The Munson family has a special treat in store this Christmas.  Our first grandchild will be baptized into the Christian family on Christmas morning. We’re so grateful for brothers and sisters at Wesley UMC in Hadley, MA who promise to model prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness as Jack grows and for their pastor, Rev. Byungmoo Lee. During 20 years of moving with the US Navy, we raised our own children expecting those promises to carry throughout the UMC connection and were not disappointed. I’m encouraged now by conversations in our churches asking young parents what will help them raise their children and root themselves in the faith.
 
I hope that all will go well on Christmas morning but I expect that, given Jack will be 10 weeks old, there may be surprises.  Isn’t the unique behavior of each human being one of the joys of being alive?
 
As Christians, we are preparing to leave the season of expectation, getting ready to meet the real Jesus being birthed into God’s ongoing creation.  I love the gorgeous nativity scenes of this season.  But I expect the real thing may be messier. In fact, if we were to recreate the real nativity we might encounter some difficulties in our sanctuaries. How could we rebuild the rock hewn walls of the original manger and layers of animal presence built up over time?
 
And if we are to create the reality of God’s nativity in our lives, we are likely to encounter difficulties tempting us to head off on our own, in another direction altogether. N. Gordon Cosby once preached, “If you feel you can’t tolerate the mess, the only advice I can give to you is:  choose what is for you a better mess, if you can find it.  But wherever you go, you go to the next mess.  You may take a couple of years to find out how messy it is.  But you will find it to be a mess. “  ( p. 151, By Grace Transformed, in the section called, “Overcoming Fear”)
 
There it is……reality.  It’s a glorious, curious, aggravating, exhilarating mess.  What are ya gonna do?!  That’s the question, isn’t it? What am I going to do with Christmas, with the gift God has given of entering the mess with us, with me?  My great satisfaction last week was wrestling my “to-do” list from 10 to 2 pages.  But that didn’t answer the question. What God expects to know is what I am going to BE in response to Christ’s becoming one of us. What are we going to help each other be? Scripture’s Christmas story gives us a meeting place for remembering, dreaming and promising. The Gospel According to Matthew reminds us that could get messy. Joseph's learned listening skills will be critical for God's plan. The “can do” church starts with “can be.” The practices of our membership vows create community worth belonging to as they shape us to be those who seek and serve the One loving us enough to choose to be here, no matter what.
 
May God’s presence and promise, celebrated in this season, birth Christ’s deep peace and love in your lives. Karen 

​Every day the phrase, “you’re never too old to learn,” takes on new meaning.  I see “old” churches, both in terms of years they’ve existed and in terms of members’ ages, reaching out to learn and embrace possibilities in their current reality. Where once I heard crotchety cries to come do the work we need you to do, now I more often hear interest in learning what younger folks’ hopes and sorrows are. Take a minute to watch this delightful short (3 minute) video, English for Beginners,  about when making the effort to learn a new thing is absolutely worth the investment.
 
There are lots of things that get in the way of doing what we truly want to do. (At the moment I have a rough tongued yellow cat trying very hard to get between me and my laptop keyboard…..and here comes his grey brother.)   Sometimes it’s the pile of work we can’t seem to catch up with.  Sometimes it’s the stubborn attachment to the groove we’ve laid down for our habits. There’s fear of being wrong) or being right), or failing, or being ridiculed, or loosing something we are attached to so that the new has room to become.
 
We see it in John the Baptist’s struggle to fully embrace who Jesus is. We see it in Joseph’s struggle to come to terms with his commitment to Mary when she brings him good news that feels like bad.  There is a trail in Jesus’ genealogy, Abraham, Boaz, Jesse, and many more, all wondering what on earth God is leading them into and how they will manage to get there. 

Advent is about getting ready to pass through the comfort of CHristmas traditions and the challenge of God's Christmas appearance on our way to life as God knows it can be.  Blessings on the journey we share!

What do we do while we wait?

