An Advent Reflection – Second Sunday: Something Hardly Noticeable

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To help you prepare for Christmas, we will be
sending you weekly meditations for Advent.
J
oin us in quiet times of reflection.

Something Hardly Noticeable
Second Sunday of Advent—December 4

"A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him . . ." (Isa.11:1-2).

These words from last night's liturgy have stayed with me during the day. Our salvation comes from something small, tender, and vulnerable, something hardly noticeable. God, who is the Creator of the Universe, comes to us in smallness, weakness, and hiddenness.

I find this a hopeful message. Somehow, I keep expecting loud and impressive events to convince me and others of God's saving power; but over and over again I am reminded that spectacles, power plays, and big events are the ways of the world. Our temptation is to be distracted by them and made blind to the "shoot that shall sprout from the stump."

When I have no eyes for the small signs of God's presence - the smile of a baby, the carefree play of children, the words of encouragement and gestures of love offered by friends - I will always remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown young man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher, the naked man on the cross, he asks for my full attention. The work of our salvation takes place in the midst of a world that continues to shout, scream, and overwhelm us with its claims and promises. But the promise is hidden in the shoot that sprouts from the stump, a shoot that hardly anyone notices.

iGracias! - A Latin American Journal (December 2, 1981) © Henri J.M. Nouwen. Published by HarperCollins. Reprinted with publisher's kind permission.



 

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An Advent Reflection – First Sunday: Waiting with the Word

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be Blessed as you prepare throughout Advent ~
may this be a welcome reminder of this journey... 

 

To help you prepare for Christmas, we will be
sending you five weekly meditations for Advent.
Plea
se join us in quiet times of reflection.

Waiting with the Word
First Sunday of Advent —November 27

Our waiting is always shaped by alertness to the Word. It is waiting in the knowledge that someone wants to address us. The question is, are we home? Are we at our address, ready to respond to the doorbell? We need to wait together, to keep each other at home spiritually, so that when the Word comes it can become flesh in us. That is why the Book of God is always in the midst of those who gather. We read the Word so that the Word can become flesh and have a whole new life in us.

Finding My Way Home, page 107, © Henri J.M. Nouwen. Published by The Crossroad Publishing Company and reprinted here with publisher's kind permission.

 

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                                                      © Henri Nouwen Society      www.henrinouwen.org

Henri Nouwen Daily Meditation: A Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation

Henri Nouwen Society - Daily Meditation
[photo]

Sunday November 6, 2011 


A Ministry of Healing and Reconciliation

How does the Church witness to Christ in the world?  First and foremost by giving visibility to Jesus' love for the poor and the weak.  In a world so hungry for healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and most of all unconditional love, the Church must alleviate that hunger through its ministry.  Wherever we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the lonely, listen to those who are rejected, and bring unity and peace to those who are divided, we proclaim the living Christ, whether we speak about him or not.

It is important that whatever we do and wherever we go, we remain in the Name of Jesus, who sent us.  Outside his Name our ministry will lose its divine energy.

- Henri J. M. Nouwen 

Comment on this Daily Meditation.

 Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community.

Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson.

WIN this week's new song...

'Acquitted' by Jeremy Riddle
History split by sacrifice
God's perfect Son gave up his life
To ransom back the lost and damned
Paying the price justice demands
As He was broken, heaven was opened
Our judgment lifted, our sins acquitted
His loving kindness freely invites us Into the realms of grace
Sing a new song
Sing of His goodness, sing of His goodness
Sing of His wonderful love
True love was shown, true love defined
As He was scorned and crucified
He tore the veil, bridged the divide
Taking us from darkness to light
As He was broken, heaven was opened
Our judgment lifted, our sins acquitted
His loving kindness freely invites us
Into the realms of grace
Sing a new song
Sing of His goodness, sing of His goodness
Sing of His wonderful love
Sing a new song
Sing of His goodness, sing of His faithfulness
Sing a new song to the Lord
Lift up your voices with all creation
Declare His goodness to every nation
Release the anthem of heaven here on earth

if you'd love to hear Jeremy live

he's in Vegas this Thursday October 27th !


i can't recommend this album often enough.

amazing worship depth ~

if you love to rest, renew and refresh, 

basking in the flow of Spirit's Presence,

this is definitely the album of choice!

lovely variety of music influences 

including softly celtic to guitar driven

all supporting Jeremy's distinctly earthy vocals .

be blessed ~ pick up a copy for yourself!

{and treat a fellow worshipper!}


Sing to Him a new song;
play skillfully [on the strings] with a loud and joyful sound.
Psalm 33.2-4 

The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
    The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious 
(kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
    The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you 
and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
Numbers 6.24-26


 
* if you'd like to win your own copy 
of Jeremy's fabulous new release, "Furious",
leave your response to this song
along with your contact in a comment.
i'll be choosing the CA or US winner
November 24th US Thanksgiving

Baby, it's Cold Outside


are you peeking
to discover how many days 'til Christmas?
sneaking extra moments in the pages of a good book
as you watch the dropping temperatures?
 

here's your invitation to come in from the cold!
let this Delicious Read warm you 
~ heart and soul!

Dottie Morgan has no desire to share her home 
~ or her heart ~
this Christmas.

After all, her holiday spirit froze over when she lost her son 

in WW II.  But when the blizzard of the decade descends 

on her hometown of Frost, Minnesota,

Dottie finds herself trapped in her home with four strangers ~

angels of mercy or merciless memories of her past?

Has opening her door opened her heart?

will this Christmas give them each a second chance?...


a story of Christmas miracles, new perspectives

and new reasons to celebrate Christmas,

i loved the intricacies of this story.

lives layered, pasts shared, hearts bared ~

you'll want a tissue or two at hand!

the characters are as real as your neighbours

with hopes and fears and dreams that resonate with your own.

if you've connected at the heart level like i did,

you'll be wanting a few more pages to unfold! 

just a bit more of their lives...

Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, 

best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, 

many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, 

the ACFW Book of the Year award, 

the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. 

After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, 

Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore 

where she, her four children, and her husband currently reside.

 a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation,  the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: 

From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. 

She is also the founder of My Book Therapy a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Visit Susan May Warren 
For a full listing of her titles, reviews and awards ~

Join Susan on 10/27 for merriment and a few 
early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party

Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s 

for a fireside chat about her recent books 
(Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), 
holiday traditions, favourite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! 

Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

 RSVP here for October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press. 

*Susan and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire !

Giveaway ends on 10/26! winners announced
at the early Christmas Party on Facebook! 10/27

 Susan's blog tour continues here 

 

note: FTC regulation requires bloggers to disclose 

we’ve been given the book free in exchange for a review.


worship to begin this first week of the New Year...

to begin this new year's worship...

we've all been lost and we've all been hurt~
God is still God and He holds it together
so hang on now...

 Heather Williams' new album "This Time Around"
now available on iTunes.

Wish I knew what I'm supposed to say to you 
What you're going through 
But I don't know what you're feeling 
Does anyone know what you're feeling right now 

You're afraid 
The future's like an enemy, 
and you just wish you could see 
Cause you don't know where you're going 
Don't let it keep you from hoping right now 

Yeah we've all been lost and we've all been hurt 
Where our hope is spent and our faith don't work 
But nothing lasts forever 
The only thing that matters 
Is God is still God and He holds it together 

So hang on now 

He's been there, walking in the wilderness 
When it's hard to see the end 
But He had the strength to do it, so He can help you through it 
So hang on now 

So even when you lie awake 
And bend until you almost break 
The darkest time is right before the dawn