anyone with his saving presence because they are nice.  Jesus freely offers his healing love to everyone simply because they are human beings, children of God, and therefore beloved.  There is no naughty or nice list with Jesus.

We see this in the Magnificat.  In this song, God is praised for choosing Mary, who was a nobody, poor, from the sticks, and a woman, to be part of the plan to transform reality through Jesus.   She would not have been on anyone’s list to receive any kind blessing from God.  She would not have had most-favored status in the first century.  

Time for another list:  Who is on your ‘naughty’ list?  Who you consider ‘less than’?  Who do you look down on?  Who do you consider not worthy of favor or blessing?  Who do you view with distaste?  Maybe you have to dig a bit but who is on your naughty list?

Prayer:  This Advent season, may we work on tearing up our ‘naughty and nice’ lists and remember that God sent Jesus to bless the whole world and everyone in it.  Amen. 

Devotion prepared by Rev. Kim P. Wells

Advent Devotion 1: Making a List

Greetings, and welcome to Advent!  This is a season of preparation for the celebration of Christmas.  And it begins today though most stores don’t seem to realize that and have had Christmas items displayed since Halloween.

Now, some of us, when preparing for something big, make a list.  Or even more than one, depending on the nature of the initiative ahead.  I realize that for some, the idea of making a list is not typical go-to.  I have people like that in my family.  It’s inscrutable to me, how they get anything done, but they do.  

The coming of Jesus is the inauguration of an initiative transforming the world according to God’s intentions for Creation.  That’s a big undertaking!  And, well, maybe making a list might help us to prepare for what the imagination of Divine Love is up to in the birth of Jesus.   

We imagine Santa making a list of gifts for every child, every person.  Maybe you could take a few minutes to make a list – in your mind or on paper or on your phone or on your computer – of the hopes and dreams that you imagine would bring us closer to Divine intentions for reality.  We believe God come to humanity in Jesus to save us.   What gifts is God giving us through Jesus today?  

At Lakewood Church this season, we are focusing on the Magnificat, the song of Mary in Luke 1: 46-55.  [You might want to put a bookmark in your Bible at the Magnificat.  We’ll be revisiting it throughout this season.]  In the Magnificat, Mary outlines a vision of what God is doing through the birth of Jesus to bless the world, to save the world.  What things are on the list in the Magnificat?  How does that list compare to yours?

Prayer:  This Advent season, may our lists reflect God’s gifts to us in Jesus.  Amen.  

Devotion prepared by Rev. Kim. P Wells

Harvest Ahead

Each year the church invites everyone in the church family to fill out and return a Harvest form.   The forms are an opportunity to enumerate all the organizations and causes that you support with your time or your donations.  All of the information will be tabulated and reported on Thanksgiving Sunday as a way of celebrating and giving thanks for the extensive ministry of the church.  Forms are available at the church.  And at the website.  Please turn them in by Wednesday November 19.  They can be put in the offering plate on Sunday, sent in the mail, or emailed to the church at lakewooducc@gmail.com.  Many thanks for being part of this wonderful celebration of all that God is doing in our midst!

Form may be downloaded by clicking HERE.

Urgent Help Needed for Disaster Relief Efforts

Dear Friend: On October 28th, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, one of the most powerful and destructive Category 5 storms on record in the Caribbean. Its devastation also impacted Haiti and Cuba. Presently, 13,000 people in Jamaica remain in shelters and 34 fatalities have been reported – a number that is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. Authorities in Haiti report 25 fatalities, with that number also expected to rise in the coming days.  At this time, we are issuing an appeal to help immediate and long-term recovery efforts in these Caribbean countries. The primary needs at this recovery stage are shelter, safe drinking water, sanitation, healthcare and food. Please consider making a donation to support our recovery efforts. Your generous support will be used by our partners in the areas of greatest need.Through ACT Alliance and Church World Service, the UCC is working to get resources for those who need them.Through Global Ministries, we are also in contact with our partners in Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti and are working quickly to accompany and support their response efforts.The UCC has posted a prayer and a short statement in response to the hurricane. Please consider making a gift today. Thank you for your past support of disaster relief efforts that have rebuilt communities around the world. We do this work through your generosity.
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Sincerely,Michelle CarverPhilanthropy Director