Contributed by Sylvia Alloway, Granda Hills, CA

Warm-up Question

Do you have everything you need? If not, what do you think is lacking? Are all needs physical? List some non-physical needs.

Salvation Army the Victim of a Hoax

We have all seen the familiar red pot and patient bell ringer in front of stores at Christmas. Collectors for the Salvation Army receive gifts ranging from a few coins to hundreds of dollars. Forty per cent of the aid association’s capital comes from the humble red Christmas pots.This year, however, the Army’s Charleston, S. C. chapter was the victim of a baffling hoax. A seeming act of great generosity turned into a great disappointment as a check for $25,000 bounced after the group had already spent part of it on the needs of some 100 families.

Other charitable organizations in the Charleston area received large checks, supposedly from Force Protection, Inc., a manufacturer of armored trucks, but only the Salvation Army cashed theirs. Force Protection knew nothing about the “gifts,” which were drawn on a bank account closed months before. The case is being investigated, but no arrests have been made.

The loss means a lack of funds that will translate into less help for the poor, even as the recession brings more and people to the door of the nationally known charity.

Source: Associated press article from Yahoo.com

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_fake_checks_charities 

Discussion Questions 

1. What motive could someone have for giving bad checks to a charity?
2. If you came face to face with the person who committed this fraud, what would you say to him/her?
3. Some believe that fewer and fewer people care about doing right simply because it is right. Do you agree?  If lying, cheating and stealing are on the rise, what, if anything, can the church and/or  individual Christians do to stop this trend?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 17, 2010 (Second Sunday after Epiphany)

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.) 

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 Isaiah 62:15

I Corinthians 12:1-11

John 2:1-11 

Gospel Meditation 

So there was the wedding party and all of a sudden they ran out of wine. What’s the big deal? Couldn’t they drink something else?  No, they could not. Wedding parties of the day were huge, week-long affairs to which the entire community was invited. By the rules of hospitality, the host was expected to provide generously for his guests. Not to do so was a social error so great that it could ruin a family’s reputation. 

Many people interpret this story to mean that Jesus approves of marriage and he most certainly does. Others say it proves that God has nothing against good times, which is emphatically true, as well. 

But Jesus is also responding to a serious social need. And look how he responds. The “master of the banquet” (similar to what we call the “best man”) is so impressed with the wine that he takes the groom aside to comment on it. “You have saved the best until now.” Jesus can turn the plain and ordinary into his best. In this way he reveals his glory! 

The world can only give us bounced checks – IOUs for happiness and contentment which can never truly fulfill our needs. Depend on worldly glitter and gadgets for lasting satisfaction and you will come away empty every time. But Jesus’ presence can turn the “water” of our lives—broken promises, dead-end ambitions, and foolish desires—into his celebratory wine.  From Him flow new promises, ambitions, and desires, which lead to inner peace and joy that are not dependent on outward circumstances. 

And since we receive both physical and spiritual blessings from God, does it not make sense to share them? Many in our own neighborhoods are physically hungry. Even more suffer from spiritual want. Like the Salvation Army, let us continually give both physical comfort and the message of the Gospel to those in need. 

Discussion Questions 

1. Think about the benefits of knowing and serving Jesus as our Savior. List and talk about some of them.
2. What does it mean to be in need? Compare what we think we need to what we really need. Discuss the needs you mentioned in the warm-up question. How do we satisfy these needs?
3. In a time when more and more people are without even the basics of life, the Salvation Army and other charitable organizations are stretched to the limit as to how many they can help. What can your church, your Sunday school class, and you personally do to help the poor of your community? 

Activities 

1. Plan a project for your church or youth group that will help the poor of your community. Some examples: You might sponsor a food or clothing drive (especially focusing on clothes for children, babies, or adults going on job interviews).  Cook and serve a monthly evening meal in the church hall.  Offer babysitting service for the children of parents who are searching for work. Try to make it something that will bring you face to face with those in need. 
2. Plan a project that will fulfill spiritual needs.  Some examples: Go door to door telling people about your church and/or passing out Bibles.  Read or act out Bible stories for children.  Sponsor a youth concert with Christian music. 

