A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

Sky a deep black canopy
embroidered by a billion brilliant stars.

Ambition, greed, and need for power
wear this night the purple robes and polished armor of the Empire.
In town the soldiers walk patrol in drum beat ranks
and stir the dust--
collecting taxes, keeping order, putting down rebellions.

At village edge, behind an inn,
another story is unfolding.
A simple thing, a baby's birth,
heralded not by imperial pomp
but by a stable softly lit with torch and lamp
and warmed by sheep and cattle sheltered there.

May we hear this season
less the clang and clank of empire
and more the message of the manger--
compassion for one another and peace for all the earth.

Jack King,
Bloomington, Indiana

Marthame and Elizabeth Sanders, Presbyterian mission co-workers in Palestine, write from their years of living in Palestine:

As we write this to you, we are still in Advent, a period of waiting and hoping and preparing, a time of expectation. Our years living in the West Bank have made Advent a season that resonates deeply with us. People there know waiting: waiting at the checkpoint, waiting for military closures to lift, waiting for peace. They know preparing: stocking up for curfew, anticipating loss, fearing for the worst. They also know hoping: hoping to arrive at their destination, hoping to survive, hoping for the future of their children.

It is the hope that constantly amazes us.   

A Voice Was Heard in Ramah

A hymn for December 26^th

Carolyn Gillette offers new hymn for December 26^th - reflecting Rachel's lament for her children, and the lamentations heard around the world today. This hymn goes with the gospel text (Matthew 2:12-23) of the Revised Common Lectionary for December 26th. Carolyn gives one-time free use of this hymn to congregations that support the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

A Voice Was Heard in Ramah

LLANGLOFFAN 7.6.7.6 D

A voice was heard in Ramah that could not be consoled,
As Rachel wept for children she could no longer hold.
For Herod ruled the nation, yet feared the Infant King.
How great the devastation that fear and anger bring!

O God, we hear the crying for little ones of yours;
For many still are dying in conflicts and in wars --
In every troubled nation, on every violent street,
How great the lamentation when fear and anger meet!

Whenever one is weeping, the whole world suffers, too.
Yet, Jesus, as we serve them, we're also serving you.
So may we not ignore them, nor turn our eyes away,
But help us labor for them to bring a better day.

O Prince of Peace, you lead us in ways of truth and grace.
May we be brave to practice your peace in every place --
To love each fear-filled nation, to serve each troubled street.
How great the celebration when peace and justice meet!

Biblical references: Matthew 2:13-23; Romans 12:15; Matthew 25:31-46; Isaiah 9:6, Psalm 85:10

Tune: Welsh Folk Melody, Evans' Hymnau a Thonau, 1865 as in English Hymnal, 1906 ("Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers" PH#15)

Alternative Tune: PASSION CHORALE 7.6.7.6 D by Hans Leo Hassler, 1601, Harm. Johann Sebastian Bach, 1729 ("O Sacred Head, Now Wounded")

Text: Copyright ©© 2004 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. Email: bcgillette@comcast.net

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette and her husband Bruce are the co-pastors of the Limestone Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Geneva Press has published a collection of her hymns titled Gifts of Love: New Hymns for Today's Worship. A complete list of her hymns can be found at http://firstpresby.org/hymnlist.htm

Do Not Be Afraid

Reflections by Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries.
[12-17-04]

Reading the o-so-familiar Christmas narrative in Luke, it seems obvious that the Angels of God receive standardized training for their visits among the humans. Every appearance of the winged messengers begins with the same phrase: "Do not be afraid."

It is tempting to belittle that saying, to write it off as a generic anxiety reduction strategy employed by the angels when they frighten the pants [the robes?] off of terrified people.

We should not dismiss the message lightly, though. "Do not be afraid" may be one of the most profound instructions that we can receive in these days. Indeed, heeding that message may be a precondition for understanding any of the words about "good news" that the angels bring.

In so many ways, we are a people that is deeply afraid. Color-coded terrorism alert levels are reminders of domestic threats, and daily news of a bogged-down war make us all worry if there are any prospects for peace. People of means seek to cope with fear by living in gated communities, installing alarms on homes and cars, and driving monster SUVs because of their perceived safety. For those on the financial edge, fear is triggered by uncertain jobs, unaffordable health insurance, and rising utility prices.

Depending on your news source, you may be hammered by fearful reports of the impending failure of the Social Security system, media consolidations and the erosion of democracy, decaying social values, or predictions of apocalyptic ecological collapse.

