ADVENT ONE- 2020

Advent 1

Liturgically, the first Sunday in Advent is the Sunday closest 

to or on The Feast of St. Andrew (November 30^th). 

This year, try something new. Begin the Advent season 

with the hymn, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, read it or sing it, 

all of the verses, but omit the refrain. It is a long hymn 

and accurately reflects the centuries long wait 

from the promise made in the garden of Eden 

until the angelic announcement to the shepherds. 

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here Until the Son of God appear.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, Who ord’rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show, And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times didst give the Law In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree, Free them from Satan’s tyranny

That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save, And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, And close the path to misery.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on High, And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Desire of nations, bind In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, And be Thyself our King of Peace.

This year, as we tire of the struggle with the virus

 and the divisions that politics impose, 

we can more readily identify with the agony

 of our first parents when they were separated from God, 

when they lost those loving evening visits, 

when they experienced illness, thorns, pains, and guilt. 

They longed for Emmanuel, for God to be with them again. 

Pray the hymn again. Use it as your prayer in this time of trial. 

Then “Let the Amen, sound from His people again.”

This Devotion written by Journeys of Faith Contributing Writer-

 Natalie Grace Hartwig.

The Advent calendar for marking your Advent journey

 may be downloaded for free right here:

advent-calendar-2020

Advent 4 Slips into Christmas

Stir Up!

On the 4^th Sunday of Advent we heard the last of the “Stir Up” collects. 

This one was surely written for the impatient ones among us.

 It starts, “Stir up, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy power, 

and come and help us with Thy great might.”

 We cannot do this on our own.

 But, joy oh joy, we don’t have to! We have a Savior! 

If there were labeled packages underneath the Christmas tree 

each inhabitant in your home has checked to see which ones bore their name. 

Seasonal cards, emails, and phone calls

 have been arriving and our hearts are thrilled. 

This is a time for singing!

Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes,

The Savior promised long;

Let ev’ry heart prepare a throne

And ev’ry voice a song.

He comes the pris’ners to release,

In Satan’s bondage held.

The gates of brass before Him burst,

The iron fetters yield.

He comes the broken heart to bind,

The bleeding soul to cure,

And with the treasures of His grace

To enrich the humble poor.

Our glad hosanas, Prince of Peace,

Thy welcome shall proclaim,

And heav’n’s eternal aches ring

With Thy beloved name.



"I love the inclusion of the liturgical year collects, graduals, 

and introits in the hymn book of my childhood 

(The Lutheran Hymnal published in 1941.)

 Three of the four Sundays in Advent begin with the words "Stir Up!" 

I told my children to listen for those words as a clue

 to the start of getting ready for Christmas, but in truth,

 they are a plea for God to stir us up for joy and service. 

Christmas is has come now.

 I remember going to a community celebration 

when the lights on the  tree in front of the courthouse were lit. 

The junior high band was there to play Christmas music 

and they played carols encouraging us to sing along. 

On about the third carol and friend nudged me 

and said, "You can tell who the Lutheran's are, 

they are the ones who know all of the verses for memory." 

Christmas music stirs us up with the joy of Christ."

Thank you to Natalie Hartwig 

for this Advent 4- (into Christmas Day)

reflection. 

Advent Three-With Praise

In Advent, Praise The God of Heaven!

For many chronologically blessed children of God,
 the Advent season contains days 
of sorrowful remembering. 
I think of my own father who entered 
God’s presence on December 3^rd.
 Five years later, also on December 3^rd,
 my sister got to heaven before me. 

She was younger than I was and should
 have waited her turn. 
Thinking of her, I remember 
going to Christmas concerts in which she sang. 

In the 1950’s and 60’s every
 St. Louis Lutheran Children’s Choir concert
began with 

“Let Us All with Gladsome Voice” 

as a candle light processional. 

The tune and meter are perfect for marching. 

There are times in Advent when we feel like

 we just have to keep on going, 

challenged to do so with joy and gladness,

 not drudgery and sadness. 

So try it, sing this hymn today 

as time marches on and you continue, 

with each day,

 to draw closer to Christmas.

Let us all with gladsome voice

Praise the God of heaven,

Who, to bid our hearts rejoice,

His own Son hath given.

To this vale of tears He comes,

Here to serve in sadness,

That with Him in Heav’n’s fair homes

We may reign in gladness.

We are rich, for He was poor,

Is not this a wonder?

Therefore praise God evermore

Here on earth and yonder.

Christ, our Lord and Savior dear,

Be Thou ever near us,

Grant us now a glad new year.

