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Dear Covenant Family,
The season of Epiphany is all about the manifestation of God’s saving purposes to all the nations of the world. In ancient Christian tradition, the baptism of the Lord is closely connected with the Epiphany and so the images of light, stars, water, kings, and baptism are intermingled.
I’ve enjoyed hearing from some of you how you celebrate Epiphany- my husband took a dip in Lake Erie, a neighbor made a Kings’ Cake, a friend treated herself to a flotation tank, and a few of you made a bonfire. Maybe you chalked your household doors with 20+C+M+B+24, which stands for Christus mansionem benedicat (May Christ bless this house) or for the traditional initials of the Magi- Caspar, Malchior and Balthazar, who came to visit Jesus in his first home. The 20 at the beginning and the 24 at the end mark the year, and the four crosses in between stand for the four seasons.
In worship, we remembered Jesus’ baptism and our own baptism. We also received our star words made by Pastor Robin (Pilgrim-in-Residence) during her self-imposed season of quiet while waiting for her voice to return. Here is an excerpt from the bulletin insert she wrote explaining the spiritual practice of star words-
We ourselves are always on a journey, always on pilgrimage, always on “another road.” Here, at the beginning of a new year, we wonder, “Where will our journey take us this year? Where will we encounter the Christ Child? What gifts will we share with him? Where will we be challenged, in our personal and church and public lives? Where and how will we encounter new life? ...Let your word call you, provoke you, inspire you, ground you, inspire you. Let it lead you to laugh and to wonder. Perhaps think of your word from time to time in terms of whom God has commissioned you to be, and what God has commissioned you to do by virtue of your baptism in Jesus Christ. You are God’s beloved and you are called by God – along what path will your word lead or drag or accompany you? Take your own star word seriously, have fun with it, and let God guide you in unexpected ways.
Finally, here is a poem to begin the new year. May God bless you in every season.
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