Suggested songs: Great Is Thy Faithfulness, Give Thanks (with a Grateful Heart)

 Closing Prayer

Merciful Father, who supplies our needs with your best, turn our hearts outward. Open our eyes to the needs of those around us and, out of the help, love, and encouragement that you have first given us, help us to give generously to all. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord, we pray.  Amen.

Contributed by Erik Ullestad, West Des Moines, IA

Warmup Question

 Have you ever witnessed a miracle?  What happened?

 Miracle Born After Mother Assaulted

The temperatures are getting colder, snow is piling up, and homeless shelters are filled to capacity.  Such is the scene in cities the world over.  Washington D.C. is no different, claiming record snowfalls and near all-time highs in unemployment.  Teka Adams is one of the thousands of pregnant women who rest their heads in a homeless shelter.  She is in her third trimester, only a few weeks away from delivering her first child.  It is a time of excitement, fear, and wonder.

 This was the scene a few weeks ago, until Teka met Veronica at the shelter.  Veronica was moving into her own apartment soon.  She invited Teka to help her move, in exchange for food and baby clothes.  Teka agreed, her hope renewed by the chance to provide for her unborn child.  When they arrived at the apartment, things took a turn for the worst.  Veronica locked the door and tied Teka’s hands behind her back.  She came at Teka with a knife, saying, “You’re strong, you can handle what I’m going to do to you.”  Veronica then cut into Teka’s abdomen in an attempt to remove the baby.  A few months earlier, Veronica had lied to her friends and family, telling them that she was pregnant.  She was trying to remove Teka’s baby and take it as her own. 

 Before Veronica was able to remove the baby, Teka was able to escape.  Neighbors found her bleeding in a nearby parking lot.  Teka was taken to a hospital where doctors were able to heal her wounds and save the baby.  Both are expected to make a full recovery.  The baby – a girl – was named Miracle.

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What do you know about the homeless population in your community?
• Why do you think someone would fake a pregnancy and try to steal someone else’s baby?
• If you were related to Veronica, how would you respond to her?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, January 3, 2010 (Second Sunday of Christmas)

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

 For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

 Jeremiah 31:7-14

Ephesians  1:3-14

John 1:[1-9] 10-18

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today is the second Sunday of Christmas, but the gospel lesson is not a traditional Christmas story.  There are no tales of shepherds, angels, mangers, or innkeepers.  Instead, John talks about the Word, which we often assume to represent Jesus.  He traces the Word back to the creation of the world.  He even uses the same phrase as Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning…” – to indicate that there is a connection between what God created in Genesis and what God created in the birth of Jesus.  The Word was with God, the Word was God, and the word became flesh in the person of Jesus.

 In addition to “the Word” John mentions two other important things in the opening chapter of his gospel.  The first is John the Baptist.  John the gospel writer and John the Baptist were two different people.  The author was “the beloved disciple”, a brother of James and the son of Zebedee.  John the Baptist was the one who pointed the way to Jesus and was eventually beheaded for his blasphemy.  When Jesus was around, there were many people who thought that John the Baptist was the messiah (or “the Word”).  John the writer wants to make sure that readers know that John the Baptist was an important person, but was not the one.

 John also talks about Jesus’ purpose on earth.  On one hand, Jesus will be rejected by the very people he came to save.  On the other hand, he brings “grace upon grace”, truth, and the power to become children of God.  Jesus comes with good news, but not everyone will be ready to receive it.  He will be tested, questioned, beaten, and even put to death.  He comes to teach, to inspire, and, ultimately, to sacrifice his life so that we might live.  What a miracle that God loves us this much!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• What is the importance of making a connection between God creating the world and God sending Jesus into the world?
• Why do you think John chose to refer to Jesus as “the Word” instead of just calling him by name?
• Would you describe Jesus’ coming into the world as a “miracle”?  Why or why not?
• How does the miracle of Jesus’ arrival on earth inspire you?

ACTIVITY SUGGESTION

Gather colorful paper, markers, glitter, and other decorative items.  Create greeting cards for new mothers in your community.  These could be for women in your neighborhood, church, workplace, or a women’s homeless shelter.  Look for some verses in Scripture that would give hope to someone who had given birth.  (Consider portions of today’s gospel or the Advent and Christmas stories in Matthew or Luke.)  Talk as a group about how you plan to deliver these cards during the week.

