Immediate Word

For December 27, 2020:

• Passing The Torch by Bethany Peerbolte — The younger generation increasingly values diversity, equality, and inclusion. The churches that survive and thrive will start publicly caring about the same issues.
• Second Thoughts: Simeon’s Bucket List by Tom Willadsen — When “the olds” repeat themselves — and you know Simeon was going to tell everyone he sees until he dies that he has held the Messiah — repeat your listening. Put the spotlight on the codgers and crones today; they have a lot to share.
• Sermon illustrations by Dean Feldmeyer, Tom Willadsen and Mary Austin.
• Worship resources by George Reed.
• Children's sermon: I Spy…Jesus! by Chris Keating — This Sunday after Christmas, we’re invited to hear the stories of faithful ones like Simeon and Anna who have spent their lives waiting, praying, and blessing God.

Note: This installment is still being edited and assembled. For purposes of immediacy we are posting this for your use now with the understanding that any errors or omissions will be corrected between now and Tuesday afternoon.


Passing The Torch
by Bethany Peerbolte
Luke 2:22-40

In the Scripture
The story of Jesus’ birth is a paradox of normal mundane tasks and extraordinary experiences. A woman get’s pregnant, but she is a virgin. People visit the new baby, but they are shepherds and Magi. The baby needs to be circumcised, but the temple visitors have been waiting for this day their whole lives. Mary is the pinnacle of stability as she goes about these mundane tasks that every mother has done before while also processing the astonishing moments. It is probably good practice for what will come while she is raising Jesus and watching his ministry play out.

Mary and Joseph take Jesus to be circumcised in the temple and they run into a man named Simeon. The text seems to suggest he was the presiding priest by his prayer and behavior. Simeon is also described as a devout and righteous man with the Holy Spirit resting on him. The connection with the Spirit had led to the assurance that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s messiah. This promise meant a lot to Simeon and caused him to care a lot about the coming relief for Israel that the Messiah would bring.

Simeon’s joy seems to be twofold. For one, he is enthusiastic about the Messiah finally making it to Israel. As a devout man and possibly a priest he would have known that the Messiah promised to bring relief from all the wrongs Israel was facing. The final battle would fought and God’s people would be saved. It is interesting to see Simeon also affirm the salvation is for Israel and Gentiles. Since the Spirit’s promise Simeon probably often found himself as the bearer of hope for the community. When they suffered a blow, he would remind them the Messiah will come in his lifetime. To experience the child at last must have been incredible.

The other side of Simeon’s joy feels like relief. His prayer feels like a release of responsibility. He no longer needs to cling to life, he can die in peace. Being the torch holder of hope is an arduous task. It must have felt amazing to be able to hold Jesus and pass on the responsibility of hope giver. A task Mary would hold until she hands it to Jesus at a wedding in Cana.

All that time holding the hope and anticipating the Messiah has made Simeon wise in this field. As he passes Jesus back to Mary he gives a soft warning. The work ahead is going to turn the world upside down. While Jesus will carry that burden with divine strength, Mary will also have to endure a piercing wound to her soul as well. Simeon plants a seed to help Mary take care of herself through the difficult journey ahead.

If Simeon’s blessing was not enough a prophet named Anna is also present in the temple the day Jesus is circumcised. Anna is the only woman of the second Testament to be presented with the title of prophet. She is characterized as never leaving the temple and fasting and praying all day and night. This probably would have led to her being seen as a bit of an eccentric character in the community. Possibly a reason Mary does not seem to offer to let her hold the baby like Mary does with Simeon. Luke also presents Anna’s age which most scholars calculate this way: marriage at 14ish-widowed at 21ish — then “as a widow” for 84 years, making her around 105 years old when she meets Jesus. Her ages suggests wisdom but it could also point to another symbolic passing on of the torch to a new generation.

Both people in the temple have a profound reaction to the baby Jesus. They do not need angels to tell them what is happening. Their time spent with the Spirit in religious study and practice makes it noticeably clear what is happening. Their devout lives have led to this moment of confessing who the baby is for everyone who will listen — to know the Messiah has arrived.

In the News
This November the power of Gen Z, those currently between ages 8 and 23, was felt as a new president was elected in the United States. In that age bracket, 65% voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, which is 11% more than any other generation. Z was the turning tide in Georgia, Pennsylvania, and other key states, many of which turned blue for the first time in a long history of red votes. Election analysts are reporting this November’s election to have the highest turn out of young voters ever recorded.

