Category Archives: Advent

A thought for Christmas Eve

Written a couple years ago, this remains relevant and may even be more so than ever.

It comes this night.
Faintly, 
ever so faintly,
it comes.

Above the roar
of anger and hatred,
Above the howl 
of prejudice and bigotry,

Above the oppressive maelstrom
of systems and structures,
Above the crash 
of violence and war,

Above the groan
of doubt and despair,
Above the dis-ease
of heartache and heartbreak

Above the tumult
of turmoil and trouble
Above the clamor
of struggle and strife.

Above it all,
despite it all
because of it all,
it comes this night.

Faintly,
ever so faintly,
it comes.

This night
and all nights,
It comes.

Thank God, it comes.

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22 December 2023

Walk. Albuquerque.
Christmas Must Be Tonight – The Band
I Believe in Father Christmas – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Jesus, Jesus, Rest Your Head – John McCutcheon
Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes – Bruce Cockburn
Angels We Have Heard on High – R. Carlos Nakai & William Eaton
Ode to Joy to the World – The Piano Guys
Love, Love, Love – Clarence Fountain & The Blind Boys of Alabama
Angels W Have Heard on High – Pentatonix
The Story of Christmas – Peter Mayer
Patapan – Julie Andrews
Little Drummer Boy – Jonathan Maracle
Merry Christmas to You – The Blind Boys of Alabama
Christmas Morning – Bill Miller
Christ Child Lullaby – Rosemary Beland
Mistletoe and Wine – Cwmbach Male Choir
Away in a Manger – Ed Gerhard

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AdventWord 2022 – December 25 – #Emmanuel

Emmanuel. God with us. If God is with us, any photo would work to express Emmanuel. I chose several that show working for justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God by visiting elected representatives, advocating, making a public witness, and amplifying other voices.

Photo 1 – New York delegation at Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2019, Washington, DC.

Photo 2 – Advocacy postcards for immigration justice, Whitestone, NY – 2018

Photo 3 – Standing Rock, SD – 2016

Photo 4 – Whitestone, NY – 2015

Photo 5 – Louisville, Ky – May 1, 2021

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Filed under Advent, Antiracism, Current Events, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Human Rights, New York, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, Presbytery of New York City

Advent Word 2022 – December 24 #birth

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December 24, 2022 · 9:51 am

23 December 2022

Walking. Apartment.
Go Tell It on the Mountain – The Blind Boys of Alabama
Angels We Have Heard on High – Aretha Franklin
O Little Town of Bethlehem – Dolly Parson
Feliz Navidad – Agua Clara
We Are Christmas – Spellman Glee Club
O Come All Ye Faithful – The Chieftains
Silent Night – Darlene Silversmith
I Feel the Christmas Spirit – The Indigo Girls
Angels from the Realms of Glory – Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet
Once in Royal David’s City – Eric Rigler
In the Winter’s Pale – Tim Story
Do You Hear What I Hear – Eileen Ivers
Some Quiet Night – david m. bailey
Home This Christmas – Tom Jackson
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel/People Look East Melissa DuPuy, Russell Davis & Deanie Richardson

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AdventWord 2022 – December 23 – #restore

Great conversation about how to restore people with the Rev. Dr. Don Shriver, president emeritus at Union Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Stanley Chimeysa, prison chaplain from the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian in Malawi.

They are leading thinkers and practitioners of restorative justice.

Their thinking and acting is moving toward transformative justice.

Photo: February 11, 2019; Manhattan, New York; not sure who took the photo. Obviously not me. There were several other people present.

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Filed under Advent, Antiracism, Current Events, Friends, Human Rights, New York, Photo, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbytery of New York City

22 December 2022

Walking. Apartment.
O Little Town of Bethlehem – Dolly Parton
Silent Night, Holy Night – The Piano Guys
What Child Is This – Michael Hedges
King Jesus Hath a Garden – Clare College Singers & Orchestra
Green Sleeves – Joanne Shenandoah
The Hard Road – Jonathan Maracle
I Saw Three Ships – Celtic Harp Soundscapes
Snowflake – Little Windows
The Gift – Tom Jackson
Christmas Must Be Tonight – The Band
O Cone Emmanuel – Rosemary Beland
I Believe in Father Christmas – Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Mary Had a Baby – Bruce Cockburn
Away in the Manger – Darlene Silversmith
This Clearness of Light – William Ackerman
With Mary Let My Soul Rejoice – Princeton Seminary Choir
Journey of the Angels – Enya

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AdventWord 2022 – December 22 – #choose

With thanks to Doc and Robert and all the people I do not know who choose hope and life and love by helping young people think through their choices.

This poster is from the first Teen Forum. The audience has since expanded to include all young people age 13-18.

Photo: 19 October 2022; The Bronx, New York

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AdventWord 2022 – December 21 – #obedience

With thanks to my friend Jimmie Hawkins for the profound reminder that obedience to higher principles, values, and visions often requires disobedience to unjust and immoral laws, rules and regulations. Order Unbroken and Unbowed.

Photo: 25 June, 2022; Louisville, Kentucky

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20 December 2022

Walking. Germantown.
Go Tell It on the Mountain – Dolly Parton
Carol of the Bells – Black Violin
Christmas in the Trenches – John McCutcheon
Deck the Halls – Moya Brennan
All through the Night – Joanne Shenandoah
The Rebel Jesus – The Chieftains
Wonderful Counselor – Little Windows
In the Bleak Midwinter – James Taylor
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Rosemary Beland
Early on One Christmas Morning – Bruce Cockburn
Silent Night – Ray Lynch
The Hounds of Winter – Sting
Hallelujah – Quincy Jones, Mervyn Waren, Michael O. Jackson, Various Artists
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence – Bill Carter And The Presbybop Quartet

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