Blog (Page 79)

Donald Heinz writes, During Advent, the time for the desperate and usually losing attempt to save Christmas from consumerism as its only meaning and expression, some Christians pray:  “Father in heaven, the day draws near when the glory of your Son will make radiant the night of the waiting world.  May the lure of greed not impede us from the joy which moves the hearts of those who seek him.  May the darkness not blind us to the visions of…

This Sunday we’ll transition from Seeing to Touching Christmas.  Donald Heinz writes, Just as…in many other places, people were populating manger scenes with contemporary villagers, craftspeople, merchants, and children, so, too, did the Christmas tree begin to acquire the accoutrements of local culture.  The tree had become a member of the family, the Germans seems to think it had a soul of sorts, and so people wanted it to look like themselves, to share in their indigenous cultures.  Already in…

Donald Heniz writes, As images came to illuminate the texts and ritual of worship, the congregation could see what it was believing….The Incarnation would acculturate in every artistic form. (Christmas: Festival of Incarnation, 175). As you go about your life today, take time to look around.  See the art on the walls of your workplace, childcare center, school, and in your own home.   What images do you see that depict what you believe?  

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, Look up, you whose eyes are fixed on this earth, you who are captivated by the events and changes on the surface of this earth.  Look up, you who turned away from heaven to this ground because you had become disillusioned.  Look up, you whose eyes are laden with tears, you who mourn the loss of all that the earth has snatched away.  Look up, you who cannot lift up your eyes because you are so laden…

Donald Heinz writes, In Christian Europe, artists and patrons for a very long time were painting themselves into manger scenes, and librettists were giving poignant lines to contemporary hearers of oratorio narratives.  The idea was to rescue sacred story from inert nostalgia and reinvest agency in a passive audience of hearers and onlookers. (Christmas:  Festival of Incarnation, 19) How might you actively hear and see the Christmas story today?  How might you paint yourself into the manger scene?

We’ll be Seeing Christmas together in worship this Sunday at 10:30 am. To view reality from a slightly different perspective often yields a view of things totally unlike what they appeared to be.  If we take just a couple of steps in another direction, what we view as reality is often profoundly changed. – Norman Shawchuck What is consuming your energy?  What is getting you down?  What is holding you back?  Consider taking a few steps in another direction today.…

Donald Heinz writes, The visual art of Christmas is iconic, a full mediation of its subject.  It does not point to the sacred; it is sacred.  It is a sacred “text” in its own right, worth its own consideration….Religious art aspires to direct communion with God, an especially valuable aid to those suspicious of dogmatism or ecclesiastical authority. (Christmas:  Festival of Incarnation, 177-178) What feels sacred to you in the places you have worshipped?  The stained glass?  The paintings?  The…

This Sunday’s worship will focus on the sense of sight.  Where have we seen the the Christmas story?  Where do we see the Christmas story today? Donald Heinz writes, Christian themes appear in the vernacular of each century so that believers ca find themselves in the art of their day.  (Fig. 6 in The Gallery of Christmas: Festival of Incarnation) Where do you see the story of incarnation reflected in the art of today?  

Rueben Job writes, Mary’s song of praise must have been a shock-even to Elizabeth and surely to everyone else who heard it.  It bordered on treason and blasphemy and must have left every adult who heard it angry, confused, embarrassed, surprised, curious, or frightened.  And it could be that all these feelings were swirling around in the ears and minds of those who heard this message of radical revolution.  (A Guide to prayer for all who seek God, 35) Here…

Donald Heniz writes, The New Testament set Christ’s birth to music.  Christ was music:  the early church called him God’s song (Christmas: Festival of Incarnation, 192) Linda introduced our series, Making Sense of Christmas, in worship on Sunday.  Here is the video played as part of her message, Hearing Christmas: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXh7JR9oKVE]

Donald Heinz writes, As the church kept reading or hearing the Gospel stories, it aspired to turn into them, to become a community worthy of its founding narratives.  After early centuries of hearing these Christmas accounts, there developed the religious festival of Christmas in the lived experience of Christianity.  Rehearing Luke in a churchly context today recenters the original story.  In the performance space of the church, the story resonates differently:  Mary’s womb is like the tabernacle housing the eucharistic…

Donald Heinz writes, The Gospel writer of Luke interrupts the action several times with sung reflection, just as arias in Handel and Bach piously comment on the action narrated in historical recitative…..Then Mary breaks into song.  The opening words “My soul magnifies the Lord” (1:46), give the song its enduring Latin name, Magnificat.  Contemporary scholars set this song among the lowly who look to God for divine favor to raise them up.  The radical lyrics sing of scattering the proud,…