This influence is predicted to continue in American elections. Gen Z reports voting as “an important privilege” and “exciting.” They understand the impact of voting in places like Texas and fantasize about “turning Texas blue.” This type of collaborative goal setting around elections is an exciting new development among American youth. They feel empowered to use their vote and feel like their vote has weight. In the past those two beliefs have not been seen in younger generations.

The power that Gen Z holds means some industries will thrive and others will die depending on the approval rating among emerging adults. Sports, unfortunately, is looking down the road at a problem. Rich Luker, a social psychologist, has been sounding the alarm for 15 years now. Younger generations are just not catching the sports fandom bug. Whenever he points to this trend he gets the pushback “they will come back when they are 35” (sound familiar Pastor?) but the data is not showing any signs of return.

One reason is Gen Z consumes media much differently than previous generations. Shorter clips, unscheduled binges, and shareability drive Gen Z’s consumption. With the pandemic canceling youth sport activities across the country this is projected to get worse for the sports industry. In order to increase interest many are suggesting sports teams and athletes need to lean into what Gen Z cares about — diversity, equality, and inclusion.

These same values may even be the savior of capitalism. The trends economists are seeing in consumer markets are that businesses that reflect these kinds of values are thriving. Gen Z, more than any other generation, is choosing who to buy from based on the businesses values and the way they express them. The more ethical their practices the better chance they have at getting a dollar from Gen Z. Netflix, Costco, Paypal and other large organizations have chosen to divert portions of their cash flow to Black owned banks since the Black Lives Matter movement started. The risk is low and they hope to attract ethics minded consumers, especially the young ones.

Being mindful of how a business operates was found to be 4-5 times more important to Gen Z as it is to Gen X. Several prominent churches have also jumped on this trend. Choosing a new bank can be a hard task especially for churches and businesses. It’s a ton of paperwork to switch everything over, and the fear of risk in the unknown is high. Those risks become irrelevant, though, when one realizes what is on the line is losing the next generation’s attention. If they are showing signs of ethics being a large part of how they choose where they spend time and money, any organization that wants to survive the next 50 years needs to make changes.

In the Sermon
Simeon and Anna have been the torch bearers of hope for their community. They have each given up pieces of their lives for the hope that the Messiah will come. Simeon has probably faced ridicule much like Noah over his commitment to seeing the Messiah before he dies. Anna has given up every part of a normal life to fast and pray in the temple. The last thing they need to give up is the torch itself.

When Mary and Joseph bring their new baby boy into the temple to be circumcised both Simeon and Anna get the Sprit’s urging to join them. The normal ceremony becomes another chance for people to proclaim God’s glory and faithfulness through Jesus. This time that proclamation comes from the elders. The ones who have held the torch of hope when others doubted. Their wisdom sees clearly that Jesus is the promised savior, and it is time to hand over the torch of hope to this new generation.

If only generational transitions were always so smooth and affirming. Instead, we usually see older generations complaining and demeaning younger generations while younger generations roll their eyes and call out “Ok Boomer.” The reality is that younger generations have a 100% success rate of taking over everything. Eventually the next generation gets the torch. Somehow we need to learn from these two icons of scripture how to excitedly make the change while affirming the worth of the next generation.

One way to do this is to acknowledge the values of the next generation within the structures we want to see survive. If we want people to continue worshiping in church buildings the spiritual space needs to reflect things like justice, inclusion, and equality. Including emerging adults in leadership and decision-making roles will make these transitions less abrupt. If they have been part of the conversation it will not be so shocking when they buy an ethically sourced coffee brand for the church coffee hour.

This year has caused many preachers to have to choose their topics and words carefully to not upset the older, pledging members of the church. It’s a find thing to concern ourselves with but we are losing that money at some point no matter what we say. Simeon and Anna had a good run, but even their devoutness did not give them an everlasting earthly life. There will come a day where the church will depend on the pledging of Gen Z. The churches that survive will start publicly caring about the same issues as Gen Z to get their membership and pledging votes.


Simeon’s Bucket List
by Tom Willadsen
Isaiah 61:10--62:3, Galatians 4:4-7, Luke 2:22-40, Psalm 148

In the Scriptures

Luke 2:22-40
Luke makes it very clear that Jesus was raised by an observant Jewish family. Just prior to the start of today’s gospel reading, Jesus is circumcised. (Think of this a first century gender reveal party.) At the very start of the reading Mary undergoes the ritual of purification following child birth and the family makes the sacrifice required when dedicating one’s first born. (They opt for the less expensive sacrifice, two turtledoves or pigeons, rather than a yearling lamb, perhaps indicating their poverty.) The concluding verse of today’s reading reminds us they had “finished everything required by the law” at the temple before returning to Nazareth. The next story, following today’s reading, has Jesus in the temple astonishing those present with his answers. Later, as an adult Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee by teaching in the synagogues.