CLOSING PRAYER

God, thank you for the miracle of Jesus’ birth.  We praise you for loving us so much that you forgive our sins and give us the promise of eternal life.  Help us to give hope to those who have none.  Give us the inspiration that comes in the form of a baby, born in a feeding trough, who brings light and life to the world.  Amen

Contributed by Jay McDivitt

Warm-up question:

What things bring you joy during this time of year? What things irritate you during the holiday season?

Story: Congress Wages War…over Christmas

Representative Henry Brown, Jr. (R-South Carolina), has introduced a bill in the House which, if passed, would make it clear that Congress “strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas” and “expresses support for the use of… symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.” Brown believes that it is important for him to have “the right to celebrate Christmas” and that “wishing someone ‘Merry Christmas’ should never be met with disapproval.”

Although this is the first time that the so-called “War over Christmas” has been discussed in Congress, it has become a regular feature of the holiday season to debate how people—especially retail employees and public leaders—should greet one another during this festivetime. As the U.S. becomes increasingly diverse, the growing presence of non-Christian neighbors poses the question of whether “Merry Christmas” is a meaningful, appropriate, or insensitive way to greet strangers who may celebrate something else—or nothing at all—rather than the birth of Christ. “Happy Holidays” is a commonly used alternative.

Opinions vary widely, among Christians and non-Christians alike, about this question of decorum and etiquette. Some think this is an example of “political correctness” gone wild; others think it is a meaningful way to acknowledge religious diversity and offer a gesture of hospitality to non-Christian neighbors.  Still others think this conversation is simply a silly way to bring the “culture wars” into a season that should be filled with peace and good will.

Discussion questions:

1. What do you think about Rep. Brown’s proposed bill? Would you vote for it?
2. How do you greet people during this season? Do you have friends or neighbors who you know are non-Christian? Do you treat them differently from your Christian friends during the Christmas season?
3. Whether “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas,” the greeting implies that this season is joyful. How joyful are you? How do you express joy during this season?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 20, 2009 (Fourth Sunday in Advent)

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Micah 5:2-5a

Hebrews 10:5-10

Luke 1:39-45 (46-56)

Gospel Reflection:

            The season of Advent belongs, for the most part, to John the Baptist. This year, we have three weeks in a row where John plays an important role. Today, however, his name doesn’t even appear in the text—but he’s there. John is the baby who jumps for joy inside of Elizabeth’s tummy. Talk about a Christmas greeting!

            John’s main job was to prepare the way for the Messiah—to point out the Christ; and today we learn that even while he was in utero, he was doing his job. Elizabeth is six months pregnant with John when Mary shows up.  All Mary has to say is “hello,” and John does cartwheels in Elizabeth’s womb: “This is it! Pay attention to this one, Mom!” And Elizabeth, rubbing her belly, looks Mary in the eyes and calls her blessed; she recognizes Mary as the mother of her Lord.

            And anyone watching this scene unfold would have been very surprised. Mary? Her? This poor, unmarried girl carrying an “illegitimate child” is blessed? Cursed is more like it. At least embarrassed or ashamed… but blessed? The mother of the Lord?

            But Elizabeth knows—deep inside her own body—that something special is happening in Mary. This child is, indeed, the Messiah. John said so—long before John could even speak.

            And if you’ve been paying attention in Sunday School, you shouldn’t be all that surprised. Everywhere you turn in the Bible, God is doing wild and holy things with unexpected people. In God’s strange way, it makes sense that God would choose to bring the Messiah into the world through the womb of an unremarkable girl, a poor girl who probably wouldn’t have been noticed. Makes sense, of course, if you’re prepared to look in ordinary places for extraordinary things.

            And that’s what John prepares us to do. That’s his job. This important prophet, son of an important priest in the Jerusalem Temple, is only a signpost, pointing to the amazing thing that God is doing in this illegitimate child born to a homely girl from a good-for-nothing corner of Israel. So John points. And Elizabeth blesses. And Mary sings.

And that’s what we do, too.

We point—we look for signs of God’s grace and love in unexpected places.

We bless—we call things “holy” when they remind us of God among us.

And we sing—we greet Jesus with songs of joy and sing those songs in the midst of a world in fear.

