Daily Reflections for November 2-8
Daily Reflections for November 16-22
Daily Reflections for November 23-29
Daily Reflections for November 30 — December 6
Daily Reflections for December 7-13
Daily Reflections for December 14-20
Posts Tagged ‘Refuges’
Daily Reflections for November / December 2010, “Refugees”
Monday, March 1st, 2010“Refugees” November/December 2009
Thursday, December 31st, 2009“Refugees” November/December 2009
Alive Now November / December "Refugees"
Section One: Why We Flee
The Boat People Thuy Nguyen
An Unexpected Journey Cynthia A. Ford
Waiting: Between Time and Space
James Schwarzlose
Section 2: Making A New Home
One Man’s Story An Interview with Gat Luak
A Poem Jane Mary Curran
Starting Over Rebecca West
Section 3: Welcoming the Stranger
Guided by Better Angels James Schwarzlose
The Cost of Coffee Susan Landon
Lepers in Our Midst Pam Watkins
God’s Gift of Relationship Luther E. Smith
Section Four: Joining together to Build a Better World
The Coming of the Dawn Marilyn Brown Oden
Gift Exchange Kenneth L. Gibble
A Place Roberta Porter
Called to Forgive Ciona Rouse
The Community Garden Diana Thurbon
Centering: Along the Way Sudha Khristmukti
Last Word: Love Me, Love My Friends Peter Storey
Litany for Christmas Day
Friday, November 6th, 2009The light has come! The grace of God has truly appeared. The Christ Child — the infant King — has ruptured the veil of darkness and true hope, eternal hope, has come. And Glory’s hope will be declared among the nations; his goodness and light are for all. Glory to God in the highest.
Dear Lord of Light,
Shine your hope into every heart this Christmas day. As we enjoy the festivities of this most bright day, let us be mindful of those whose hope wanes, for those who have fled home and are fleeing, for those who seek refuge. Keep with us each day the joy of the Christ Child as he beckons our hearts to rise up in compassion for the fleeing.
Amen.
Scripture Readings
Isaiah 9:2-7
Psalm 96
Titus 2:11-14
Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)
Suggested Hymns
Once in Royal David’s City 250 UMH*
*The United Methodist Hymnal (© 1986 The United Methodist Publishing House).
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009As this Advent candle glows before us, we are reminded of the Shepherd’s warmth and love for his flock, a flock scattered across the earth. We are thankful that the Shepherd has filled his sheep with “good things,” and long for the day when the flock will be drawn together into the Shepherd’s warmth.
Dear Lord of the flock,
As we watch for the return of the Good Shepherd, we thank you for abundant faithfulness to your global flock. Cause us, God, to join your shepherding heart in care and concern for those who have fled home and hearth.
Amen.
Scripture Readings
Micah 5:2-5a
Luke 1:47-55
or Psalm 80:1-7
Hebrews 10:5-10
Luke 1:39-45, (46-55)
Suggested Hymns
Star-Child 2095 TFWS*
*The Faith We Sing (© 2000 Abingdon Press).
Third Sunday of Advent
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009As we light this Advent candle, we are reminded of the prophet’s declaration that the Almighty will “gather the outcast” and “change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth.” The Savior’s first coming points to his second coming, and we long for that coming. We look forward to the day when the outcast will have a home and shame will be turned into renown.
Dear Lord of the outcast,
As we wait for Christ’s return — and anticipate celebration of his first arrival — cause our hearts to repent of callousness to the outcast. Keep us mindful that Mary and Joseph found no room in the inn, that the Holy Family themselves became refugees. Stir in our hearts love for those who face daily the uncertainty of the unknown.
Amen.
Scripture Readings
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Isaiah 12:2-6
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
Suggested Hymns
Hail to the Lord’s Anointed 203 UMH*
Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne 2100 TFWS**
*The United Methodist Hymnal (© 1986 The United Methodist Publishing House).
**The Faith We Sing (© 2000 Abingdon Press).
Second Sunday of Advent
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009“The dawn from on high” breaks upon us, and hope is kindled anew as we light this Advent candle. The light of the dawn illuminates our path to the Messiah’s kingdom of peace and justice where flickers of light serve as a beacon of hope to those the world has forgotten, the refugees who have no place to call their own.
Dear Lord of the Dawn,
Thank you for your tenderness in breaking the dawn and for the hope the Light instills in all your children. May your kingdom of peace and justice come to the world’s refugees, who for so long have not known peace and have suffered the misdeeds of injustice.
Amen.
Scripture Readings
Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6
Suggested Hymns
Blessed Be the God of Israel 209 UMH*
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus 196 UMH
*The United Methodist Hymnal (© 1986 The United Methodist Publishing House).
First Sunday of Advent
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009We light this advent candle as we remember the ones God has never forgotten, the millions of refugees who have fled famine, war, and persecution. May the flame of this candle remind us that God’s enduring love is greater than corrosive evil and one day, at the second Advent, the flame of his Presence will make all things new and will right every wrong.
Dear Lord of the Forgotten,
Help us this day to remember those the world has forgotten — those who live in the squalor and desperation of refugee camps, those who continue to seek refuge from war and violence. May we learn from them endurance, patience, and eternal hope. Rouse us to mercy and compassion as we are reminded that our Savior, too, was once a refugee.
Amen.
Scripture Readings
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36
Suggested Hymns
People Look East 202 UMH*
I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light 206 UMH
*The United Methodist Hymnal (© 1986 The United Methodist Publishing House).
