Rejoice over everything.

Exult. Exhilarate.

Be glad. Be delighted, elated,

and bowled over with joy!

Frolic freely, hop, hope,
dance on the dare, cheer,

champion the little ones,

revel in the riotous light.

Invoke God without ceasing.

Pray with passion.

Whatever you do,

do not quench the Spirit.

Take care not to douse

or dampen the bold blaze

in your depths.

Jump into life.

Hold fast to it.

Give thanks for everything.

For everything,

even the most misshapen

and misunderstood,

is the disguise of the divine.

Susan Virginia Hull

May the rejoicing begin, continue, and last forever. For, today He is Born. For You. And Me.

Thank you for reading along with my musings this Advent. For the discipline it took to write each day, I found more joy in the work than I ever would have imagined. A microcosm of sorts, I suppose, for this life we are called to lead as Christ's followers. Disciplined. Yes. Full of joy? Absolutely.

Merry Christmas.

With love and prayers of rejoicing from your pastor.

Scoot over to make more room in the pew!

Let's go sit in the balcony.

Not things we have to do every Sunday morning, but Christmas Eve is the time when everyone comes home to church. Christmas Eve is also a time when someone will take a chance and come in for the first time to see what it's all about.

The church will be looking and sounding its best for such a special occasion as this -- welcoming the Baby Jesus once more, singing Silent Night hoping our tears of joy and remembrance don't extinguish the candles we are holding. But beyond this night?

My hope for you this night is that you find cause to really celebrate. That when you leave this place on this night, you will be able to say, this is where I belong. This is where I’m grounded. I hope that Jesus will be, for you, something more than just this cute little eight pound six ounce newborn you visit once a year.

For the celebration to be complete and lasting, Jesus has to also be the one who can transform your life, to guide you when you are lost, to heal you when you are broken, to lift you when you are down. He can be the one to come find you when you are lost. To give meaning when life is easy. To motivate you when you are stuck. To give you peace when you are troubled.

For Jesus to do any and all of these things, you have to celebrate this more than once a year!

Christmas Eve blessings. Such a privilege it is to preach on this night.

Pastor Kris

If this particular Nativity looks familiar, it's because it resides outside the sanctuary doors at Disciples Christian.

Nativities are priceless whether they cost much or little. My personal favorite is the wooden set that entertained my children for hours when they were small. It was a gift from my mom, Grandma Tomescu, and her condition when she gave the gift was that it was to be 'hands-on.' I still put it out every year, even though it's been a long time since my children were small. It is battered and bruised some, but none of its blemishes lessen the wonderful memories of watching those small hands making sure every figure was in the right place. It was how they came to learn the story of the Christ-Child.

Perhaps one day my grandchildren will get to know Baby Jesus through these well-worn figures. I pray so.

Blessings -

Pastor Kris

A suggestion to guide your prayers this day -- the gift of grandparents.

The service department called late on a Friday afternoon with the news that my 2001 Cabrio needed $2500 worth of repairs and had two oil leaks, one of which was serious enough that my engine could blow at any minute. OK, it was just a car -- but I'll confess that I shed some tears. That car got me through 133,995 miles.

It got me to Cleveland and Disciples Christian Church. For that trip -- and many others through the years -- I am grateful.

So, I'm driving a black VW Jetta now -- having said good-bye to that cute little green convertible -- and bracing myself for making car payments again after several years without them. With only 500 miles on it so far, I am already thoroughly enjoying the radio. Car radios have changed since 2001! I now have more stations than I can ever listen to on satellite, and a bright LED screen on the dash that tells me exactly what's playing.

My favorite stations right now are the three I've found that play Christmas music. One is all sacred music all the time. Another is pop -- and for all the Dogs barking Jingle Bells and Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer selections, there are some lovely pieces too. And the third? It's a station that is playing French Christmas music. Some of the melodies are familiar no matter the language. Others are brand new to me and a challenge to see if I can translate at least the titles if not the lyrics from my very rusty French.

