"Us and Them ... TOGETHER!"

There are churches where both congregation and clergy feel a weariness where there should be excitement and worship and purpose ... churches who sense partitions, distancing one from another ... churches who speak and hear the words "Us" (clergy) and "Them" (parishioners) and "goats and sheep" (who both seem to stinketh at times but all are beloved by God?!).  This morning, my words are not only a "View From the Pew" as one of "Them" but a "Prayer From the Pew" for all who are "Us" and all who are "Them" and for all who truly desire to seek the Lord and live out God's will.  I pray for partitions to come down and praise, prayer and purpose to rise up together instead.

I am one of “them”
but not one of “those”
(you know, those stinky goats
and bleating sheep)
so I’m not sure
if there is a word
for the likes of me
other than
“beloved”
or “disciple”
or yes, at times
“wandering lamb.”

Neither am I one some call “us”
although I have been convinced
that we are all “us” in some way.

So, I’m looking for words
other than “them” or “us”
and looking for ways that
encourage “together” instead …
moving “them” and “us”
always forward,
ever yearning,
and forever God-ward.

O God, hear my (our) prayer.

"Baptized and Renamed"

He came from Nazareth in Galilee to the river Jordan.  The hem of his robe was dusty  and dirty from the journey.  He came to stand among them, not apart from them.  It is written that “the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem” had come to hear the words spoken by his cousin, John. The baptizing began.  He shuffled along with the pressing crowds.  Nothing set this man apart from those who were waiting to step into the murky waters of the river Jordan on that day.  He was one among the multitude of people.

He entered the cool, muddy waters, wading out to where his cousin stood.  Their eyes met.  John hesitated in quiet protest.  Perhaps Jesus leaned closer to him and whispered “Baptize me.  Let it be so now.”   He was baptized as were the others.  There was a peace and quietness under the water that would last for only a few moments … a quietness that was interrupted only by the water-muffled sounds of the throngs of people standing along the river’s edge.  Jesus came to the surface of the water and saw the heavens rip apart.  The Spirit of God descended like a dove and rested upon him and a voice from the heaven proclaimed, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

This moment of affirmation for Jesus at his baptism brought to light this belovedness and the holy delight in him that parted the heavens with breathtaking power yet settled upon him with the same gentleness of a dove.  This moment branded the name “Beloved” on his heart just as he would soon find himself walking among those who would shout other names at him and about him.  And this very moment placed the name “beloved child” on his lips as he shared ‘a new name’ with those
and for those he had come to walk among.

They shall call him “Immanuel”, which means “God with us.”  We have heard these very words during Advent.  THIS is the moment of clarity for us when the birth announcement of the Christ-child and the affirmation of Jesus’ baptism merge into one great Truth.  God IS with us.

And so, this morning I say to you … REMEMBER.  Remember your baptism on this day.  Hear these words and hold them as the dear treasures that they are.  You, too, have been renamed.  You are called “beloved child” by our God who loves us with a love that is beyond our greatest hopes.  Know this as a precious truth that flows over you like the waters of baptism and makes you gasp for air just a little at the thoughts of such unimaginable Love.   Remember, beloved child, remember!

(Prayer):

GOD of the torn heavens and of gentlenesses, of communal waters and of new names … through Jesus, you have washed us with the waters of your Love and said, “It is good.”  You have renamed each of us “beloved child.”  With the assurance of this name that we carry and in your soaking Love, give us hearts that want to share your Love with others. Give us opportunities this day and every day to walk alongside others and offer hope, saying, “And you shall be called beloved.”

Amen.

"A Prayer in the Newness of 2015 for a Clumsy Tuesday's Child"

There is always that moment when I must put the first word into my journal.  It is rarely on January 1st (that would be a bit of a forced word for me).  I recognize the word when it refuses to leave my thoughts and heart.  The first word, scribbled in my 2015 journal is GRACE.  Hours after the word "Grace" found a home in my journal, a prayer followed.

“Tuesday’s child is full of grace …
(sigh) God of Grace, you know
that this Tuesday’s child of yours
is not a very graceful one.
I am clumsy ... lacking grace,
clumsy in the giving of grace,
and even clumsy in recognizing
your moments of grace for me.
My family laughs at the thoughts of
‘full of grace’ and ‘anna’ woven
into the same sing-song saying.
Tuesday’s child is full of grace …
it is a family joke (sigh again).

Why, oh why, have you burned
this word GRACE
into my clumsy heart
in this new year?
Why is this small word the first
to be scribbled into a fresh journal?
Did you notice that my hand shook
as the letters formed the word?

God of Grace,
you who offer Grace
to me and for me,
help me bring closure
to the past year
in a grace-filled way,
giving to you
what I need not carry
into the new year.

God of Grace,
you who offer Grace
to me and for me,
help me to live into
this new year
not only as ‘Tuesday’s child’
but as your beloved child …
full of Grace …
no longer clumsy of heart.

God of Grace,
you who offer Grace
to me and for me,
teach me to live,
fully and completely, as
Tuesday's child, full of YOUR Grace.

Amen.

"A Fresh New Journal"

I love the freshness of a new year. Even at my age, the first days continue to be much like how excited I was as a school kid, buying fresh new notebooks. I've upgraded from the notebooks of my school years to a fresh new journal each year. It isn't a diary, by any means, but a place to scribble words, ponderings, thoughts, God-sightings in the ordinary hours of my day and scriptures that soak into my heart. It is a place where perhaps the goodness of your own caring words, as they touch my life, might find a home. Maybe my journal is a glorified "catch-all"! As different as my year has been and as unknown as the new year is, my journal always begins with the same words of reminder that were offered to me by a Cuban-refugee-turned-United Methodist pastor. Alberto Rodriguez gave me these words just a few years before his death:

"There is a mysterious connection
between the hand that writes,
the mind that thinks 
and the heart that sees. "

At the beginning of the new year, I place Rev. Rodriguez' words on the inside cover of my fresh new journal along with scripture,  Deuteronomy 30:14 "... the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe."

