December 4, 2022
Advent 2A – George Yandell
I offer you an exercise, a thought experiment. You may close your eyes. Recall your favorite childhood memory from the days leading up to Christmas.// Did you keep peering under the tree, hoping presents would appear? Did you add figures to the crèche as the days drew nearer? Did your family light an Advent wreathe to mark the passing days? What was it like for you? Do you remember what you felt? //
As adults, has anything changed? Ha ha. What do we anticipate now? Is it family gatherings? A feast? Do some of us anticipate sadness at losses that are accentuated near Christmas? The adult preparation for Christmas is often doing for others rather than ourselves, isn’t it? That gets lots closer to the scripture passages for today than our childhood anticipation.
Centuries before John the Baptist appeared, the Prophet Isaiah described a time of universal peace under the rule of an ideal king (Is. 11:1-5). Over time, Christians came to associate this figure with Jesus. This Messianic king was to be a descendant of David, the son of Jesse-hence the reference to a green shoot springing to life out of a stump.
The image of a stump here also conveys the strength and humility of Israel in contrast to the imperial arrogance of the Assyrians (“majestic trees”) that the Lord will cut down (Is. 10:33-34). This king will be filled with God’s Spirit and endowed with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. His delight will be in the Lord,
November 27, 2022
1st Sunday of Advent, Year A – Rev. Frank F. Wilson
This morning we exit the long season of Pentecost and begin a new season in the church – the season that we call Advent. Advent, as we all know, is the first season of the new church year. Advent is sort of the preamble to all that we will attend to in terms of liturgy, Biblical texts, and themes throughout this new year.
You no doubt know that the word “advent” simply means “coming.” It is a word that anticipates something new, and novel, maybe even glorious is to come.
Actually, if you think about it, we use the word “advent” quite often in everyday speech. For example, we might say that the renaissance marked the advent of a new and vibrant era in the arts, and in science and religion.
We might say that the discovery of electricity marked the advent of the industrial age.
If you are a fan of University of Georgia football, you might say that the hiring of Coach Kirby Smart marked the advent of UGA’s return to top-ranked football – a thing that Georgia fans have anticipated with great enthusiasm.
And so, we begin this new church year as we do every year. This is a time of year when we put ourselves in a posture of anticipation. The season of Advent is a time of being in waiting. Waiting for he who is to come – anticipating the arrival of the Christ child. But in the waiting,
November 20, 2022
Meditation Pledge Card Dedication Sunday – George Yandell
Four parallel stories in all four gospels are actually parallel miracles. Miracles of few loaves and fishes feeding 5,000 people. In John’s gospel account, Andrew speaks up to Jesus, says, “There is a lad here with five loaves and two fish; but what does that amount do for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down,” and he took the loaves, gave thanks, and passed them around with the fish to all the people sitting there. No more mention of the young boy.
What was the boy thinking? Did he regret letting Andrew know about his bread and fish? I suspect not- especially when Jesus passed the food around and at the end, and 12 baskets full of the left-over food was gathered. The boy had witnessed something unbelievable- and his catch of fish and bread had been the catalyst for it.
Mark’s account doesn’t mention the boy. Jesus tells his disciples to give the huge crowd something to eat. When his friends complain that there’s not enough to begin to feed the crowd, Jesus asks them: “How many loaves do you have? Go look.” The disciples come back to Jesus and tell him, “Five loaves and two fish.” Jesus had everyone sit down, then took the bread and fish, looked up at the sky, gave a blessing, and broke the bread apart, and started giving it to his disciples to pass around. Everyone had enough to eat. The disciples picked up 12 baskets full of left-overs,
November 13, 2022
Proper 28C – George Yandell
Here are some facts about a region known to many of you. Over a period of 200 years, at least 8 major events troubled this region. See if you can tell where it is.
- At the beginning of these 200 years, a series of major earthquakes rocked the region, killing untold numbers of peoples, devastating communities.
- There was intensive slavery, masters growing rich on the backs of their slaves.
- A massive conversion to commercialized agriculture focused on crops that big companies could sell in foreign markets, causing landowners to go into debt, because they couldn’t compete with the huge combined farms. Small landowners were driven off their farms and turned into sharecroppers.
- Grinding poverty grew among the population, as the rich grew richer.
- A civil war tore the region apart. Throngs of residents were conscripted into military service, sent to die in battles close to home and far away.
- The victors occupied the region after subduing rebellions large and small; racial minorities were oppressed.
- The infant mortality rate grew to epidemic proportions.
- Religious institutions failed to honor their mission to protect the poorest of the poor.
- Toward the end of these 200 years, a charismatic leader arose who protested against the treatment of the impoverished people. He preached non-violent cooperation. His disciples watched in horror as he was violently killed.
What region am I describing? Yes,