​This question has been part of Jesus followers’ lives since the first announcement of the Christ’s pending entrance into creation. And even before that, Noah waited for the Dove’s clues, Jacob slipped a word of waiting for salvation into his last words to his sons, and Moses learned to wait for the LORD on the mountain.  Into the warp and weft of God’s ongoing creation masterpiece, we are woven in a pattern that continues to emerge.
 
Waiting has never been easy. Not for children eager to see what shows up in a stocking, and not for adults who would really like to see into the future.  But waiting is where God spends time preparing us for what comes next.  Waiting is the place of prayer and practice, not passive submission to whatever will be, not busyness that disguises our real human need to be engaged in God’s creation of the beloved community.
 
Today I had the pleasure of sharing lunch with a number of our retirees.  Caroline Young Coffin (from Auburn UMC) sang one of my favorite advent songs, “ You’re Almost There,” in her beautiful alto.
 
Mary, full of innocence
Carrying the Holy prince
You're almost there, you're almost there
Mother of the Living Word
Trusting in the voice you heard
You're almost there, you're almost there
 
You're almost where the angels see
Redemption's plan unfolding
All hope is in the Son you'll bear
You're almost there
 
A lonely road, a willing heart
Pray for strength to do your part
You're almost there, you're almost there
Trust the Father to provide
Bread of heaven prophesied
You're almost there, you're almost there
 
You're almost where the waiting ends
Delivering the life within
The answered prayer, Emmanuel
You're almost there
 
You're almost where the journey ends
Where death will die and life begins
The answered prayer, Emmanuel
      You're almost, almost there
                                        (by Michael W. Smith)
 
You’re almost there. God’s grace is at our finger tips, in all times and all places.
​Reach out.
Touch the thread of the promise, the opportunity that is rising to meet you.
 
In God’s Grace, Karen
 
Please keep the youth gathering at Mechuwana for this weekend’s Rally in your prayers.  This IS church for many who attend! (We should probably pray also for  leaders who will return to work sleep deprived on Monday!)
 
Here’s a glimpse at some of what’s happening In and out of our MidMaine churches during Advent:
 
Vassalboro UMC published their 2017 community calendar that includes community birthdays and church events. Marketing and distribution take church members out to meet their neighbors.
 
Readfield UMC and Belfast UMCs are  hosting  Children’s Christmas shopping event with all gifts $1 or less. Volunteers will help children age 5-12 shop and wrap present while parents relax with coffee or tea and donuts.
 
Searsport UMC will collaborate with their UCC neighbors on Fair Day.  The UCC church will offer brunch and Searsport UMC will offer lunch. 
 
Auburn UMC collects gently used baby’s and children’s books for families that visit the local food pantry.
 
Cox Memorial UMC  has begun an Advent Study of a different sort, inviting community members to explore “The Redemption of Scrooge” (curriculum by Rev. Matt Rawle).
 
North Pownal UMC  features a little free library right in front of the Parish Hall Entrance.
 
Auburn UMC  is being invited by Rev. Steve Bascom to add Jesus to their gift-giving list. What might you give Jesus for the celebration of his birth? (some ideas:  15 minutes of daily prayer, a good turn, forgiving a wrong, joining a bible study, helping with Youth Group, helping at your local food cupboard….)
 
The Green St. UMC UMW (United Methodist Women) is sewing, knitting, and crocheting preemie items for area hospitals.
 
The great article Lisbon Falls UMC submitted to “The Times Record” listed 5 community events and the weekly worship and study opportunities as well as where to find them and how to be in touch. Bath UMC, in the same issue of “The Times Record,” offered their new “P.R.A.Y.” game based activity and education program for children.
 
Brown Memorial UMC in Clinton is reaching out through an active facebook page and feeds 24-30 each week in their Wed. fellowship meal, supported by partnership with workers from SKILLS, INC, Sabbassacook Valley Healthy Eating Program and the Moodytown Farms marker share program, creating enough soup for guests to take some home.