A Christmas Eve sermon by the Venerable Colin Williams Eve

The story is so well known. Mary is going to have a baby. She and Joseph prepare for the birth. But just as the birth is about to happen they have to make a journey. Everyone has to go back to their own town to be recorded in a census. For Joseph that means going back to Bethlehem. And so he and Mary make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem

The journey is perilous. At the end there lies no certain accommodation. But they make it . And the rest as they say is history – to be more exact the overturning of history – God in the birth of Jesus Christ in the little town of Bethlehem, which we see lying so still, God in Christ in Bethlehem signalling the making of a new beginning for the whole of the created order.

But supposing the journey were to be made today. Then the outcome might have been very different. It would have been much less certain that Joseph and Mary would have even arrived at Bethlehem. If they were to take that same route today on the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem they would be greeted by a 25-foot barrier wall, armed guards and a huge steel gate resembling those found on nuclear shelters. They could also be harassed for their identification papers, their belongings could be searched. Quite possible that they could be turned away, never allowed to enter Bethlehem. The journey could have been a very different one than the journey which Joseph and Mary in fact were able to make

In the name of security from attack by Palestinian terrorists, the Israeli government has begun to build a wall which separates the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967. The wall runs along the edges of Bethlehem. Which means that the Little town of Bethlehem has become a place where the residents are harassed and frightened.. Those who try and make a living there are cut off from their markets and despair of their livelihood, not least because they are taxed for what they try to bring through. Those who once went to work in Jerusalem can no longer get there, a factor in the estimated 65% of the population which is unemployed. The Christian community in Bethlehem is particularly badly hit. It is entirely possible that within a few years there will be no Christian community remaining in the city in which Jesus was born
The town fabled for star stable and shepherds is now a place dominated by concrete and barbed wire, where the hope for peace is replaced by a huge physical symbol of oppression, where residents cower before display of political and military might.
How profoundly distressing for all of us who bear the name of Christ that his birth place should be so treated. How profoundly saddening that in this as in other parts of the world communities are cut off one from another through fear and through lack of understanding and through the exercise of political might. Even though this year we have celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of one famous wall, physical walls diving communities walls still remain a reality in too many parts of the world. For Bethlehem too being walled off has become an everyaday reality.
But with the building of this wall around Bethlehem how much more profoundly symbolic has become the fact that it was in this town that Jesus was born. For Jesus is the destroyer of walls. The events surrounding his bring demonstrated that. He was greeted by shepherds and Magi, The visit of the shepherds, notorious for not complying with the stricter requirements of the religious law and the visit of the Kings, worshippers of the wrong Gods in the wrong place, symbolized at this earliest moment that this child was destined to break down barriers. In his own ministry he broke down so many of the barriers which threaten to divide us - Walls between Jew and Gentile, women and men, sacred and secular, teacher and taught, leader and led. None of those walls were safe from the stroke of his sledgehammer, none could withstand the powerful, wall-destroying love of God which he came through his teaching and through his very being to demonstrate. In his death and rising again, he broke down once for all the walls which cut us off from the healing love of God.
At several points in the last years, the Christian communities of the world have been challenged by the Christian community in Bethlehem to speak out against the wall which has been erected in their midst. And from Christians in Bethlehem that message is very poignant. Because from which Christian community other than the Christian community into which Jesus was born can we better be reminded that we who are foolhardy enough to take on us the name of Christ are called in his name to break down walls. Called to speak out on a political level against walls – be they physical walls like the one around Bethlehem or psychological walls which unjustly separate race from race, religion from religion, ethnic group from ethnic group. In our own community we are called to be the ones who challenge the walls which divide us in the place in which we live – and maybe at this particular Christmas in this particular city, that means that we need to be ones who will be active in building up relations with the Moslem community in this city.
And in our families and in our own personal relationships using the telling again of the story of the birth of Christ in a stable in Bethlehem to challenge us afresh to do what we can to repair the walls which we have been so actively building over the last twelve months between ourselves and those we love, between ourselves and those whom we once loved but now find it hard to love, between ourselves and those who have been part of our network of family and friends, but with whom relationships have become strained or difficult.

