Getting closer to the story
(This week was our annual Christmas play and we used the congregational play the ABCs of Christmas again, with some very small edits. Worship planners felt it was important to read one of the lectionary passages and for me to give a message about joy, considering all that is anticipated in the New Year. So I kept it brief because 'the play's the thing'.) Philippians 4: 4-7 New Ark United Church of Christ, Newark, DE December 15, 2024 Photo of a refugee family walking, carrying shopping bags with belongings. A tall man with dark hair and a beard carries a child on his shoulders. A woman wearing a hijab and scarf walks behind them. The caption reads "every day somewhere in the world the nativity scene is alive". Last week I got political with my sermon once again. It’s hard not to, actually. From one end to the other, the Bible is a treatise against empire and corrupt power. In biblical terms, being political means being concerned about the needs and the justic...
