Monthly Archives: December 2024

A prayer of thanks – President Jimmy Carter

Gracious God,

we thank you for

your beloved child,

Jesus’ faithful follower,

Jimmy Carter.

For his multiple contributions

to the lives of individuals,

to this country,

and to the international community,

we give you praise.

For his gracious being and living,

his goodness and kindness,

his integrity and compassion,

his work as a humble servant leader,

his courage in the facae of death,

we give you praise.

For his consistent witness to justice,

his tireless work for human rights,

his unshakeable belief that

all people and each person

are made in your image

and are to be treated with the

dignity that status confers,

we give you praise,

We thank you that for President Carter

death is past and

all pain and suffering and weakness has ended and,

reunited with his beloved Rosalynn

he has entered into the joy and love

you have prepared for us.

As we remember and give thanks

for President Carter,

may we learn from his example

how to follow more nearly Jesus

in whose name we pray.

Amen.

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Filed under Current Events, Prayer

24 December 2024 – The Christmas Truce

Because I believe that justice and peace are possible.
Despite the armed violence and warfare that rips the world,
despite the silent testimony of the dead,
despite the witness of the wounded,
despite the heartache of the displaced,
despite the silent cries of creation,
despite the devastation and the rubble,
I believe that justice and peace are possible.
Because I believe, 24 December will always include a playlist focused on the 1914 Christmas Truce. I recognize that my beliefs, statements, and actions my not make a significant difference, but I stand on my right to believe, speak, and act as I choose.
Snoopy’s Christmas – The Royal Guardsmen
Christmas Truce – Sabaton
Pipes of Peace – Paul McCartney
1914, the Carol of Christmas – Military Voices & Abby Scott, feat. Flt Lt Matt Little, the Raf Spitfire Choir & William Inscoe
Let the Truce Be Known – Orphaned Land
Christmas 1914 – John McDermott
It Could Happen Again – Colin Raye
All Together Now – The Farm
Christmas True of 1914 – Joyce Cooling
The Christmas True – Carol Dowgiallo & Bob Dowgiallo
Ode to the Christmas Truce of 1914 – Marshall Hattersley
Christmas Truce – Fenya
The Christmas Truce – Gloucester Cathedral Choir, Adrian Partington, Jonathan Hope, Sacha Fullerton, Jack Parry, Deryck Webb & Nicholas Perfect
Christmas in the Trenches – John McCutcheon
Silent Night/Stille Nacht – John McCutcheon

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Filed under Advent, Current Events

8 December 2024

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon
Once In Royal David’s City – David M. Bailey
Silent Night – Oscar Peterson
Christmas Canon Rock – Trans-Siberian Orchestra
In The Bleak Midwinter- Julie Andrews
Noel – Black Violin
O Little Town Of Bethlehem – Nashville Christmas Orchestra
O’ Come Emmanuel – Little Windows
All Through the Night – Nancy Wilson
The First Noel – Karla Bonoff
The Little Road To Bethlehem – Katie McMahon
A Star In The East – Harry Belafonte T
Looking for the Dove – Peter Mayer
Llegó Navidad – Los Lobos
Bach Prelude On In Dulci Jubilo – James Galway; John Georgiadis: Munich Radio Orchestra, Regensburg Cathedral Choir
Silent Night – Over the Rhine
O Little One Sweet – The Piano Guys feat. The King’s Singers
Sweet Little Jesus Boy – Natalie Cole
Uncle Carl – Aaron Lacombe

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6 December 2024

On this day in history–6 December 1830–the National Archives reports:

In the early 1800s, American demand for Indian nations’ land increased, and momentum grew to force American Indians further west. The first major step to relocate American Indians came when Congress passed, and President Andrew Jackson signed, the Indian Removal Act of May 28, 1830.

The Act authorized the President to negotiate removal treaties with Indian tribes living east of the Mississippi River, primarily in the states of Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and others. The goal was to remove all American Indians living in existing states and territories and send them to unsettled land in the west.

In his message on December 6, 1830, President Jackson informed Congress on the progress of the removal, stating, “It gives me pleasure to announce to Congress that the benevolent policy of the Government, steadily pursued for nearly thirty years, in relation to the removal of the Indians beyond the white settlements is approaching to a happy consummation.”

This set the stage for the Trail of Tears.

Today’s playlist included the following:
Trail of Tears Song, We Will Go Together – Joy Harjo
For Those Who Cried (Cherokee Removal) – Jack Gladstone
Cherokee Morning Song – Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble
Indian Reservation – Buddy Red Bow
Cherokee Tears – Jobel Star
Cherokee Trail of Tears -Native American Indians
We Are Still Here – Spirit Nation
Mourning Song for a Brother – Maggie Harry and Jenny Jack

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Filed under Antiracism

A prayer about seeking Christ

(nspired by the Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac; words in quotations are his.