We do this, not because we want to shove Jesus down peoples’ throats or to make people uncomfortable. We do it, even if we don’t always use words—even if we find other ways to share joy and life with people who do not share our faith in Christ. We do it, not because we have to or because God tells us to. We do it because we, like John, Mary, and Elizabeth, simply can’t help it. This news is too good not to make us jump for joy—to point, bless, and sing out the good news that God is coming, Christ is here, and joy is real—today and always. And thanks be to God for that. Amen.

Questions:

1. Where do you see signs of joy in the world around you? Where do you see the “Christ” in all the Christmas stuff that is happening during this season?
2. Does everything that says “Merry Christmas” on it have something to do with Jesus? What are some parts of the Christmas season that aren’t all that connected to the birth of Christ?
3. What would be a meaningful way to share the joy of Christmas with people who don’t know or worship Christ? What are some ways you can spread the joy of Christmas with people who aren’t feeling joyful?

Activities:

1. Go through the Christmas section of the hymnal you use in worship and count all the references to “joy.” What do these hymns say about the reason for joy? What do these hymns say about the reason for Christ’s birth—what it is all about or what it accomplishes? Finish by singing Joy to the World together (ELW 267). Notice that this is in the “Advent” section of the hymnal. Why do you think that is?
2. Depending on who you ask, either the Third or the Fourth Sunday in Advent is gaudete Sunday—the day when some folks light a pink candle on the Advent wreath. Gaudete means “joy” in Latin, and it traditionally was celebrated on the Third Sunday of Adventwhen the readings were about Mary’s pregnancy and the joyful announcement of Christ’s coming birth. In recent years, those readings now fall on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, leading to some confusion about when it would be appropriate to light the pink candle. Nevertheless, sometime around this day, the church celebrates Joy with a little pink flare—a break from the more solemn, blue season with its focus on repentance.  Introduce the theme of “joy” and gaudete Sunday to the youth and then make something pink—a stole/scarf, banner, t-shirt, etc. Invite the youth to adorn cloth with signs and symbols of things that bring them joy, things they are hopeful for, things they are waiting for in their lives. Invite them to share these projects with each other.

Prayer:

 O God for whom we wait: Fill us with joy as we celebrate your birth among us. Help us to see the joy you are bringing into the world and point it out to those around us. Open our hearts and minds to see your blessings and open our mouths to sing for joy. In the name of Christ we pray. Amen

 contributed by Steven Alloway

 Warm-up Question

 Have you ever had to prepare for an important event or occurrence in your life? What was it? How did you prepare? Was it a good event, or a bad one?

Doom Looms for Shishmaref, Alaska

From CNN.com

 A warming climate is having adverse effects on the Eskimo village of Shishmaref, Alaska. As the ice melts gradually earlier in the spring and forms later in the fall, the coast is beginning to erode—and the houses built along it are in danger of falling into the sea. One house has succumbed to the erosion already and thirteen more have been moved inland to protect them from meeting the same fate. Only one house remains—that of Shelton and Clara Koreok, only feet from the edge. Shelton refuses to move, no matter what the danger, because he fears that moving would mean losing everything he knows.

 “This is my hometown,” said Shelton. “I don’t want to go anywhere.”

Discussion Questions

1. Besides the looming danger for their houses, in what other ways do you think this coastal erosion will affect the people of Shishmaref?
2. What do you think the people should do about this crisis? Should they try to prevent further erosion? Carry on in spite of it and find ways of dealing with it? Pack up and leave Shishmaref altogether?
3. What do you think of Shelton Koreok’s decision not to move his house inland? What do you suppose he’ll do if his house falls into the sea?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 13,2009 (Third Sunday of Advent)

 (Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at Lectionary Readings.)

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Zephaniah 3:14-20

Phillipians 4:4-7

Luke 3:7-8

Gospel Reflection

 We’re in the advent season now: the time of preparation for the coming of Jesus. But what does that preparation entail? Reading the Christmas story in our Bibles? Singing “Silent Night” with friends and family? Putting a manger scene under the tree?

 Well, according to John the Baptizer, there’s quite a bit more to it than that. John came to prepare the way of the Lord, to get the people of Israel ready for his coming. But he didn’t do it by giving them images of a baby in a manger, surrounded by cherubic angels and a blandly serene Virgin Mary. The preparation he spoke of was for an impending doom. He spoke of unquenchable fire. He called his hearers vipers. He told them to expect wrath and an ax poised to cut them down. Far from the traditional Christmas message. But a necessary message for understanding the coming of Christ.

