Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-12-16
Wednesday December 16th, 2020
A weekday e-mailer from
Matt Matthews
To Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
I had a great conversation with some old Richmond, VA, friends. Jeff was the best man at our wedding, and he and Joan have been some of those abiding friends with whom we share a lot of history. I hiked a tiny part of the Appalachian trail with Jeff and remember inserting all of the canned stew into his pack. He was stronger than me, but also smarter and made me divide the packs more evenly.
Have you been connecting with old friends and family? Do you have some stories to share? Bill Gamble has one, below. Tomorrow, I have a special one by Nancy MacGregor.
I still keep thinking about last week’s dialogue sermon that Rachel wrote. Coming to God empty-handed is sticking with me. No ‘thing’ satisfies my longing for what only God can fill. It’s a lot to ponder at Christmas. At anytime.
* * *
Dave Bauer has a treat for tonight’s Wednesday vespers. See the longer announcement (and Zoom link) below.
* * *
Bill’s story:
Xmas 1962
by Bill Gamble
Christmas 1962 found Bill and Judy Gamble in Melbourne, Australia, far from kith and kin. We did have small Christmas tree, somewhat better than a Charley Brown tree, which was partially decorated with sea shells from a nearby beach.
After trying at least a couple of dead churches, we found a live church, South Camberwell Methodist. We were warmly welcomed, although some folks were puzzled about why we would drive seven miles to get to a church where many members lived within easy walking distance. A few families soon included us in various activities, most especially the Rashleigh family (hope I spelled it right). Three generations of the family were active in the church, with the youngest a small mob of pre-teens. The elder Mr. R. directed the church choir, but also was the conductor of the Royal Melbourne Chorale Society, if I have name right.
Christmas dinner at the Rashleighs was a traditional English Christmas dinner, even though Christmas in Australia is well into the summer. The menu included a pudding with some six-pence coins cooked in it, and if you got a coin in your serving, it was a good luck omen. We were seated next to the kids, and they were bemused by our very non-Australian handling of our knives and forks. And we had conversations on sometimes very strange but amusing topics.
And why were the Gambles in Australia? Bill had a Fulbright Fellowship and was attached to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization ( C. S. I. R. O.), Div. of Building Research, where he was breaking concrete things, including building pieces.
* * *
Daily Advent Reading Wednesday Genesis 1:3-4
One of the refrains of Genesis 1 is: “And God saw that is was
good.” The light, the water, the land, the vegetations, all of
creation — God saw it all and declared it good. Imagine if we
surveyed all that we encountered and noticed — and saw that
it was good. Today as you see the world you inhabit, make a
point to notice its goodness and name it so.
Creator God, you make the world and call it good. As we
wake and work, rest and play, open our eyes to the holy
goodness all around and even within us. Do not let us take
for granted the goodness of the meals we eat, the goodness of
the people we encounter, the goodness of the air we breathe
and the landscapes we move through every day. May we,
like you, see and declare: It is good. Amen.
News
Join us this Wednesday when Dave Bauer will lead a study for Advent:
- Does the Advent Journey of 2020 in ISOLATION have you confused, apathetic, hungry for the spirit?
- Are you stuck somewhere on the journey to Bethlehem or still uncertain if you want to “go” this year?
- Looking for inspiration?
Join us for our Wednesday Zoom Vespers, December 16, as the Rev. Dave Bauer encourages us to dig a little deeper and navigate that journey to the birth.
Join the fellowship as Dave helps us:
1. Compare the different approaches each Gospel writer takes to Advent. We’ll notice:
-unexpected pregnancies of the old and the young, angels making announcements, a mute father
-an abundance of “begatting”
-a voice calling in the wilderness
-Word becoming Flesh
—all ending up in the same place??? No wonder you may be confused.
2. Take a quick journey back to see what effect our Protestant Reformation leaders (i.e. Calvin, Zwingli) had on how we celebrate Christmas.
3. Can Christmas traditions turn into idolatry? Examine our Brief Statement of Faith (printed in our new church hymnal).
We invite you to listen, learn, share, reflect, challenge, discuss, explore. You can even ask, “Are we there yet?”
Let’s just take this part of the “trip” together and see where we go and what we learn along the way.
Email zoom@firstpres.church for the link.
* * *
Humor (Hard times really need godly laughter):
What’s the most musical part of a turkey? Drumsticks.
Good Word: (Mary sings a celebration song.)
Luke 1:46b-55
46b My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
LET US PRAY:
These days are hard, O God. If we cannot make them happy, then help us make them beautiful. AMEN.
* * *
Much, much love to you all.
Matt Matthews
Cell: 864.386.9138
Matt@FirstPres.Church
