George-the Apostles’ Creed's first line begins with “I believe in God, the father…” Credo “I believe” in Latin means "I give my heart.” The word has the same linguistic root as love. May we all find our hearts drawn not just in ideas or beliefs but in trust and love of the God the Creed calls “Father.”

SLIDES GEORGE READ IN OUR GATHERING

The Creed is a statement of faith, not of beliefs. There are many beliefs, but there is ultimately only one faith: faith in God. May the Creed help you find new meaning in the words and—deeper than words that divide—the faith that unites all human beings.   -David Steindl-Rast

Stacia Freeman-Our actions of love make the invisible visible. God's love not only unites us with God but with all of humanity. God who comes in human form teaches us that we must search for God's love in flesh and weakness. Love is the epiphany of God in our poverty.

John 2 - Jesus changes water to wine. The story of this wedding is actually about transformation. Yes, the water is transformed into wine, and we are transformed into people made in God's image and who reflect his glory by being fully alive.

SLIDES GEORGE READ IN OUR GATHERING:

So John is saying: you are here in a trinitarian universe not just for survival but for thriving. There is an overflow to everything, and this is about how to live with that overflow so new life is spilling over. It’s about joy, vitality, creativity, radiance, your heart bursting forth in love and service to self and other and for the world. -Alexander John Shaia

The glory of God is every person fully alive! -Saint Irenaeus

GRACE: “It’s the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person— having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful heart will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping.” - Unknown

Matthew 17:1 (the transfiguration)-Jesus is being revealed for what and who he already is, but his friends now realize it and see him in a whole new way.  

Like Peter, James, & John; we need moments of transfiguration in our lives when Jesus shows us who he really is and what is really good. And we can also see transfiguration in others, where we realize something new about who they are or what they mean to us.

SLIDES READ BY GEORGE

Belief in Jesus is seeing him as the gateway to an endless journey into God's love.-Richard Beck

God saves humanity not by punishing it but by restoring it! There are two utterly different forms of religion: one believes that God will love me if I change; the other believes that God loves me so that I can change! Ideas inform us, but love forms us—in an intrinsic and lasting way. God is always willing to wait for the lasting transformations brought about by love. —Richard Rohr

Epiphany is about the surprise of finding God's light and love in Jesus. In this teaching, George talked about Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:13-17).

Jesus, too, was someone on a spiritual journey from which we can learn. What changes us? The sacred voice that calls us beloved. And being beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.

SLIDES READ BY GEORGE

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

—C.S. Lewis

“You can’t start a spiritual journey on a negative journey foundation. If you seek God out of fear, shame, or guilt—you don’t go very far. But if we remember the voice that spoke those powerful words of love we will find a new way of living and being.”

—Richard Rohr

George & Scott Reall in a part 2 conversation about transformation in our lives for a new year and this season of Epiphany.

SLIDES READ BY GEORGE

Epiphany is a wonderful celebration for those who are committing themselves more deeply to the process of spiritual transformation, for it contains themes of journeying from the known to the unknown with only a mysterious light to guide us. It has to do with seeing something new on the horizon that stirs something new in us. We don’t just talk about our desire; we walk toward it with great intention, making concrete choices along the way.

-Ruth Haley Barton

To love is to change. And to love perfectly is to change many times.

-John Henry Newman

Name your deaths. Claim your births. Grieve and adjust. Do not cling. Receive new life. Nature follows this pattern. Jesus Christ followed this pattern. Our lives follow this pattern—unless we fight it!

-Fr. Ronald Rolheiser

George & Scott Reall talk in this gathering about transformation in our lives for a new year and this season of Epiphany. An epiphany is a moment of sudden insight, discovery, or realization of the essential nature or meaning of something. A one-word summary of the gospel might be “BELOVED.” It’s the realization that you are dearly loved, a much-loved person. Self-rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual life because it contradicts the sacred voice that calls us the beloved. Being the beloved expresses the core truth of our existence.

BOOKS George READ FROM in this gathering...

-The Power of Neuroplasticity for Pastoral & Spiritual Care, Kirk Bingham

-How God Changes The Brain, Andrew Newberg, M.D.

This Christmas we asked the question: what story or stories do we trust to navigate our lives and the world? The Christian story began on Christmas day with a baby and a joyous announcement that God is light and love. And this story isn’t over. Christmas is still happening through people like us, who with faithful hearts, trust in the story of faith, hope, and love.

SLIDES George read in our gathering:

OUR STORIES ARE ALL STORIES OF SEARCHING

We search for a good self to be and for good work to do. We search to become human in a world that tempts us always to be less than human. We search to love and to be loved. And in a world where it is often hard to believe in much of anything, we search to believe in something holy and beautiful and life-transcending that will give meaning and purpose to the lives we live.

Frederick Buechner, The Longing For Home

CHRIST CANDLE PRAYER

Come to us, Lord Jesus,

Stacia Freeman taught us on this Sunday the Advent of Love. You can download Gary Culley's song 'Good Morning Sweet, Sweet Child' at the web link below and you'll find it under music. Enjoy and share it with someone else!

garyculleyguitar.com

Visit us online at vuechurch.org

Christmas happened and is happening. And it's not automatic. Advent is about the arrival of God in our lives by preparing our hearts for Christmas and consenting to God's presence. You can visit us online at vuechurch.org

SLIDES George read in our gathering:

Image Displayed on Screen

From artist Scott Erickson's book Honest Advent (Chapter 15, Mighty)

Mary is a Model for All of Us

We need to let the word take such root in us. Our task too is to give birth to Christ. It began with Mary, but each of us is asked to make our own contribution to giving flesh to faith in the world.  -Ronald Rolheiser

Tension of Pain + Joy in Childbirth

In childbirth, we see the tension of pain and joy so vividly. There is intense pain that comes in waves and at times you don’t know if you can make it through, but it is the hope of the joy to come that keeps you moving forward. You can’t ignore the pain. Instead, you find that it is the pain that leads you. Rather than fighting against it, you push into the pain, and that is what eventually leads you into the moment of overwhelming joy. Similarly, we don’t have to ignore the pain in our lives. We can choose to push into it. Just as a woman doesn’t give birth alone, it’s important to know that we need other safe people (family, friends, therapists, etc.) around us to support us as we explore our pain. But when we allow the pain to lead us into God’s presence, it is there that we will experience new life and find joy.   -Advent Reflections, Vanessa Stricker