No Room

My daughter has been singing this song from her Christmas program all morning:

No room in the inn

No room in the inn

But You will find room in my heart,

Lord Jesus.

No room in the inn

No room in the inn

But You will find room in my heart.

Of course, her two-year-old version of it sounds more like this:

No woom in da inn

No woom in da inn

But You will find woom in mine heart,

Yord Jesus.

Second Sunday in Advent

Rise, children of the kingdom!
The King is drawing nigh;
Arise, and hail with gladness
The Ruler from on high.
Ye Christians, hasten forth!
Your praise and homage bring Him,
And glad Hosannas sing Him;
Naught else your love is worth.

Arise, ye drooping mourners!
The King is very near;
Away with grief and sorrow,
For lo! your help is here.
Behold, in many a place -
O blessed consolation! -
We find Him, our salvation,
In His pure means of grace.

Arise, ye much afflicted!
The King is not afar;
Rejoice, ye long dejected!
Behold the Morning Star.
The Lord will give you joy;
Though troubles now distress you,
With comfort He will bless you,
E'en death He will destroy.

Arise, ye poor and needy!
The King provides for you;
He comes with succor speedy,
With mercy ever new.
Receive your gracious King,
The giver of all blessing,
Hail Him, His name confessing,
And glad Hosannas sing.

O rich the gifts Thou bring'st us,
Thyself made poor and weak;
O love beyond expression,
That thus can sinners seek!
For this, O Lord, will we
Our joyous tribute bring Thee,
And glad Hosannas sing Thee,
And ever grateful be.

--J. Rist, 1651

A right way and a wrong way

This is my pastor's Advent letter, which we received in the mail yesterday:

"...We are at the beginning of Advent and we need to be careful...really careful. Let me share a description of Advent with you and then tell you why I'm a bit worried.

Advent (closest Sunday to November 30th until Christmas Eve) is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation, of longing. There is a yearning for deliverance from the evils of the world...

The next few weeks are meant to act as a time of great anticipation...the recognition of a growing hunger that can only be slaked by the arrival of the Christ-child. This season is meant to take the emphasis off of ugly, selfish living and turn it instead to the ultimate freedom found in relating to the Babe of Bethlehem. Slavery to anything is scheduled to come face to face with the Author of Freedom. Advent says, "Life has been tough, but better times are coming! Release is just around the corner and I can hardly wait!"

At the end of the weeks of Advent we are to figuratively explode with relief. The 'hopes and fears of all the years' are to meet their match in the Son of God. The Christmas season should be one long and exuberant crescendo leading us into the presence of the One who has the potential to satisfy everyone and every longing.

What shape will you be in when Advent delivers you to the door of the manger? What breathless wonder and anticipation will have evaporated under the heat lamps of commercialism? What tiny 'baby-voiced' message will have been beaten out by the shrillness of the marketer's ads? Will the only 'wonder' left in you be the question of how everything will be paid for?

It's not too late to make an investment in a Christmas with a quiet yet focused view on the arrival to earth of a Savior. Pardon the play on words, but 'savor the Savior' in a special way for the next three weeks.

Start now...before the pace is set for you. Establish personal parameters of peace that will bring you breathlessly into His Birthday celebration. Breathless over wonder and awe, not because of pace."

Pastor Paul

First Sunday in Advent

O how shall I receive Thee,

How meet Thee on Thy way;

Blest hope of every nation,

My soul's delight and stay?

O Jesus, Jesus, give me,

By Thine illuming light,

To know whate'er is pleasing

And welcome in Thy sight.

Thy Zion palms is strewing

With branches fresh and fair;

And every soul awaking,

Her anthem shall prepare;

Perpetual thanks and praises

Forth from our hearts shall spring;

And to Thy name the service

Of all our powers we bring.

O ye who sorrow, sinking

Beneath your grief and pain,

Rejoice in His appearing,

Who shall your souls sustain:

He comes, He comes with gladness!

How great is His good-will!

He comes, all grief and anguish

Shall at His word be still.

Ye who with guilty terror

Are trembling, fear no more;

With love and grace the Savior

Shall you to hope restore:
He comes, who contrite sinners

Will with the children place,

The children of His Father,

The heirs of life and grace.

He comes, the Lord, to judgment;

Woe, woe to them who hate!

To those who love and seek Him

He opes the heavenly gate.

Come quickly, gracious Savior,

And gather us to Thee,

That in the light eternal

Our joyous home may be.

-P. Gerhardt, 1653

Welcome

Welcome to A Year in the Church. On this blog I will be posting readings and other material that I find relevant to my own personal journey through the church calendar. Please be aware that I am not a member of the clergy. I am not even a member of a liturgical church. I come from a contemporary evangelical Christian background and only within the last few years have I become interested in liturgy and church traditions. I do not mean to belittle, misinterpret, or violate any religious tradition here. I am simply observing the church calendar as best I can, inasmuch as its traditions and practices are aligned with my own beliefs, for my own devotional and educational purposes. You are welcome to join me.