Amen, Jesus, hear us.

Thank you to contributing writer-
Natalie Hartwig- for this Advent devotion. 

Advent Two- Prayer

Advent Bed Time Prayer

Do you fall into bed, long past your bedtime, convinced that if you only had 12 extra hours in the day you might get half of what you planned accomplished? When you are too tired to pray, let The Spirit of God pray for you and sing the closing verses of Luther’s hymn, “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come.”

The first verses are a devotional recounting of the birth of Christ. But, those last 3 verses, may serve as a bedtime prayer, for you and the little ones you love, to sing together. When I was a child, verse 13 was my Advent prayer. I still love the translation that was in the hymn book of my childhood and use it today.

“Ah Dearest Jesus, Holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, 

Within my heart that it may be A quiet chamber, kept for Thee.”

If you are building new memories for your bedtime prayers,

 look at those last 3 verses in today’s hymn book. 

Verse 13 implores God to create in you a new heart. 

Verse 14 describes that heart.

 Verse 15 joins the song of saints and angels

 beyond all time praising God.

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child, 

Prepare a bed, soft, undefiled,

A quiet chamber set apart

For You to dwell within my heart.

My heart for very joy must leap;

My lips no more can silence keep,

I, too, must sing with joyful tongue

That sweetest ancient cradle song;

Glory to God in highest heav’n

Who unto us His Son has giv’n!

While angels sing with pious mirth

A glad new year to all the earth.

Listen Here:

From Heaven Above to Earth I Come

 This hymn is actually found in the Christmas, 

not the Advent, section of the Lutheran hymnal,

 but the verse I talk about
was my childhood Advent bedtime prayer.

 I have vague memories of my father singing it to me

 as he carried me home from mid-week Advent services.

 We lived in the teacherage right next to the church,

 so it was not a long walk.

Thanks to Natalie Hartwig for this Advent reflection.

A bit more about this hymn:
Martin Luther wrote this hymn in the 1530's for his child-
 so they could sing it on Chritismas Eve.
He even dressed up as an angel to sing the opening verses.
He often included his students for this tradition
when they couldn't go home for Christmas.
Later, Valentin Schumann added the music
and the Christmas carol was published in the Lutheran Hymnal.
 The English translation is attributed to Catherine Winkworth,
 who translated it in 1855.

Advent One- Hymn

Advent Music

It is here. Go into almost any commercial area and you hear it, Christmas music, songs about Santa and snow, gifts and goodies, reindeer and children’s happy faces. We are advised, in those songs, to “be good” because Santa is making a list of good children. Parents look at the calendar with dismay. There is just not enough time between now and Christmas to do everything that needs doing. Children, looking with anticipation of joy to come, are convinced that Christmas will never get here. This Christmas, this Advent, make the hymns you sang as a child be the Christmas music of your soul. Hum those tunes while you wait for a red light or on hold for the service representative to answer the phone. Start with the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” 

Remember that Emmanuel means God with us. When we sing the opening words of the hymn we are crying to God to be with us. As the New Testament children of God we know that God is always with us. We might leave God, but God does not desert us. But for the Old Testament Children of Israel that was not the case.

Emmanuel, God with us, that is what was lost when sin entered the world. Humanity went from daily walking and talking with God to hiding from God in fear and embarrassment much like the guilty child hides from a parent after mischief. Follow that comparison to childlike behavior and feelings further. Think of how the young child, separated from a parent, cries, comfortless, and seeks the loved one. At times those tears and cries continue until either the parent returns or the child falls asleep exhausted. 

Now think of the length of time between the first promise of the Messiah and the birth of Christ. Generations died waiting for the promise to be kept. 

Open your memories, open your hymn books, and let your soul sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” only this time sing it without the refrain. Don’t even pause between the verses.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

 and ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

 Until the Son of God appear.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, 

Who ord’rest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show, 

And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, 

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height

In ancient times didst give the Law

 in cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,

 Free them from Satan’s tyranny

That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save, 

And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, 

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, 

And close the path to misery.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on High, 

And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, 

And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Desire of nations, 

bind In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, 

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Without the refrain, it is a very long hymn of sorrow and begging. It is not just a child waiting for a present, it is a toddler crying for mom and dad and not knowing if they will ever return. 

But we do know that God so loved us that He sent His only son. We do know that God is with us now and always. We can sing “Rejoice! Rejoice! God is with us. He is with me, a child of God.” (Even the syllables fit.) Read, again the very last verse of this great hymn. 

O come, Desire of nations, 
bind In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease, 

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Make it your prayer for peace this Advent. 