Each year, I begin the page on the day after Ash Wednesday, as a fresh page, symbolizing my prayers to God from the night before (Ash Wed) to move me forward in a new way, to "create within me a clean heart" by the removal of the ashes on my forehead, placing them as a cross on the fresh page of the journal.

The freshness of a new journal always reminds me of the wonderful new start, this clean heart, that comes with God's unfathomable love, grace and mercy. Now do you see why I am excited?

"The Holy Innocents" (Matthew 2:13-18)

Why, O God,
must we remember
the words
of the slaughter
of the Holy Innocents
today?

Just days ago,
we sought the Christ-child.
The heavens exploded
with joy
and proclamation
and we raised our candles
as if they were
the soft twinkling
of stars in a
night's sky.

We heard once again
the story
of shepherds running
from their flocks,
to the very place
where Love was born
and our hearts
were filled with their
excitement.

We are now looking East,
toward the horizon
for magi
bearing gifts
and we wonder
what gifts
might we also bring.

Why, O God,
must we remember
these Holy Innocents now
when we have knelt
at a manger
to witness Love
first-hand?

It is
less painful
and sorrowful
for us
to close
our eyes
to this.

Is it because
there are still
Innocents today?
In Nigeria or Pakistan ...
or in our own streets?
Nameless and named?

Is it because
there are still
Innocents today ?
Hungry
and cold?
Nameless and named?

Is it because
there are still
Holy Innocents today?
Battered and bruised
in the very place
they call home?
Nameless and named?

Why, O God,
must we remember
the Holy Innocents?

"Because, my child,
there are Innocents
in this world today,
and 
mothers
weeping and
refusing to be
comforted.
There are still
Herods who
have both 
great power and
great fear
within them.

You must not forget
and you must not
look away."
  
c) 2014 revised   anna murdock

"What Do I Want for Christmas?"

(Please read Luke 2:8-20)

Each year, my family insists that we spend some time writing Christmas lists so that the lists might be shared with each other.  I always have a difficult time with this.  My needs are very practical and not very “Christmasy”.  What I want for Christmas is much different than what any one family member can give to me.  You see, I want to be one of the shepherds!

What do I want for Christmas?  In the midst of what is usually a very predictable Christmas for me, I want to be surprised by angelic announcements.  I want just a glimpse of the glory of the Lord on this silent, familiar-story sort of a night.  I want to be calmed by “fear not’s”.  I want to find myself holding my breath for a moment at the sounds of a heavenly-host chorus.  I want to be one of the shepherds!

What do I want for Christmas?  I want to hurry to Bethlehem, running down the hillside much like I remember doing as a child.  I want to risk running so fast that my feet might outrun my body … running, tumbling, picking myself up and running once more.  Yes, I want to hurry to Bethlehem with spontaneity and anticipation to see the One whose birth the angels sing. I want to be one of the shepherds!

What do I want for Christmas?  I want to kneel at the manger and realize that God has brought me to this place and has asked me to soak in the sights, the smells, the night air, the infant cries, the faithful parents and that first birth announcement.  I want to kneel for a moment in awe, wonder and recognition that God’s long-awaited Promise is before me.  I want to be overwhelmed by God’s love. I want to squint at the Light that has come into this dark world.  I want to be lost in the wonder of it all.  I want to whisper, “Immanuel” and hear God whisper back, “Yes, I am with you.”  I want to sigh a relieved sigh at this news.  I want to be one of the shepherds!

What do I want for Christmas?  I know that I must return to my “hillside” … to my job and my routines.  But I want to return from looking heavenward, from running to the manger, from kneeling at just the thoughts of being in the presence of the long-awaited Messiah to a different sameness.  I want to return to my world, to my hillside, glorifying and praising God for all things that I have seen and heard.  I want to be so taken aback by it all that I can’t help but share what I know with others.  I want to be one of the shepherds!

What do I want for Christmas?  I want company on the hillside on this most holy of nights.  I want other shepherds with me, privy to the angelic announcement, being offered a glimpse of the glory of the Lord and running toward the manger with me.  I want to kneel with others in prayer and praise and wonder and know that this “Promise Kept” is not just for me but for all.  I want to walk back to our hillsides together, changed forever.

What do I want for Christmas?  I want to be a shepherd.  Care to join me?

(c) 2006  anna murdock

"Ready to GLORIFY" (Thoughts on the 4th Sunday of Advent)

Last night, I drove by the church (Broad Street UMC / Statesville, NC) and glanced at the sign that shares with all passersby the worship times, our pastors' names and the sermon title. The sermon title is "GLORIFY!"

I smile as I think of that early this morning in the warm glow of the four Advent candles (and just a few days before Christmas). I wonder ... hmmmm ... just days before the birth of the Christ-child, were the angels "warming up" their proclamation and praise and glorifying ways? Were they antsy to burst through the heavens? Did God restrain them for a few more days? In this one word, GLORIFY, I sense the stage being set ... the angels giddy with joy (and ready and waiting to explode the heavens) and this babe, the Christ-child, being held in the very hands of God. On this day, the waiting of Advent for me becomes thoughts of the waiting of angels and the waiting of God and the waiting of the world. GLORIFY! It is filling our hearts and on the tips of our tongues. It is drawing ever closer!

In our Advent waiting, may we be much like the angels ... ready and waiting and maybe even a little giddy with joy as we prepare to proclaim the birth of the Holy Child.

"GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO!"  (I'm practicing!)