Matthew 2:13-23; NPR "In Christmas Day Message, Pope Francis Sines Light on Migrant Suffering," 12/15/19; Matthew 25: 31-46; NPR "To Make Girl Who Is Deaf Feel At Home, Dozens Of Neighbors Learn Sign Language," 12/15/19.

Luke 2: 1-20; "I just got back," by Todd Jenkins

Psalm 80:1-7; Luke 10:27; 1 Corinthians 13; "Love came down at Christmas," by Christina Rossetti; "Unlearning God: How Unbelieving Helped Me Believe," by Philip Gulley, p. 12-13; "Universal Consciousness," by Richard Rohr (adapted from "Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps")

Isaiah 35:1-10; "When Better Isn't Enough: Evaluation Tools for the 21st Century Church," by Jill Hudson

Romans 15:4-13; "Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's ABC," by Frederick Buechner; "Keep Watch with Me: An Advent Reader for Peacemakers," by Claire Brown and Michael T. McRay; 

Colossians 1:11-20

Isaiah 65:17-25; Robert Alter's The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary," Prophets, p. 840; NPR Morning Edition, 11/12/19, "Foster Mother Writes About Migrant Child's 3000-Mile Journey"; 

John 5: 1-9; Junior High Sunday; "Did Trouble Me," by Susan Werner

Luke 19:1-10; at the end of the sermon podcast, if you let things to continue to run, you'll hear the Manchester Church of the Brethren senior high youth choir sing an original composition by David Hupp based on this morning's scripture: "The Tree"

Jeremiah 31:27-34; "Feasting on the Word" Year C, Volume 4, p.174