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St Paul's
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Our parish is a community that seeks God and the fullness of creation by finding ourselves in relation to others. Our giving to the common, to the other, our sharing of ourselves is our commitment to this endeavour. |
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First Sunday of Christmas 28th December 2008Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 148; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:22-40 First Sunday after Christmas Day December 28, 2009 Vanderbilt Divinity Library Lectionary Christmas 1 December 28, 2008 Textweek So we continue to explore the mystery of Christmas, and as we continue to read from the prophet Isaiah, as we heard this morning’s reading with our own experience of Christmas so recent, I think it’s easy to see that Isaiah really did get Christmas. .... Let’s use the twelve days of Christmas to more fully hear the story, and to look at the unfolding of Christmas within ourselves, to the journey that it might lead us to as we move toward the new year. _________________________________Christmas Day 25 December 2008Christmas December 25, 2008 Vanderbilt Divinity Library Lectionary Christmas Textweek Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)
It suggests, therefore, that we keep Christmas whole and allow it to unfold through the year. Be very wary of packing it up. When you put all the decorations away, lose the surface but find a way of keeping the content. Hold onto one of the gifts and allow that to continue to christmas within you throughout the year. __________________________________Third Sunday of Advent 14 December 2008Third Sunday of Advent December 14, 2008 Vanderbilt Divinity Library Lectionary Third Sunday of Advent Textweek So we’re at the third Sunday of Advent, and one of the questions is, where are we? Where are we at; where am I?...... The creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God. The creation waits – all that God has given waits for a response. We’re called to be John the Baptiser, to bring into birth the word of God. And as we take those steps, then and maybe only then, will we make sense of Christmas. __________________________________Second Sunday of Advent 7 December 2008Second Sunday of Advent December 7, 2008 Vanderbilt Divinity Library Lectionary SecondSunday of Advent Textweek Christmas is an amazingly simple revelation; Christmas is a time where we celebrate that simple revelation. However, we and many are likely to miss the point because it’s been oversimplified into the birth of Christ....... We’re invited, like John the Baptist and with John the Baptist, to prepare the way, to repent, to change our worldview, to change our life direction. We’re invited today to bring about a new heaven and a new earth. And as we contemplate that through Advent, the possibility is that when we get to Christmas we will realize the gift. It’s not the birthday of a baby: it is revealed that the word became flesh. All that the Divine has and is, is given to us __________________________________First Sunday of Advent 30th November 2008First Sunday of Advent November 30, 2008 Vanderbilt Divinity Library Lectionary First Sunday of Advent Textweek Isaiah 64:1-9; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Before we explore the vivid image that Mark gives us of the end of time, let’s just go back to the Old Testament reading. .... God is given; that we will celebrate at Christmas. And we know we’re going to celebrate it; God is gifted into the world, the Divine is no longer separate, the Divine is not one of the stars in heaven, rather the divine has taken on our flesh. We are the hope. _______________________________________
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