Litany of Confession, Grace, & Journey to the Star-Child (Advent 2)
Our earth is in trouble,
ice caps are melting,
storms are growing more intense.
Where is God?
Why have you left us in this hellish exile?
Our politics lack integrity,
bile spews outward as we scream,
and hatred erupts against those on the margins.
Where is the Koinonia, the people of God?
Why do we turn against one another?
Our hearts are in trouble,
we yearn to fill the void,
and so we turn toward things.
Where is the Imago Dei, the image of God?
Why do we look at the inanimate for the holy?
Out of the exile the prophet calls us again,
his meaning transformed for a new time:
God is still speaking!
God is here! (loud)
God is coming! (louder)
We are God’s people! (even louder)
Within me, within you, within our neighbors,
and even within our enemy the divine image resides.
God with us!
God within us!
God around us and between us!
Clear a path through the wilderness
for the Star-Child who will show us the way.
We yearn for Emmanuel!
Let us worship.
Sing Star-Child #174 SSP
light the first & second candles of advent wreath
Tim strives to share God’s extravagant love for all–no matter what & without strings. Seeking to follow the lure of the Spirit, Tim writes about what it means to be a follower of Jesus in an era where Christianity has come to be associated with hatred and political wedge issues. “Heinous things have been said & done (& still are) in the name of the One who breathed in the Divine,” notes Tim, “but Jesus shows us that God loves extravagantly.” Following the teachings and life of Jesus is about inclusion not exclusion. It is about compassion, grace, and admitting no one has all the answers. It is about responding lovingly to the best of our human ability. It is about people not institutions. It is about social justice. It is about caring for creation. It is about being who we were each created to be. Tim is a former early childhood educator, a runner, a hiker, a devoted husband, father of two adult children and their spouses, and a grandfather of four perfect grandchildren. Tim serves as Lead Pastor of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Albany, Oregon. He writes from home, from the coffee shop, and wherever the trail leads him.
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