 Jesus came to save us from our sins. So in order to prepare for his coming, we need to think about what sin is and what it means. Sin means condemnation. Sin means unquenchable fire and wrath. In order to be saved, we must recognize our  need for salvation. We must be convicted of our sins and realize that the consequences are death and destruction. We are standing on an eroding coast, and if we stay there, we will surely fall into the sea.

 But Jesus offers to lead us to safety. He can take us away from the impending doom, and give us a new life with him. But we cannot be saved until we first understand that staying where we are means death, and going with Christ means life. Otherwise, we’re like Shelton Koreok: refusing to leave for fear of losing everything—when really, we lose everything only if we stay where we are.

 That’s what repentance is: turning around. We turn from the sinful path we’re on, and instead follow Christ. Jesus came to set us free. His human birth was only the first step. He then lived a human life, and died a human death, just as we do, so that he could save us from the unquenchable fire. Jesus came with a fire of his own: the fire of the Holy Spirit. A fire of life, rather than a fire of death. When we repent of our sins, we are baptized with fire, and the Holy Spirit lives in us. And when the Spirit lives and burns within us, we are able to bear fruits worthy of repentance. But we can only do it if we turn around.

Discussion Questions

1. John provides some suggestions for bearing fruit worthy of repentance (share with those who have nothing, be fair with money). What are some other ways that we can bear fruit worthy of repentance in our own lives?
2. Even in the face of doom, why do you think some people are reluctant to repent and turn to Christ? What do you think they’re afraid of losing?
3. How can we help others this Christmas season to understand what it means to prepare for the coming of Christ?

Suggested Activity:

 Sing, “O Come O Come Emmanuel.” Go through the lyrics one at a time, and talk about what they mean in terms of Christ’s saving us from sin and death.

Closing Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you for your saving grace. Thank you for the freedom we have from sin, and our new life with you. As we remember your first coming, prepare our hearts for your Second Coming. Amen

It is amazing to think of all the ways that life has changed in the past 20 years, or 50 years, or 100 years. You’ve probably talked with grandparents or other older people about what life was like when they were your age. No computers, no cell phones, no cars, no TV, and maybe no telephones at all.

There are people who have witnessed major changes in society. From a time when women and African-Americans couldn’t vote to a year when this country elected an African-American man as President and very nearly elected a woman instead.

Recently, Edna Parker died at the age of 115 in Shelbyville, Indiana. She was documented at the time as the world’s oldest living person. Imagine what she saw. Imagine the events she witnessed. Imagine the changes in her way of life. The article points out that she and her husband were the first in their area to own an automobile!

Discussion Questions

• What is the change or the event you wish you could have seen during Edna’s life (since 1893)?
• If you could have spoken with Edna, what would you have wanted to ask her?

Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, December 28, 2008.
(Text links are to oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings.

• Isaiah 61:10-62:3
• Psalm 148 (13)
• Galatians 4:4-7
• Luke 2:22-40

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

Today’s Gospel lesson tells us about two very elderly people who got to see Jesus when he was very young. Simeon and Anna were people of great faith who had been waiting a long time for God’s promises to be fulfilled. On the day when Jesus was brought to the temple for purification after his birth (according to the law of the time), Simeon and Anna were there. They saw the baby. They knew that all they had been waiting for was there in that little boy Jesus.

Luke records Simeon’s words which many of us sing at the end of each Sunday morning worship service: “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Simeon knew he could die at peace and at rest now because he had seen everything God had promised… all in this one little baby.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think Mary and Joseph were thinking as Simeon and Anna went “ga-ga” over their new baby in this way?
• What are the promises that you are waiting for God to fulfill?

Activity Suggestions

Plan a conversation time with some of the oldest members of your congregation. Ask them what life was like when they were teenagers. Ask them to tell your stories of their lives. Help them to write the stories down as memory books for their own family members.

Closing Prayer

Faithful God, we thank you for the fulfillment of all your promises. We thank you especially for Jesus, born of Mary, who came to be light for the world. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Seth Moland-Kovash
All Saints Lutheran Church
Palatine, IL