nativity
The beautiful stillness of the Christ child
As the rotating nativity spun, I kept watching Jesus.
Post-Christmas blues
I don't much like the days and weeks after Christmas. Christmas takes so long to get here, with preparations and anticipation building from mid-November on. And then, sometime during the day of December 25, it all collapses.
A role for everyone: Casting the Christmas pageant
You are about to enjoy a Christmas pageant in your congregation. Congratulations, and be sure to plan accordingly.
Gathering Those Driven Away, by Wendy Farley
Wendy Farley formulates a theology of Wisdom incarnate--unleashed by divine desire, found in ordinary life and born in a manger.
reviewed by Kristine A. Culp
Zealous hopes
We have many defenses against hearing the Christmas readings and taking them to heart.
What child is this?: Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25
My extended family once had so many males named Frederick that the women in the family assigned each of us a number so the tribe could distinguish between us at family reunions. I became Fred IV. A casual observer might have thought that we considered ourselves royalty, or perhaps a line of renegade popes.
Mule ride
Once Mary said yes to the angel, she signed on for a trip with no way out.