At this time of winter solstice when daylight time is at its shortest, the ancients longed to remember light.  This Christmas season we recognize the Light of Love and its power to illumine, to beckon, to fill us and to give us hope & direction.  Join us as we celebrate this festival of light and joy with lots of extra music from our music team, and revel in our own light shining brightly in the world.

Christmas is a time of giving—from the legend of the Magi, to the generosity of St. Nicholas, to the gifts we give and receive with friends and family.  What does each of us really have to offer this Christmas, and how can we find deeper meaning and truly receive –and give --the gifts of Spirit that are here for us this season?

The Christmas story is one that has shaped our view of this season, just as we tend to define ourselves by our stories--our past.  Stories can be helpful and bring us clarity , until the moment we become rigidly attached to a single interpretation of them.    As we explore the Biblical Christmas story in ways that can free us from the ghosts of Christmas past, we are invited to free ourselves from the stories we’ve heard and told-- about the  world, and about ourselves –and find new meaning.

Advent:  the arrival  to come.  To everything there is a season, and in our culture we like the season of Having & Doing.  The season of Advent asks us to wait and just BE.  Mary could not force the birth of the Christ, but had to wait for the wisdom of her body.  The Magi could not speed up their quest, but only follow the star of their intuition and trust it would lead them to where they were meant to be at the right time.  We also are invited to enter a season of spiritual preparation--waiting for the coming  birth, the gifts, the light, the birth.

Most parents urge their children to say Please and Thank You.  They were considered the “magic words” that could open doors and were more likely to get us what we wanted than whining or demanding.  Could this still be true?  It is my experience that expressing gratitude is magical in that it opens our eyes to the blessings already all around us, and even opens our hearts to receive even greater blessings in our lives. Lets explore the magic of giving thanks this Thanksgiving holiday week.

What if everything that shows up in our lives is truly for our good?  Would we learn to embrace and find the gifts in all the ways life presents itself, instead of those we predetermine to be “good”?  How much energy do we waste judging and fighting conditions?   Let’s explore the practice of greeting all of life with a hearty welcome.

None of us likes to be told “no,” and yet—a “no” from the universe might be just the re-direction we need to change course and find we are headed to a more enriching, fulfilling destination. In the same way, the “noes” we give to others define our boundaries and help determine the paths we take and those we avoid.  Every “no” leads to a “yes” of something else.  What gifts might we receive if we can learn to embrace- the wisdom of “no,” rather than fighting it?

There is power in the thoughts we think and the words we use.  They illustrate the core beliefs behind them, and influence our actions and determine the reactions of the world around us.  Are we living the way we say we believe?  If we want to change our destiny it makes the best sense to start with our thoughts and words.  Are they filled with love?  Compassion? Cynicism? Suspicion?

Are you buried under crushing burdens? Projects that are too huge? Schedules that are too complicated? Maybe you are trying to do too much at once – trying to do everything instead of doing something.

Samhain is a sacred time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds thins. We are reminded of the ancient traditions that encouraged people to don masks for protection. The Celts wore these masks not only to hide from spirits but to shield themselves from what they feared most—being truly seen. Today, as we celebrate this ancient festival, I invite you to reflect on the masks we wear, not just physical ones but the invisible ones we carry to shield ourselves from being vulnerable and authentic. It’s a moment for us to pause and recognize the ways we’ve hidden parts of ourselves. But what if instead of masking who we are, we used this moment to reveal our truest self—the unique expression of God within?