By using the phrase “upon,” Jesus is saying that God is not off in some distant place called heaven or in some distant future called the afterlife, but God has come upon the people Jesus is addressing right now. You don’t have to wait until you go to h

I pray that in the days to come, we will continue to invite others to come and see so that they might hear Jesus question, “What are you looking for?” and find a loving community journeying together toward that promised land of peace and justice.

And so it is true for us as well. We have been adopted into the loving relationship of God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - all three expressions of the Godhead present at Jesus’ baptism. The Holy Spirit has descended upon us and we have been marked as

What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, Wh

God is creating a new world with the birth of this baby, a world that would be created through him, and by him, and with him; a new humanity that would find its origin story in Jesus’ origin story.

That’s why I believe coming to this table each week is so important, because this is a place where we experience God’s grace. It’s not about beating ourselves up for how bad we are, but accepting God’s forgiveness in Christ and accepting the invitation

In a similar way, we engage our imaginations in the story of anticipation this Advent season and so enter into a reality beyond our current experience. We are carried, if you will, into the past as well as the future, because the season of Advent holds

As we celebrate the Reign of Christ in our hearts and at the end of time, we recognize that God is still creating, still working, still making us into God’s beautiful beloved community. We see God at work in our own lives and in the lives of those arou

Jesus affirms that in the resurrection we are claimed by God in Christ, in life and especially in death. For to God all are alive. That abundant life begins now.

It is a subtle but very important point in this story, and it is one reason that we have this lesson when we celebrate all the saints. There is wisdom in the community.