Christmas Eve – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VA https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org Serving our community since 1642 Sat, 25 Dec 2021 02:23:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/cropped-Door-for-website-55x55.jpgChristmas Eve – St. John's Episcopal Church, Suffolk, VAhttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org 32 32 116451644 The positive prophecy is the Light of Christ spread by us – reflection and sermon from Christmas Eve 2021https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/12/24/the-positive-prophecy-is-the-light-of-christ-spread-by-us-reflection-and-sermon-from-christmas-eve/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/12/24/the-positive-prophecy-is-the-light-of-christ-spread-by-us-reflection-and-sermon-from-christmas-eve/#respond Sat, 25 Dec 2021 02:20:10 +0000 https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=2670 Merry Christmas on Christmas Eve 2021. We had a wonderful worship this evening in dramatically different conditions than last year – warm and pleasant as opposed to cold and rainy. Worship helped us remember the blessing of the birth of Jesus and all that it stands for. Thankfully, there was a good gathering to help all of us find God’s presence in our lives today.

Our worship opened with a reminder that Jesus is the light that brings truth and the one who brings both mystery, comfort, and hope. Our reading from Hebrew scripture was taken from the prophet Isaiah and his prophecy speaks of the light of the Messiah restoring the people of God to their rightful place. Our psalmist reminds us that our life, renewed at Christmas, is a reason to sing a new song and tell God’s story of connection and redemption to the world. Our New Testament reading from Titus encourages us to wait patiently for the light (of Christ) to be revealed. Our sermon was focused on the gospel from Luke and focused on the shepherds who acted as messengers and confirming witnesses to the truth – that the light had come to the world. Without regard for their position in society, they served a necessary and important function in the spread of Christ’s story and ministry.

Merry Christmas and I invite your comments,
Les+

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

Video of worship: https://youtu.be/N2ytLmCKNYg

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2021/12/24/the-positive-prophecy-is-the-light-of-christ-spread-by-us-reflection-and-sermon-from-christmas-eve/feed/ 0 2670 God’s gift at Christmas is connection in times of dis-ease – reflection and sermon from 12/24/2020https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2020/12/24/gods-gift-at-christmas-is-connection-in-times-of-dis-ease-reflection-and-sermon-from-12-24-2020/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2020/12/24/gods-gift-at-christmas-is-connection-in-times-of-dis-ease-reflection-and-sermon-from-12-24-2020/#respond Fri, 25 Dec 2020 03:06:26 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=2209 Merry Christmas from Chuckatuck on a very warm, windy, and rainy Christmas Eve. Tonight we celebrated the birth of Jesus, although tonight was probably different than any other Christmas we’ve celebrated. We gathered to share the story of Christ’s birth and hosted a gathering of remote participants. It was a special evening to celebrate the promise of comfort in God’s time.

In worship we heard the prophet Isaiah share the truth, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah also reminds us that the Messiah would come to save us from our sin and separation from God. The letter to Titus reminds us that God’s grace comes in the person of Jesus. Our gospel reading from Luke recounts the well known “Linus soliloquy” from a “Charlie Brown Christmas.” Our sermon focused on this reading and explored the starkness of the underlying story. We looked at how well this reading speaks to our present condition of isolation and disruption of the status quo. In our gospel we see that the comfort promised by God is in God’s promise to meet humanity, all of humanity, where they are and not make everyone meet God where God is.

Merry Christmas!
Les+

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

Video of worship: https://youtu.be/lDecwQiXfb8

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2020/12/24/gods-gift-at-christmas-is-connection-in-times-of-dis-ease-reflection-and-sermon-from-12-24-2020/feed/ 0 2209 The Christmas story never gets old – sermon from Christmas Eve 2019https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/12/24/the-christmas-story-never-gets-old-sermon-from-christmas-eve-2019/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/12/24/the-christmas-story-never-gets-old-sermon-from-christmas-eve-2019/#respond Wed, 25 Dec 2019 00:01:53 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=1683 Merry Christmas! We celebrated the feast of the Nativity with a cozy service this evening. We were graced with a new voice reading during worship – and it was very good. It is nice to have parishioners test their wings on special evenings like this. It helped make the Christmas story new again.

We focused on a different portion of the Christmas story after hearing Luke’s version of the birth narrative. While everyone remembers Mary and Joseph, sometimes it is helpful to hear the story of the shepherds and the monumental work they do spreading the word about the birth of Jesus. Our mission is to hear the word, believe what is offered, and to go and tell the story of the promise – Jesus, the one who came to be the light to the world.

May you be blessed this Christmas Day.
Les+

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2019/12/24/the-christmas-story-never-gets-old-sermon-from-christmas-eve-2019/feed/ 0 1683 In those days… this day Christ comes – reflection and sermon for Christmas Eve 2018https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/12/24/in-those-days-this-day-christ-comes-reflection-and-sermon-for-christmas-eve-2018/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/12/24/in-those-days-this-day-christ-comes-reflection-and-sermon-for-christmas-eve-2018/#respond Tue, 25 Dec 2018 02:16:20 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=1216 Merry Christmas one and all. It was a joyous evening to begin our Christmas season. Plenty of folks filling the pews, members and guests galore. Music was offered, prayers prayed, and candles reminding us that the Light of the world has come into the world. Worship brought the start of what we pray is a family-filled, joyful, relaxing week. Blessings and Christmas greetings.

Our lessons bring us the message of hope: that one will come to be savior, redeemer, and the one who brings peace. We were reminded that the times of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are not unlike our present time. There are those who have and those who don’t and a lot who are chugging along. We are reminded that we are called to bear witness to the truth – that our true peace comes in Jesus and helps us balance the competing influences in our life. Our mission this Christmas season is to tell God’s story of relationship and get out of the way so we can carry the message to the world.

I invite your comments. Merry Christmas!
Les+

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20

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]]> https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2018/12/24/in-those-days-this-day-christ-comes-reflection-and-sermon-for-christmas-eve-2018/feed/ 0 1216 The Christmas miracle, God among us – Reflection and sermon for Christmas Evehttps://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2017/12/24/the-christmas-miracle-god-among-us-reflection-and-sermon-for-christmas-eve/ https://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/2017/12/24/the-christmas-miracle-god-among-us-reflection-and-sermon-for-christmas-eve/#respond Sun, 24 Dec 2017 23:53:52 +0000 http://stjohnsepiscopal-suffolk.org/?p=730 Merry Christmas! A joyous evening and a time to welcome friends and neighbors as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. A joy-filled time to witness to the simplicity of the birth of Jesus and the shepherds. Tonight was a reminder that the true Christmas miracle is that the God of creation meets us in creation – often in the simplicity and unassumedness of shepherds and young mothers. We often are given opportunities to share the love of God in ways that we don’t recognize until we look back. The shepherds serve as a reminder that we are given the task to minister once we recognize God among us. May you receive the Christmas miracle tonight and in the days and years ahead.

I invite your comments. Merry Christmas!
Les+

Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-20



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