And then there are those that bring back elementary school French class memories: Il est ne le divin Enfant. Un flambeau, Jeanette, Isabella. I remember Mmes Ketterman and Rababa -- my French teachers -- teaching us, singing with us. And, I'm remembering a very cute, tall, shy red-headed boy learning them with me.

Who knew he'd ever walk back into my life to sit next to me in that little black Jetta. I am blessed.














Blessings,

Pastor Kris



A suggestion to guide your prayers today: pray for teachers -- for their abilities and their dedication, for rest and relaxation over Christmas break, and for their spirits.

[Today's journal entry also appeared as a meditation for the Christian Church in Ohio's Advent Devotional. This was my contribution to these daily devotions written by clergywomen serving in the Disciples of Christ in Ohio. As we approach Christmas Eve, it is a special memory for me]

Once in Royal David’s City, stood a lowly cattle shed…

. . . words sung as a soprano solo by the child selected in the Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral’s Men’s and Boys’ Choir to begin the annual Service of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve afternoon. It was my family church in Indianapolis. I remember you had to arrive at least an hour early in order to find a seat in the pews. When the service began, people were standing in the aisles. I was there every year until I answered a call to ministry in the Disciples’ tradition. Christmas Eve traditions in my family of origin changed – I no longer had the evening free to spend with parents and siblings.

Even more changed than that. Christmas Eve in the churches I’ve pastored has looked very different. I’ve been called from the pew and into the pulpit. There were not boy sopranos in choirs that traveled Europe. As for people coming an hour early and standing because there were no more places to sit? I can only imagine!

This Christmas Eve at the close of worship when the lights in the sanctuary dim and the Light of Christ is passed from the Table through me and throughout the congregation, we’ll sing Silent Night. There will be tears. There are always tears. Mine will be for the joy and privilege it is to be called to ministry on such a night.

God of tradition, and God of change, come to us again this Christmas. Amen.

Rev. Kristine Eggert
Senior Pastor
Disciples Christian Church

love and other foolishness

love
in a young girl's song;
fearful,
determined,
hopeful,
bursting.
love
in a mother's song;
tender,
embracing,
challenging,
stern.
love
is god's song;
curious yet timid,
playful and wondering
coming among us again.
we light a candle for love.
Katherine Hawker
www.liturgyoutside.net

Today we lit the final candle on the Advent wreath -- leaving only the tall white Christ candle that will be in the center of the wreath on Christmas Eve burning brightly. This week we light the Candle of Love as we read the great love story of Mary's acceptance of the angel's message that she would give birth to God's son, Jesus.

I began this posting with poetry. It is appropriate because according to the gospel of Luke, Mary not only accepted, she replied in beautiful poetry.

My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

Luke 1:46

We find that surprising. She had so much to be worried about. She was so young. Poetry? That's a stretch. But then, we are so accustomed to life in a sound-bite 24-hour news cycle reality show world, we've forgotten the indulgent nourishment of poetry.

I'm grateful for the beauty, poetry, song, spirit, and indulgence of worship. An hour during which our phones don't ring, e-mail goes un-read, and we bask in the beauty of Mary's words. And we are saved by the gift she offered to the world.

Blessings -
Pastor Kris

Something happened at church on Wednesday evening. Candles were lit. Prayers were offered. Tears were shed. Communion was taken. Fragrant oil was touched on each person's forehead. Community was built. Lives were touched. It was a Service of Memories -- A Service of Healing. For all who were there, and now for any of you who are reading, I offer once more these closing words.

Hope means to keep living

amid desperation

and to keep humming

in the darkness.

Hoping is knowing that there is love,

it is trust in tomorrow

it is falling asleep

and waking again

when the sun rises.

In the midst of a gale at sea,

it is to discover land.

In the eyes of another

it is to see that you are understood ...

As long as there is still hope

There will also be prayer ...

And you will be held

in God's hands.

Henri Nouwen in With Open Hands

Blessings -

Pastor Kris