Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! Here we are, another year older, and definitely wiser, right? I hope you were able to find a moment of peace this Christmas. My own family made it through the holiday, even if it wasn't with all of our loved ones. We still made memories. One I'll share with you: on Christmas Eve I was set up in the family room, ready to watch the First Community midnight service on TV. I was excited to have this time to myself after the scrambling of getting kids to bed, presents wrapped and food made for the next day. Unfortunately my tired body had other ideas, and could not last the program. At 1:30 am, my 5 year old had woken up and when she did not find me in my bed, came to find me on the couch. Not 10 feet away is our Christmas tree, and all the promise of Santa. After waking me up, she looked at me with a sparkle in her eye. We both smiled, and I promptly replied, "Santa has already come! And I did not even hear him! Let's go to bed for a little bit longer and then come back in the morning." I am lucky she agreed to return to bed. I smile at this memory now, but have learned that I might not be one for midnight services until the kids are a little older. (Hence the "wiser" part of another year older.)

In lieu of resolutions, which are great, but I find myself not holding throughout the year, I offer some ways to "focus on you." This world has so much to offer, even when things seem so hard. We only live once.

Blessings and love to you all,

Robin Hood

Congregational Care Coordinator

UCC Still Speaking

Sing!

Phiwa Langeni

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” - Luke 1:45 (NRSV)

After she greets Elizabeth, the very first thing out of Mary’s mouth is a powerful song that emerges from the depths of her spirit. It carries the tune of God’s promises delivered through the very child Mary has just discovered is incubating in her womb.

Certainly, this was a time of fear and unknowingness – both entirely too relatable. Still, we can extract comfort in knowing that things aren’t always going to be the way they’ve been. The One whom we await is arriving with new life and possibility, even and especially in the midst of our various fears and uncertainties.

The power of music connects us to something greater than us. Our song doesn’t have to be original. It could be one written so long ago, like Mary’s or even a beloved hymn that joins our voices with those who’ve sung before us. Our song doesn’t even need a coherent tune. The music can be the cries that escape us in our bleakest moments. Or the sounds of joy and excitement as we experience glimpses of new life.

Sometimes I wish Luke would’ve included musical notations so we could harmonize, get the proper inflections, and know when to hold notes and when to quicken them. But then again, I’m glad he didn’t so that every single one of us can sing this melody of God’s radical and transformative love for all. None of us in the wrong key or off pitch. Everyone on the correct rhythm accompanied by our hearts’ beats.

Give us a song we can sing so we can boldly live out your good news. Amen.

January 6 is the Feast of Epiphany. While Epiphany is technically just this one day, Christians around the world celebrate almost all month long with special food and dinner parties and traditions. Though it typically has less prominence in our American Protestant practice of faith, Christians around the world celebrate Epiphany with gusto! In the Catholic traditions of Latin America, the day is called “Día de Los Reyes”, or Day of the Kings. It is celebrated as the day that the Wisemen (also called Kings or Magi) arrived to visit the young Jesus. Similar to the way children in the United States might put out milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, on the night before Dia de Los Reyes, children set out hay or grass for the Wisemen’s camels. In the morning, the hay is gone and gifts and treats for the children are left in its place!

The English word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphainein, which means “reveal”. Jesus’s birth revealed God’s love for this world, and the Wisemen’s recognition of his birth revealed Jesus to the rest of the world.

This story shows us stark differences between two ways of being a King. Herod is old, rich, and powerful, and yet lives in fear, jealousy, anger, and desperation. Jesus is a child, so vulnerable to the powers around him, and yet he and his family live in trust and faith. They have faith in the good intentions of the Wisemen, these strange foreign visitors who come bringing somewhat bizarre gifts. Faith that Egypt will be a place of welcome and safety as they flee for their lives. Faith in the message of the angels, that their warnings are trustworthy. Faith in Nazareth, as they try to start their lives over once again. Faith in God, to lead them through all this and into whatever comes next.

Herod is an extreme example, but I know there are times in my own life when I have acted with a bit of Herod in me. When something happens in life and I react with fear rather than responding in faith.

Edinger says that Jesus’ comment to the crowds in Luke, to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven,” means that a person’s individuality “has a transpersonal origin and justification for being:” The star as a transpersonal center of identity symbolizes the heavenly or eternal self of the person, one’s original idea, a kind of double or alter ego preserved in the upper world while the individual labors down below.

What is so new about the spiritual journey in our own lifetimes is this understanding of depth psychology that we have been gifted in the Western world. These understandings make religion come alive again, and more importantly, can bring each one of us to life, even in the midst of darkness.

Once again, our much-loved Christmas Presence program was canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were eager to help our clients in need, but also cautious about large gatherings as the pandemic continues. We hope to continue the tradition of partnering with the Trading Post again next year! With immense assistance from Kitty Rohrer, volunteer extraordinaire, we were able to come up with an alternative to the program.

Groups, families, and individuals were asked to sponsor a family or families that request holiday assistance this year financially through the purchase of gifts for them. Sponsors contacted their sponsored family directly to get ideas for Christmas gifts and plan for delivery or pick-up.

Clients who needed assistance this holiday contacted Heart to Heart by phone and email. Kitty called or emailed every one of them back to get contact information and family make-up from the clients. She then matched inquiring families with those looking to sponsor them.

Kitty and the staff at Heart to Heart would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to the sponsors of the Holiday Help program in 2021. Your generosity in sponsorships and donations allowed us to provide Christmas gifts and more for 350 children in 118 families.

Read that again: 350 children! 118 families!

We are overwhelmed with love for this community that came together to make this happen. We have heard from a few folks, both sponsors and the families sponsored, that their experiences with the program were great! It has been a tough couple of years for all of us and our outreach to our neighbors in need brings the whole community closer together. We are all blessed by your outpouring of generosity and love.

The First Community Church Annual Meeting will be on Saturday, January 29 at 10 am in Grace Hall at North Campus. You can see the slates for the Governing Board and Board of Deacons, as well as the candidates for Nominating Committee here.