Fear is all around us, cultivated by those who profit from our anxiety. Fear is deep within us. It is not just to Mary and the shepherds that the message applies: Do not be afraid.

Fear is an emotion -- a legitimate reaction to danger and threat. Being afraid is a way of life. Being afraid lets the emotion of fear shape our self-understanding and our behaviors.

The biblical voice -- from Genesis to Revelation -- says "Do not be afraid." Do not live your life in response to fear.

Being afraid makes us strive for control. It makes us focus defensively on ourselves. It makes us define others as enemies. It makes us more willing to inflict great costs on those others, so that we can be safe.

The divine voices tell us, over and over again, do not be afraid. Let go of your deep-seated fear-fullness. Do not worry too much about what will happen to you.

The message of the angels does not call us to be passive or complacent. It does not suggest that we should be oblivious to the dangers and risks around us. Rather, we are to let go of fear, so that we can live fully and faithfully in the midst of very real difficulties.

Do not be afraid -- don't cling so tightly to your own interests, your own needs, your own life, that you are unable to do the will of God. Act as one filled with faith, not fear.

Mary is told "Do not be afraid" just before she is told that she will become a social outcast for her pregnancy. Not being afraid is a precondition for her act of acceptance.

In Luke, Jesus tells his followers: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is [God's] good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms."

"Do not be afraid" is not a stress reduction strategy, a deep-breathing exercise to reduce momentary anxiety. "Do not be afraid" is a call to life-long obedience and service.

Johann Christoph Arnold wrote:

Knowing that Christ loves us may not save us from fear, nor will it save us from death. And so it comes down to this: the only way to truly overcome our fear of death is to live life in such a way that its meaning cannot be taken away by death. This sounds grandiose, but it is really very simple. It means fighting the impulse to live for ourselves, instead of for others. It means choosing generosity over greed. It also means living humbly, rather than seeking influence and power. Finally, it means being ready to die again and again - to ourselves, and to every self-serving opinion or agenda.

New American Dream

Live Consciously
to get more of what matters

Three Tips for Living Consciously this Holiday Season

1. Spend Time, Not Just Money

Anyone can pick out an expensive present from a catalog. But a humble phone call, picnic, evening of board games, or other fun activity will create memories that last longer than a credit card purchase (and it won't come back to haunt you with compounded finance charges!). Presents are things we buy, but true gifts are those meaningful moments, feelings, and memories that we treasure.

2. Tune Out, Tune In

Just because you have a cell phone and a computer doesn't mean you need to have them on all the time. Even short breaks from the demands of your gadgets can shift your perspective dramatically. Take a walk, meditate, read, or reflect on your day and remember that, sometimes, tuning out noise can allow in a lot more of what matters.

3. Count Your Blessings

As consumers we may feel inadequate sometimes for not having the coolest, newest version of every product on the shelf. It's easy to forget that a billion people on our planet live on a dollar a day or less. Our lives are materially richer beyond the imagining of our ancestors-and even our grandparents. Notice your many blessings, both material and non-material, then allow yourself to feel gratitude and enjoy them.


For more ideas - including creative, inexpensive, and eco-friendly gift ideas - on how to make your holiday more meaningful for you and less stressful for your checkbook, check out our Simplify the Holidays site or listen to the audiostream recording of our New Dream Community Book Club chat with Hundred Dollar Holiday author Bill McKibben.

The New American Dream describes themselves thus:  We work with individuals, institutions, communities and businesses to conserve natural resources, counter the commercialization of our culture and promote positive changes in the way goods are produced and consumed.

Dear Anti-Sweatshop Activists,

As the holiday season approaches, we would like to encourage you to double your giving by buying Fair Trade crafts and commodities and Sweatshop-Free apparel.

Fair Trade guarantees producers in the world¹¹s poor countries a living wage for their labor. So when you offer a Fair Trade gift to a loved one, you are also giving to artisans and farmers by providing them the income to support their families with dignity.

Below you will find some exciting news about Global Exchange¹¹s Fair Trade program. In addition to stores in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Portland, OR, we also have an online catalog to make your shopping easy - http://store.gxonlinestore.org. Also, please visit www.sweatshopwatch.org/sweatfree for a list of companies that buy only products made by workers organized in a democratic union or worker-owned cooperative.

Thank you, as always, for your efforts on behalf of democracy, peace, and economic justice.