Litanies for Advent and Christmas
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009For a number of years, Alive Now has offered litanies for the Sundays of Advent and for Christmas Day. These litanies are tied to the theme of the current issue, and include a prayer, the lectionary texts, and suggested hymns.
We are offering these litanies in two versions. An on-line version that you can “cut and paste” to make a bulletin insert or handout for worship; and a PDF version (not available at the moment, but soon to be posted).
Advent Litanies 2009
Litany for the First Sunday of Advent Litany for the Second Sunday of Advent Litany for the Third Sunday of Advent Litany for the Fourth Sunday of Advent Litany for Christmas DayAbout the Art
Monday, November 2nd, 2009The nativity scenes featured in this issue of Alive Now (both the print edition and on our website) are from The Upper Room Museum of Christian Art collection. The museum features an annual display entitled “The Night of the Child” of over 100 nativity scenes from over thirty cultures. Photographs are by Marshall Morgan.
• Cover: Gourd, with figures woven from banana leaves; Kenya, Africa.
• Page 3: Wrought iron; Mexico.
• Page 13: Black on Black Pottery; Native American, Santa Clara, New Mexico.
• Page 35: Madonna and Child, metal and stone; Chile
• Page 39: Angel from the “Circle of Love,” by Kim Lawrence (Enesco).
The remainder of the art used in this issue of Alive Now is featured courtesy of The Lost Boys Foundation of Nashville, a non-profit organization that was chartered in 2004 to assist Nashville’s Lost Boys of Sudan. In June of 2006, The Lost Boys Center & Gallery was opened not only as a place for these young men to gather and fellowship but also as an art studio and gallery, allowing these Lost Boys of Sudan to tell of their lives in Africa, both the joys and trauma, through paintings, sculptures, and masks. Their art offers them a therapeutic outlet, while simultaneously allowing them to develop and sustain a trade and additional source of income. The Foundation is also developing much-needed programs including computer training, job counseling, social acculturation, educational scholarships and books, immigration and naturalization assistance, art training and materials, and a fund for emergency assistance. Currently the Foundation serves approximately 200 Lost Boys living in the Nashville Area. For more information, visit their website at thelostboysfoundation.org.
Pieces featured in this issue of Alive Now are:
• Page 5, “Saw Person,” by James Makuac;
• Page 8, “Spirit Crow,” by John Kur;
• Page 17, “Warrior Jungle Man,” by Gabriel Wal;
• Page 21, “Life Before,” by James Makuac;
• Page 28, “Warrior Mask,” by Johnson Chang;
• Page 30, “Smiling Queen II,” by Chol Garang (left); “Sun Prince,” by Gabriel Wal (right);
• Page 31, “Orange Man,” by Johnson Chang;
• Page 32, “Young Nuer Girl,” by Johnson Chang;
• Page 36, “Flat Face,” by Johnson Chang.
• Page 43, “Native Indian Traditional,” by Johnson Chang.
Starting Over
Monday, November 2nd, 2009By Rebecca West
“I was a doctor,” he told me.
“Wait, you’re a doctor?” I didn’t want to sound rude in my surprise, but working as overnight guard in a university dorm did not sound like the kind of employment that a doctor would have (though not because of a lack of need for doctors). And he was clearly too young for retirement.
“No, I was a doctor.”
I was still confused. One might be out of practice, but after years of medical school, internships, and residency you don’t just stop being a doctor. “What do you mean?” I asked.
“In Ethiopia, I was a doctor.” He spoke with a heavy accent and pointed to the medical books on his desk. “But they will not accept my transcripts here, the ones I can get. And they [the universities in Ethiopia] will not send the others. I have no credit.”
“So you are starting over?” I asked, dumbfounded.
I was attending a four-year college, where parents, government money, and loans paid for most students’ tuition and costs (including mine). Even so, I found myself regularly complaining about exams, papers, and unreasonable professors. With a year left until graduation, I had been counting down the semesters and weeks until graduation. I had never realized that working in the building where I lived was this man and fellow student, who faced an entirely different relationship with work and school. He was working more than twice as hard as I was, employed full-time as overnight staff in order to pay his way through community college (and eventually medical school) to earn his medical degree. For the second time. In a new language.
“Do you have family?”
“Yes, back in my country. I am saving to bring them here.”
I wonder at the humility and courage it must take to begin anew, in a direction never imagined. I am sure my friend never believed that he would one day have to start over completely; yet he was willing to take on his frightening and humbling new tasks gracefully, in sacrifice and hope for his family’s future.
As we await the coming of our Lord in this Advent season, we can look to the humility visible in the startling halt of Mary and Joseph’s daily life in Nazareth. Although we know the full story now, this betrothed couple had to leave their expectations and hopes for marriage and trust in a God who was calling them to follow a life that contrary to society’s rules. Joseph had every right at that time to abandon Mary, unwed and bearing a child. But they both trusted in the Lord and the generosity of strangers as they traveled to Bethlehem and beyond. These virtues helped bring the miracle of the Incarnation to fruition. The faith that made them willing to become refugees enabled something good to come out of Nazareth, and the whole world has benefited, from that day to this.
Rebecca West is grateful to her parents and family for their love and support over the years – and to her father for his help with this article.
Reflection Questions:
Have you ever had to start over completely in an area or your life? What was most challenging and/or surprising about the experience? How did it affect your faith?
Are there places in your life in which you interact with people who are immigrants or refugees? Have you taken the time to hear their stories? Where do they struggle? How do they show strength?
What has been most helpful to you in times of transition? What can you offer others?