Prince of Peace?

We still laugh when we think about it. Our first Christmas together came during my internship year at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. It had been a busy week. In truth, it was crazy. There were parties and get-togethers, church activities, Sunday School Christmas program and some gift wrapping. On Christmas Eve we had two services, the latter one at the traditional 11:00 p.m. There was also a Christmas morning service, which seemed to come too early.

By the time we got home from church on Christmas Day, we were both exhausted. We looked at all the fixings and trimmings we had readied for our first Christmas dinner and could not muster the energy to cook. Instead, we went to bed and slept for a good part of the day.

When we awoke from our naps (slumber would be a better description), we each felt as if we had been run over by a herd of the shepherd’s sheep. For dinner, my wife pulled a box of fish sticks from the freezer and served them with spaghetti because that is what was pictured on the front of the box.

For a moment or two we wondered if that congregation had been misnamed. Perhaps it should have been called Prince of Chaos, Prince of Busy, Prince of Perpetual Motion, or Prince of Exhaustion. But, there really is no better name than Prince of Peace.

This Christmas, before you are too tired to appreciate the magnitude of God's incomprehensible gift, hear and celebrate the good news:

For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6, NRSV)

On behalf of Bishop Gary Wollersheim and the entire staff of the Northern Illinois Synod, I wish you a very Merry Christmas! --JC

Longest Night

As I write this, the sun is shining brightly down on a cold winter day. The cloudless sky is a bright blue. The snow is glistening. It is a beautiful morning.

The beauty of this day will pass all too quickly into the darkness of night. The sun will set this afternoon at 4:25 p.m. It is that time of year when so many people drive to work in the dark and return home again in the dark. The days are way too short for my liking.

It is no coincidence that the Advent wreath comes to its full blazing glory around the shortest day of the year. The light shines in the darkness and we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

For some people, the darkness of this time of year and the emotional burdens of Christmas are difficult to bear. I was thinking about this as we decorated our Christmas tree. Each and every ornament of our collection has a meaning. They mark milestones in our lives. Each one has a story connected to it. They recall happy times. I cannot imagine decorating our tree with these ornaments if my family had suffered a death or tragedy, major illness, or some other trauma. Recalling happy times in the midst of sad times can be terribly painful.

In recent years, I have noted an increasing number of congregations offering a “Blue Christmas” service. I think it is a wonderful idea that is sensitive to the needs of those who find celebrating Christmas burdensome. The worship service is planned for a day close to Christmas and includes a message that brings the love of God and the hope of Jesus Christ without the tinsel and the implied “Cheer up, it’s Christmas!”

Personally, I don’t like the “Blue Christmas” label. It simply brings Elvis to my mind too quickly. This year I have encountered a name that resonates with me. A congregation is having a “Longest Night” service. It is described as “a service of readings, prayers, Holy Communion, and hymns appropriate to the season, as we recognize the Christmas season is not a season of joy for all.” The congregation invites with “Come and remember the light of Christ that shines in the darkness.” It will be held on December 21, the shortest day and longest night of this year.

I would hope that more congregations would consider offering such a service. It could be opened to the community or done cooperatively with other congregations. I know that worship planners, pastors and musicians do not need any extra work at this time of year. A lot of effort spent on a worship service that might have limited appeal may not seem to make sense. But, it could be a real gift to that person who had a tough time decorating his or her tree.

Comments are always welcome. --JC

Stirring Hearts

Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of thine only-begotten Son, so that by his coming we may be enabled to serve thee with pure minds; through the same thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. (Collect for Second Sunday of Advent, Service Book and Hymnal)

I happened to run across this photograph on the blog of my former pastor. It instantly brought a smile to my face and a flood of memories to mind. It appears that the picture was taken on the Second Sunday of Advent. The year was 1970. You will note the humble beginnings of Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Fairfax, Virginia. We sat on those folding chairs for many years. The red paraments, rather than the standard purple of Advent of that era, simply indicate that we had no others.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” had made its debut on TV just five years earlier, but it had already become a standard holiday special. It was still fresh and thought provoking. I have no idea of whose idea it was for Charlie Brown to appear in our church. I would guess that it was our pastor in conjunction with the artist who brought the scene to life for us. When we saw it for the first time, it was contemporary, exciting, fun and it covered that ugly dark green wall behind the altar.

Sometime during the 1990s, I declared to my wife that I would never again do two things in a sermon. First, I would never again bore a congregation explaining the true definition of some Greek word in the New Testament. I might find it interesting, but most people won’t. Second, I would never quote another Peanuts comic strip, even though I still read it. I figured that Charlie Brown and his friends might not be as universally appreciated as they once were. The Gospel According to Peanuts was talked about when I was in seminary, but The Gospel According to The Simpsons was being read when my son was there.

What my pastor did in 1970 was make the Gospel come alive in another new way. I am convinced that my brother and I are pastors today because of the experiences we had in a creative congregation environment. God stirred up our hearts in so many ways.

Running across this picture has made me wonder a bit. If I had a big blank wall to use as a canvas, what might I suggest to make Advent and Christmas come alive for my congregation today? Or, what might we sing? What might we view? What might we do? What message might we give our children that will last them a lifetime? How could I help God stir up the hearts of God’s people and help them prepare for Christmas?

Thank you to Pastor Ron Christian, my pastor from 1969 to 1972 and 1977 to 1983, and to Norm Johnston, a fine artist and my guitar teacher. You helped God stir my heart. Comments are welcome. Go to http://niselca.blogspot.com/ or comment on Facebook. --JC