Let your soul sing.
Some versions of this hymn:
Traditional
King and Country

Thanks to Journeys of Faith contributing writer-

 Natalie Hartwig for sharing these Advent thoughts!

Aging in Grace- Gift Giving

AGING IN GRACE - Gift Giving

Commercials, newspaper advertisements, catalogues are sending us messages that buying gifts this season is how to show love.  As faithful women and men, we know that our older loved ones and congregation members have the greatest gift in Jesus -  but it it is easy to get side tracked by all of the pressures of our culture.

IDEAS: Two things should be considered during the Christmas Season.

1 - The gift of time is the best gift we can give.  This means that we have to manage our own time so that we can share our time with others in unhurried moments focused on the older person. And we can gift caregivers to free up their time so they can get relief and have more energy to provide needed care.

Consider what activities bring spiritual meaning to the older adult.

     

          “Go with me to church”- is the number one wish that I hear from seniors when asked what they want from their children for Christmas (or Mother's Day, Thanksgiving, etc.).

          Recreate traditional worship opportunities - advent wreath prayer time, the lighting of an angel chime, reading the Christmas story, singing carols, sharing favorite cookies and a cup of tea, or baking together.  Think about smells that will bring back memories - cinnamon, baked bread, fresh greens, hot cookies, and peppermint.  Simple, friendly activities are best.

          Remember, some people in nursing homes are able to enjoy time at home or with friends during the holidays.  If your loved one is on Medicaid (over 70 % of all nursing home residents receive this subsidy), the resident is able to take “therapeutic leave” in most states.   This means he can come home for a day or several days depending on the state where you live without losing Medicaid benefits. Be sure to plan this with the facility in advance to make sure medications and other items are prepared.  If the person is on Medicare for skilled rehabilitation, visits are typically for the day with the person needing to return before midnight so that Medicare benefits are not lost. Planning these visits with the staff is essential; the payoff is often a renewed interest in family and getting better.

          

             An alternative is to take the family to the assisted living and nursing home for a Christmas celebration.  Share the joy with those residents who do not have visitors. Sadly, 40% of long term care residents have no regular visits from family or friends.

        

 2 - Concrete gifts should reflect the wants and needs of the person you are gifting.  If you don’t know, ask the person. If the person can not articulate her wishes, think about what she enjoyed in earlier stages of her life.

         Is the person concerned about money?  A CVS card that can be used for necessities and treats can take a little pressure off of the older adult. Stamps and cards are often appreciated by those who are home bound or in assisted living.

        What seasonal activities did the older person most enjoy?  For my 97 year old neighbor, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a tin of her favorite macaroons, a live wreath for the door, and a subscription to her favorite paper. For my aunt, a bird feeder outside of the nursing home window brought hours of joy as well as on-going happiness when her family replaced the seed in winter and in spring planted flowers around it.  A beautiful book of seasonal pictures including nativities can add meaning to the season.

           People with memory loss might appreciate a photo album with large pictures of family.  Label the pictures with large print so the names are visible (yes, some people with Alzheimer’s Disease continue to be able to read) and visitors will be able to talk with the person about family members.  Make an album of the person’s interests - flowers or automobiles or travel pictures. (A great project for young people to make for older relatives.) A soft blanket with pictures of family or favorite pets (think Shutterfly) can bring comfort.  

RESOURCES:

AGING CARE.  How to Take a Vacation from a Nursing Home.

      leave-of-absence

THE HOLIDAYS AND ALZHEIMER'S (and other memory loss).   Expectations, gift giving,  involving the person, ideas for those at home and I. Assisted living/nursing homes resources/holidays

SONG FOR REFLECTION:   What Child is This, Josh Groan
What Child is this?    

 Wishing you Advent Blessings!  
Share your ideas for meaningful gifts of activities 
and gifts that will bring comfort and joy
 in the comment section below.

Alice H. Hedt,

 Landover Hills MD  

Contributing writer for Journeys of Faith      

ahedt@aol.com

Advent in the Classroom

This sharing comes from

 Resurrection Lutheran School 

in Cary, North Carolina.

"Several of us from Resurrection Lutheran School

 in Cary, NC.

 attended the Visual Faith seminar on Prayer Art 

during the Southeastern District-

 All Church Workers Conference 

in Williamsburg. 

 I was inspired by the beautiful cards 

created when thinking of one verse 

or one word in the verse.

We created the attached art 

using the word "rejoiced"  from the verse

 "They saw the star and they rejoiced"  

Matthew 2:10

The cards were drawn by a preschool, 1st, 5th,

 and 8th grade classes.