O walled town of Bethlehem, o beleagured town of Bethlehem, o war-stained town of Bethlehem, how ill at ease we see thee lie.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light
O hush the noise ye men and women of strife and hear the angels sing

Copyright (c) Colin Williams 2009

An order of service for Advent - 350 drum beats

Advent Service in the Ecumenical Centre
16 December 2009
Towards Original Blessing

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. Gen. 8.22

Introduction and welcome
Au commencement était la parole!
In the beginning was the Word
Am Anfang war das Wort
In the beginning was the Word

God of creation
God of history
God is here with us
God of mystery
God of blessing
God is here with us
God in Jesus
God named Emmanuel
God is here with us

Au commencement était la parole!
In the beginning was the Word
Am Anfang war das Wort
In the beginning was the Word

Sing
Oh! viens, Jésus, oh! viens, Emmanuel,
Nous dévoiler le monde fraternel,
Où ton amour plus fort que la mort,
Nous régénère au sein d'un même corps.
Chantez! chantez! il vient à notre appel,
combler nos coeurs Emmanuel."

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in its ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of humankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Genesis 1 1-5
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

The blessings of creation.
For each day of creation there is a different colour of the rainbow. During the 350 drum beats pieces of cloth in the colours will be laid down to gradually form a rainbow, sign of God’s covenant. As we listen to the drumbeats of creation we give thanks for the beautiful world God has given us and pray that the human race and our international leaders may take decisive action to safeguard the life of our fragile green planet.

Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen
Aus einer Wurzel zart.
Wie uns die Alten sungen,
Aus Jesse kam die Art
Und hat ein Blümlein bracht,
Mitten im kalten Winter,
Wohl zu der halben Nacht.

Das Röslein das ich meine,
Davon Jesaias sagt:
Maria ist's, die Reine,
Die uns das Blümlein bracht:
Aus Gottes ewigem Rat
Hat sie ein Kindlein g'boren
Bleibend ein reine Magd.

Reading Isaiah 9 2-8
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onwards and for evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Par la parole ardente
Du prophète Esaïe,
Dieu, de sa voix clémente,
Promettait un Messie,
Roi de Jérusalem :
Fils de Marie, la Vierge,
Il naît à Bethléhem.

Jésus sans apparence,
Des pauvres tu es Roi.
Tu connais nos souffrances,
Guéris-nous par la foi.
Nous t'en prions, Seigneur,
Comble notre espérance
Pour un monde meilleur.

The blessing and promise of light

Advent Antiphones
O wisdom, coming forth from the Most High,
filling all creation and reigning to the ends of the earth;
come and teach us the way of truth. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O Lord of Lords, and ruler of the House of Israel,
you appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush, and gave him the law on Sinai:
come with your outstretched arm and ransom us. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus.

O root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the nations;
kings will keep silence before you for whom the nations long;
come and save us and delay no longer. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and none can shut; you shut and none can open:
come and free the captives from prison, and break down the walls of death. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O morning star, splendour of the light eternal and bright sun of righteousness:
come and bring light to those who dwell in darkness and walk in the shadow of death. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O king of the nations, you alone can fulfil their desires: cornerstone, binding all together: come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust of the earth. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, hope of the nations and their saviour:
come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Sing
Gloire à Dieu au plus haut des cieux
paix sur la terre, sur la terre,
bonne volonté envers le monde
Amen Alleluia

A promise of blessing told by angels

Luke 2
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Sermon ~ Original Blessing ~ Revd Theodore A. Gill

Prayers
Sung response Mayenziwe Ntando Yako

Silence
We keep silence, hoping and praying that the drum beats will stop, that each of us and the whole of humanity will take action to not exceed the 350parts per million of carbon that is the limit of what God’s beautiful and fragile creation can bear without irrevocable change.

Lord's prayer (said by each in their own language)

Offering for the work of Agora - the ecumenical service for refugees in Geneva

Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew,
come to make all things new;
bear the people's burden,
freely love and pardon.
Refrain:
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
when he comes,
who will make him welcome?

God in time, God in man,
this is God's timeless plan:
He will come, as a man,
born himself of woman,
God divinely human:
Refrain

Mary hail! Though afraid,
she believed, she obeyed.
In her womb, God is laid:
till the time expected,
nurtured and protected,
Refrain

Journey ends! Where afar
Bethlehem shines, like a star,
stable door stands ajar.
unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry!
Refrain:
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes!
Jesus comes!
We will make him welcome!

Blessing

Original Blessing - a sermon by Theodore A. Gill Jr.

This sermon was preached by Theodore A Gill at the annual advent service at the ecumenical centre in Geneva on Wednesday 16 December 2009

B’ruch atah Adonoi Elohenu, melek ha’olam – “Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of all Creation…” This is the beginning of many Hebrew prayers, offering thanks to God for all the wonders and goodness of creation, returning a portion of that blessing with which we have been so richly blessed.

It is a welcome reminder to those of us from the Reformed tradition of Protestant Christianity, winding up our year-long observance of the half-millennium since John Calvin’s birth, that even before the recognition of Original Sin – which plays so large a part in Reformed theology – there was the Original Blessing of light and life. This original blessing is testimony to God’s nature, and it is our surest hedge against the threat of human nature.

