There s a lot of Christmas music that means a lot to me but perhaps nothing says the season to me more than " " with the treble solo that opens the Nine Carols and Lessons from King's College that BBS airs and sends to PBS.

Thanks for posting this, Frederique. As a long-time member of Harrisburg (PA) Friends Meeting, now sojourning with Etown COB, it was great to read a quote from someone I know and appreciate. Meeting for Worship in silent expectant waiting can be a very powerful experience. I appreciate that the pastors include a period of silence before the spoken prayer during worship.

I was troubled by the quote from Galatians that talks about reaching out to people and especially to those in the church (as I read it). I appreciated that the devotional author wrote in a much more inclusive way about reaching out to everyone.

I really like Jim's suggestion and Eileen's addition of using a person's name.

We've given food or craft items that Linda has made to our neighbors here at Masonic Village. They often reciprocate with home-made baked goods and other foods. It has become a nice tradition.

Thanks very much, Ellen. I'm going to be remembering that song (which I never heard before) and its message for quite a while.

Thanks, Ellen. You have a gift for affirming people and making them feel good about writing in this space that I have often seen at work here. That's certainly being the "chair" for those who "sing" and is a blessing to others. I need to be better at it.

I'm with you, Ellen. I think of the notion that we are God's hands and feet here on earth and how it applies to our individual lives as well as to the bigger issues facing this world. I'm also reminded of the truth in the joke about the man caught in a flood who rejected help from two boats and a helicopter because he had called on God to save him. When he drowned, he asked God why God hadn't rescued him, only to hear that God had sent the boats and the helicopters and expected the man would gratefully take the help. If God is in each of us, then God is providing the help we need as we work together to do what needs to be done.

I need to do much better remembering, as Walt Wiltschek says, that with God every season can be spring. I wasn't good at it several years ago and the pandemic has just made it so much worse, so hard to see the hope and promise at any time.

I'm sure the theologians could give us much more insight but in the little I read, that seems to be the gist of it and I like that formulation too.

What a powerful and helpful discussion this has been. It led me to do some research that I can add to the mix. From what I can find, Simon and Garfunkel did not have John Donne in mind when writing "I Am a Rock. " The notion of the Jews as the Chosen People, potentially leaving the rest of us out, is fascinating. This is from Wikepedia: In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews, via descent from the ancient Israelites, are the chosen people, i.e. selected to be in a covenant with God. The idea of the Israelites being chosen by God is found most directly in the Book of Deuteronomy[1] as the verb baḥar (בָּחַ֣ר (Hebrew)), and is alluded to elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible using other terms such as "holy people".[2] Much is written about these topics in rabbinic literature. The three largest Jewish denominations—Orthodox Judaism, Conservative Judaism and Reform Judaism—maintain the belief that the Jews have been chosen by God for a purpose. Sometimes this choice is seen as charging the Jewish people with a specific mission—to be a light unto the nations, and to exemplify the covenant with God as described in the Torah. This view does not preclude a belief that God has a relationship with other peoples—rather, Judaism held that God had entered into a covenant with all humankind, and that Jews and non-Jews alike have a relationship with God. There are other sources that generally say the same thing in different ways. The God I know does not have teams and does not have favorites. For several years I have been working my way through A Course in Miracles workbook. One of the tenets there is that no one is special and everyone is special. Another is that the only problem we have is our belief in separation--from God and from each other. Finally, it seems to me that we practice peace, service, and openness to all not just because it's a good idea, but primarily because that is what God has shown us as the way to live--in community with God and with everyone.

That's a beautiful memory and statement, Andy. Thanks for sharing it.

This is one of my favorite portions of scripture. I especially appreciate the way it has been set to music. This is just one example On Eagle's Wings

"I wonder how different our lives would be if our yearnings were for a closer relationship with God–without the need for prompting from a crisis." It's clear to me my life would be very different--and much better--if I could focus on maintaining a close relationship with God as my main interest no matter what the worldly circumstances. My, it seems so difficult to do. I'm reminded of the New Testament phrase about praying without ceasing. Another great idea that I find difficult to live into. My mind runs in multiple frenetic directions, I think I need to be in charge of whatever is happening, and praying (whether once or without ceasing) doesn't enter the picture. How foolish I can be. I appreciate having such goals to stumble toward, no matter how ineptly I approach them.

I'm wondering if faith is antithetical to researching and knowing what's coming. I'm a dedicated Internet researcher. I can drive Linda crazy with the amount of things I want to look up and understand before we make a major purchase. While I can be spontaneous and make quick decisions sometimes, that's not my default. When I had my cataract surgery, I researched the procedure and recovery extensively online and also learned a lot from the surgeon. By the time I went in for it I had a good understanding of what was happening and why and that made me much more at ease, maybe even feeling more in control, although I clearly was the patient and not the doctor. Like you, Gina, I want to know what's going on and why. I suspect there are times when that's not possible, however, and we have to step out in faith. I don't think of either of us as having a faith that is too dulled, but I guess it's something to be aware of and not let a lack of full information keep us from moving forward in faith when necessary.

Olivia: I expect you can hear a chorus of "Amens!" from those reading your reflection, although our reasons are likely very different than yours. For me, it's the realization that while the pandemic appears to be ending--at least until the next variant comes--for many people, for medical reasons that's not the case for us. As we watch people try to resume life as normal, we hunker down even more in an effort to remain safe and healthy. I know how much I have to be grateful for--Whole Foods delivers; I can watch plays, movies, classes, music, and much else streamed online; we're involved with a wonderful church that has great live-streamed services; we live at Masonic Village and are well cared for. The list goes on and on. And yet....there are these unspoken but real feelings of sadness, anger, envy, worry and others than are hard to shake, hard to talk about when we remember how good we have things. And so many of the negative feelings are about the future, over which we have absolutely no control, no matter how hard we worry. As the pastors have said, sharing our burdens, the weights we each carry, helps to lighten the load for all of us. Thanks for sharing your secret and making it safe for me and others to do the same. I wish for all of us the grace to recognize God's love and light and the ability to live fully in this moment and let the future care for itself.

Often, the physical and emotional darkness seems overwhelming and the work needed to ascend into light takes more effort than is available. In those moments I find it helps to remember that we already have the Light within us. I spent 40+ years as a member of the Quaker meeting in Harrisburg and a key tenet in Quakerism is the Light Within or that of God within each person (also known as the Christ within). I do not do as good a job remembering this truth as I should (part of the contents of my "box"), but knowing that the Light is there within each of us, even when we don't remember it is there, helps. I'm looking forward to this Lenten series and appreciate the work Nurture Commission and Ellen and Olivia have put into it.

It seems to me that those on whom we can rely for comfort and strength in anxious times can include those who are in other faith communities than my own, as well as those who are not in any faith community. If I remember to pay attention, I can sense God's love through many people of faith and those without any faith, through whom God still speaks. All major religions support the idea of loving God and each other and humanists end up loving others while coming from a different theological perspective. I've always believed there is no limit to how and through whom God can speak, and for that I am grateful.

It takes a lot for me to strip away all the ego-based baggage from both rock stars and saints and see them as equal children of God and nothing else. And yet that's what I believe, hard as it often is. I had forgotten that wonderful Julian quote until you wrote it. So thanks for that reminder, Ellen.

From what I could find in a quick Internet search, John Lennon was raised Anglican (Church of England) and rejected his faith as an adult. There are quotes indicating he saw himself as an agnostic. One person says his sarcastic humor was on display in the quote you cited. Someone else responded that if such was the case it was a shame, because the notion that all actually will be well in the end is more comforting and pleasing, Even though it's trite, it has a ring of truth to it for me.