  It was interesting to see the different 

interpretations and images.

Thank you for your inspiration and creativity."

Chris Johanson

1st grade 

Resurrection Lutheran School

Advent Waiting- Preschool Style

Advent waiting at 

Prince of Peace Preschool

 in Springfield, Virginia

 Teacher Bonnie Hughes 

leads the Visual Faith connections

 for the children at this preschool.
Bonnie's very capable helper is
Greta Holliday.

 Hands- on processing.

Becomes BIG PICTURE images.

What does art LOOK LIKE

 when you can create it together?

It is memorable.

Beautiful.

It connects Faith

 to Art and Heart.

Bonnie Hughes is a Visual Faith

 coach serving on the team 

of Visual Faith Ministry.

more Here:
Visual Faith Ministry

Advent 27- Watchman- Awake!

December 23

Read Matthew 25:1 – 13

Advent, like the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, carries an invitation, a promise, and a warning. The invitation is to celebrate the coming of Christ, the promise is that Christ will come, and the warning is that the exact moment of His coming is unknown to us. The celebration lamps or torches used to greet the bride groom required large amounts of oil, so much oil that they needed to be replenished about 4 times every hour. Constant vigilance is needed. Our lamps of faith also need constant attention. By God’s grace, the supply of fuel-God’s loving Word and the power of the Spirit, is boundless.

‘Wake, Awake’ is used by the church militant as an Advent hymn, a funeral hymn, and an end times hymn reflecting the invitation, promise, and warning.

“Wake, awake, for night is flying.” The watchmen on the heights are crying;

 “Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”

Midnight hears the welcome voices And at the thrilling cry rejoices: 

“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?

The Bride-groom comes, awake! Your lamps with gladness take! Alleluia!

With bridal care Yourselves prepare To meet the Bride-groom, who is near.”

Zion hears the watchmen singing, And all her heart with joy is springing;

 She wakes, she rises from her gloom.

For her Lord comes down all glorious. The strong in grace, in truth victorious; 

Her star is ris’n Her light is come.

Now come, Thou Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God’s own Son, Hail! Hosanna!

We enter all The wedding hall To eat the Supper at Thy call.

Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee, Let saints and angels sing before Thee 

With harp and cymbals’ clearest tone.

Of one pearl each shining portal, Where joining with the choir immortal, 

We gather round Thy radiant throne.

No eye has seen the light, No ear has heard the might Of Thy glory;

Therefore will we Eternally Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!

For the Family:

Today’s symbol is a brightly burnished lamp with a golden flame. Hang this symbol on your Tree of Promise and pray God to increase your faith and keep you watching in joy.

Bible Journaling:

Advent 27
Watchman- Awake
Matthew 25:1-13
Bible Journaling
Connie Denninger

From the Kitchen:

The only time I ever was successful at making a ginger bread house I made it with Betty Ann Barrett for the bake sale at church. In fact, we made 3 and they all sold for $25 each. Not bad for 1977. Baking like that was fun, try it some time, pick a new or difficult recipe and bake with a friend. It makes waiting easier. This recipe is not for ginger bread cake cookies, but it is for Ginger Snaps.

Ginger Snaps

On line search

8 oz butter  
1 ¼ C + 2 TBS sugar

½ tsp vanilla  
2 small eggs

1/3 C molasses  
3 C flour

2 ½ tsp baking soda  
½ tsp salt

2 ½ tsp cinnamon  
2 ½ tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp finely ground black pepper

• Beat butter until soft, add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add vanilla and eggs and beat until fluffy. Add molasses and beat until well mixed.
• Sift dry ingredients together
• Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients 1/3 at a time. Beat only until all dry ingredients are well incorporated.
• Line loaf pan with plastic wrap and pack dough into pan pressing tightly to eliminate any air bubbles. Cover well with the plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn.
• Freeze dough until solid, at least 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350
• Slice brick as thinly as possible (no thicker than 1/8”) and place on silicone baking mat at least 1” apart. Return unsliced brick to freezer.
• Bake 7 – 12 minutes until edges turn dark brown. Be sure to check at 7 minutes.
• Repeat until all dough is used

I admit it. I hunted on line for this because I wanted a really crisp cookie. Have not tried it yet. My knives are all too dull to cut much more than warm butter, but I happen to know that a new set of knives is wrapped and waiting in the cradle for me. Oh yes, our family puts Christmas presents in the same cradle that rocked my babies and their great-great grandfather Speck. 

Tree of Promise Devotions

Natalie Grace Hartwig