“In the beginning was the Word” – and the Word in Creation inspired words of command (“Let there be light!”, for example), and the Word bestowed words of blessing when “God saw that it was good”.

Near the end of the first chapter of Genesis, we read:
“So God created humankind in God’s own image,
in the image of God they were created,
male and female God created them.
“God blessed them, and God said to them:
‘Be fruitful, and multiply…’”

This blessing comes before that first infraction, that earliest act of disobedience, that willing submission to the serpent’s wiles. From the beginning, God’s will has been for our well-being; the operative verb in God’s intent for us is not “to judge”, nor “to punish” nor even “to predestine”, but “to bless” – to bless with the gift of light, even in a land of deep darkness – especially in a land of deep darkness – to bless with the gifts of life and grace and truth.

The Hebrew word for “bless” is barak.

(Where I come from, the president is called “Barack”. His name originates from that same Semitic root, making its way through Kenya to Hawaii, and then by way of
Indonesia, Columbia University, Harvard Law School and Chicago into the White House.
Barack… A word of blessing from the White House! And phrased in Arabic! So far, it is more a sign of hope than attainment – rather like the Nobel Prize… or the angelic vision of Peace on earth.)

Barak – to bless. B’ruch or b’ruchah – “one who is blessed”. Mary’s cousin Elizabeth said to her, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb…” And Mary sang, “From now on, all generations will call me blessed.”

It is the blessing we celebrate in this season, the blessing of new light in a renewed Creation, a return to the first theme of the sonata, a restatement of the principal theme, the original theme.

In the beginning, God saw that the Creation was good, and blessed it. In time, the people of God turned to God in prayer and offered their “blessings” – Bless the Lord, O my soul, and bless God’s holy name; bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.

This form of “blessing”, or beruchah, a prayer of thanksgiving and dedication, became a standard feature of Jewish worship: there is the blessing of the candle at the beginning of Sabbath dinner; there are blessings to be said for a new family member, or a new home.

Some years ago, I worked as a campus minister at Southern Illinois University, and the churches that I represented shared a building with the American Baptist Campus Ministry and the B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation, the Jewish campus ministry. Like me, the Jewish campus rabbi represented several “denominations” of his faith, and around this time of year, there was a joke he would tell based on these different Jewish traditions.

The story goes that there was a Jewish couple who were very indulgent of their only son. When the boy reached school age, he visited his Christian classmates’ homes and, in December, saw the beautiful Christmas trees they had decorated. He went home and begged his parents for such a tree.

The father was very reluctant to introduce a Christmas tree into his home, but he wanted to please his little boy. So he decided that they would erect a tree in the living room if he could find a rabbi willing to bless the object – that is, to come to their house and say a beruchah to consecrate the tree.

There were three synagogues in town – an Orthodox, a Conservative and a Liberal congregation. So the father went first to the elderly, bearded Orthodox rabbi, and he asked him, “Rabbi, would you be willing to say a beruchah over our Christmas tree?”

The wise, but rather sheltered, scholar replied, “What is this ‘Christmas tree’?”

The father could see where the conversation was going, which was nowhere, so he smiled, excused himself and departed.

The Conservative rabbi knew exactly what a Christmas tree was, and he gave the father an impassioned argument and a thorough scolding before ushering him out of his study.

So the father was down to his last option. At the Liberal synagogue, he posed his question to a younger, more relaxed rabbi: “Rabbi, would you be willing to say a beruchah over our family’s Christmas tree?”

The rabbi smiled, and chuckled, and said, “We live in modern times, in a pluralistic society! For me, the Christmas tree is no problem.

“But tell me… What is this ‘beruchah’?”

(It is a story about American Jewish “denominationalism”, yet the dynamics are not at all foreign to our ears.)

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.

In the beginning, or quite near the beginning, there were words of blessing to describe the wondrous gifts of Creation. And soon enough, prayers of blessing were returned in recognition of the glory God reveals.

“Glory to God in the highest” is one form of blessing, addressed by angels and seconded by shepherds as an offering of praise. And the dialogue of blessing continues in the phrase “Peace on earth” – a word of promise to men and women created in God’s image, descendants of those subjects of the original blessing.

It is toward that combined blessing – of Glory and Peace – that we look forward, and at Christmas we catch a glimpse of its splendour in the manger scene.

For…“the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”…and…“we have beheld his glory…full of grace and truth.”


Blessed are you, O Lord our God, king of all Creation!
B’ruch atah Adonoi Elohenu, melek ha’olam…
May you continue to bless us, and keep us, and grant us Peace on earth