• Tonight: Christmas Eve service at 8 pm

• This Sun, Dec 29: Rev. Alice Cabotaje

• Recent sermons

• In the news: The War on Advent

• Preschool Giving Tree

• Save the dates

• Poem of the week

• Events this week

Join us tonight at 8 pm for a joint Christmas Eve service with Many Journeys MCC. We'll have lessons and carols, music from England and Spain by our combined choirs, and songs by guests musicians Christelle Durandy and Ernesto Mazar Kindelan.

Right: Christelle Durandy

This Sunday at 10 am, we welcome back Rev. Alice Cabotaje, a member of our extended community of friends. She was a member of Many Journeys MCC's Clergy in Community, and is currently the Director of Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also a Zen teacher who recently received full transmission as an Authentic Zen Master in the Empty Cloud lineage. She will preach on hope, with readings from Lin Yu-tang and the Book of Jeremiah.

 

Read Roy Gesley's Dec 22 sermon. (To read other sermons, keep your eyes on this newsletter. We'll include written sermons when the preacher has provided one.)

To listen to recordings of recent sermons, visit www.collegeheights.us/sermons.

In the Washington Post, Andrew McGowan writes: “Once upon a time, Christmas was a 12-day feast that began with Christmas Eve and ended at Epiphany. In the days prior, the church traditionally observed not Christmas but Advent, a time of reflection. Yet without strongly established norms of tradition, a quiet but real battle ensued. The victors were the merchants. For what Americans actually observe is not the traditional Christian feast of 12 days, but a ‘retail Christmas’ that begins on Black Friday and ends on Christmas Eve.”

Our partners at The Right Approach Preschool have set up a Giving Tree in our sanctuary. Their founder Jamie writes: "The tree that has ornaments on it with pictures of the things we need for the preschool. To participate, just take an ornament off the tree and donate the amount written on the back. You can write a check or donate cash in that amount, knowing that we will buy that item in your name." Email Jamie with questions.

Jan 24–26: Women's retreat in Pacific Grove

See the full calendar of upcoming events at at collegeheights.us/calendar .

"The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap. His hair was like a light.

(O weary, weary were the world, but here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast. His hair was like a star.

(O stern and cunning are the kings, but here the true hearts are.) 

The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart. His hair was like a fire.

(O weary, weary is the world, but here the world's desire.)

The Christ-child stood on Mary's knee. His hair was like a crown,

And all the flowers looked up at Him, and all the stars looked down."

— G. K. Chesterton

Wed, Dec 25:

• Many Journeys MCC service (10 am)

Sun, Dec 29

• Worship (Rev. Alice Cabotaje preaches, 10 am)

Next week (Dec 30–Jan 4):

• No meditation, yoga, or women's fellowship