Great Spirit, Immanuel,
in this Advent season,
we prepare to celebrate anew
the birth of Christ.
As we sing the songs
that tell us Christ will be bornin a manager,
remind us that again this year,
we will find “Christ in the rubble” of Gaza.
For Christ comes to the margins of life.
Not to the imperial palace
but to the humble people
Christ comes.
Not to the seat of powerbut to Bethlehem, little and insignificant
Christ comes.
Not to those enthroned
but to the disinherited and dispossesed
Christ comes.
For Christmas is your act of solidarity
with your beloved children who are oppressed.
Christmas provides a ray of hope
amid the “heart of pain and suffering.”
“Christmas is the radiance of life
from the heart of destruction and death.”
Inspire us, God, to seek Christ under the rubble.
Inspire us, God, to see Christ on the margins.
Inspire us, God, to follow Christ by working for
liberation and justice.
Amen.

Last year, the Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac and the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem introduced the concept of Christ in the Rubble in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Their advent creche showed the Christ child surrounded by broken stones and concreate and other representations of destruction.

This prayer, built on that image, focuses on the rubble of Gaza. Rubble, in many forms—physical, psychological, social, and more, exists around. May we seek Christ in all the rubble of the world and respond.

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Filed under Advent, Current Events, Human Rights

5 December 2024

Walking. Goss Avenue.
In The Bleak Midwinter – The Blind Boys Of Alabama Feat Chrissie Hynde & Richard Thompson
Star In the East – Tom Jackson
In Dulci Jubilo – Clare College Singers & Orchestra
I Saw Three Ships A Sailing – The Chieftains
The Gifts They Gave – Johnny Cash
Wexford Carol – Clare College Singers & Orchestra
Joy to the World – Dolly Parton
Young Rain Drummer – Red Nativity
Mary’s Boy Child – Harry Belafonte
Once In Royal David’s City – The Rhos Orpheus Male Choir
Joyeux Noel – New York Twoubadou
Fantasia On In Dulci Jubilo – James Galway; John Georgiadis: Munich Radio Orchestra, Regensburg Cathedral Choir
Ave Maria – Aretha Franklin
Shining Star (Emmanuel) – Nancy Wilson
Silent Night – Joanne Shenandoah
What Child Is This? – Oscar Peterson

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Filed under Exercise, Louisville, Music, playlist

4 December 2024

Cry Of A Tiny Babe – Bruce Cockburn –
Joy To The World – Moya Brennan –
In the Bleak Mid-winter – David Briggs, Oragn/Stephen Cleobury/Choir of King’s College, Cambridge King’s College Choir –
Venid Fieles Todos – Liuba Maria Hevia
A Tale Of Two Cities – Mark Isham –
Greensleeves – Irish Christmas Folk Music
Petite Aubade – Shadowfax
The First Noel – Mormon Tabernacle Choir-
O Tannenbaum -Eugene Ormandy: Philadelphia Orchestra
O Little Town Of Bethlehem – Trace Bundy
Let Us The Infant Greet – Loreena McKennitt
We Three Kings – Robert Mirabal
The Holy and the Ivy – Quadriga Consort-
Coventry Carol – Bill Carter And The Presbybop Quartet
Island Christmas – Christine Anu feat. Kuiam Anu & Zipporah Anu

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Filed under Louisville, Music, playlist

3 December 2024

Sera Chung birthday.
Buddy Monahan birthday.
Bob Brashear birthday.
Eureka Stockade – Australia.
Holy Disorder – Sera
FIREMOUTH – Sera
Pie Jesu ver. On the Rocks – Sera
The Calling ver. The END – Sera
Brave New World -Sera
The Rite of Letting Go – Sera
This is What Love Must Feel Like – Sera
Architects of December – Sera
Bird – Sera
Peace Anthem – Sera
Revolution – Kirk Franklin & The Family
Rock and Roll All Nite – Kiss
Boomer Sooner- The University of Oklahoma Marching Band
Cross of the South – Seona McDowell
The Land Belongs To Them – John Munro, feat. John Schumann
Republic – John Munro, feat, Eric Bogle
Spirit of the Land – John Munro, feat. Kat Kraus
All Walls Must Fall – Robert Brashear
Carolina Goin’ Home – Robert Brashear

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Filed under Friends, Music, playlist