The depth of Jesus’ Judaism is confirmed by the two people who encounter the newborn in the temple: Simeon and Anna. These two are the only people in the birth narratives who are not told about Jesus’ birth, clearly they already know. Simeon meets the family while they are doing “what was customary under the law.” The bit of poetry he recites in vv. 29-31 is known as Nunc Dimmitis. The title comes from the first two words in Latin, “Now you dismiss.” Simeon alludes to Isaiah 52:10b, “and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” (NRSV)

Luke makes it clear that Simeon had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah/Christ. So now, Simeon can die. There’s no word whether he was eager to die. Holding the Messiah he has longed for is probably the last item on Simeon’s Bucket List. (Great name for a band!)

Anna was the other person who knew of Jesus’ birth without it having been announced to her. “Anna” is Hanna in Greek, so there’s a tie in back to Hannah. In I Samuel Hannah was desolate and sad until her prayer for a son was answered. When she presented her longed-for son, Samuel, at Shiloh, she sang a song of praise that has been compared to the Magnificat, which Mary burst into after her conversation with her formerly barren cousin Elizabeth. You probably covered that in Advent.

Galatians 4:4-7
In this brief passage, Paul reinforced the point Luke made: Jesus was born under the Law. And, rare for Paul, he mentions something about Jesus’ life, “that He was born of a woman.” Paul’s larger point is that through Christ God has adopted Christians, making “co-sons and daughters” with Christ. Paul uses the image of adoption to contend that Christians are not slaves, but heirs. He does not delve deeper in slavery as a metaphor, neither pointing out that Jews are slaves to the Law, nor that Christians are slaves to Christ.

Isaiah 61:10--62:3
In the first two verses of today’s reading the prophet is expressing joy and confidence, perhaps as an individual, but more likely on behalf of the entire nation. The two images he uses, a wedding and sowing seeds, are commonly used by Jesus. In the verses at the start of chapter 63 the prophet switches tone and turns into a kind of holy noodge on behalf of the nation, vowing not to keep silent until he sees and know her salvation and vindication. The joy is present in this reading, but also the reality of the “not yet” aspect of the Kingdom of God. Christians have spent a lot of time in the “not yet.”

Psalm 148
Forget your troubles, c’mon get happy!
Christmas was only three days ago; it’s still all right to celebrate, to coast on the glow of the Holy Day. And you’ll be in good company, all of creation, all kinds of people, all kinds of animals, even the weather and the mountains and hills praise the Lord.

In the News
In the middle of December some good news in the fight against Covid-19 emerged. The Federal Drug Administration authorized for emergency use two vaccines. This comes after an unprecedented effort to develop and test vaccines to help end the pandemic.

After nine months of public health measures to help slow the spread of the virus, many Americans are suffering from Covid fatigue. While the number of cases is higher than it was during the first wave of infections, many people are ignoring the urging of public health professionals to continue physical distancing, mask wearing and frequent hand sanitizing. Contrary to the consensus of public health officials, many families gathered over Thanksgiving, giving rise to a “spike on top of a surge” in Covid cases. The story may become even bleaker in the wake of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

As the vaccines roll out there is heated discussion about whom should be vaccinated first.

“Front line” workers, especially those who work in health care are to be the first in line per CDC guidance, followed by residents in skilled nursing and long term care facilities. The death rate from Covid-19 in homes for the elderly has been staggering. “While only 1% of the US population lives in long term care, the residents and the staff who work there account for 6% of Covid-19 cases and 40% of the deaths.” (ibid.)

In general, group homes have been hard hit, not only those serving elderly populations. Another set of “hot spots” has been correctional facilities. Vaccinating their residents has caused some fierce public opposition. On December 18, Ari Shapiro of NPR’s “All Things Considered” reported about the pushback in Colorado when it was announced that inmates would be among the first to receive vaccinations. Incarcerated people are five times more likely to be infected than the general population. While it would be make sense from a public health perspective to vaccinate those in prisons and jails, the political will is not there.

While the roll out of the vaccines is certainly a turning point, a lot still needs to be done before society returns to pre-Covid-19 normal. For months pundits have said we simply will not be able to return our pre-Covid lifestyles. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said his greatest fear is that people will not get vaccinated.

Vice-President Mike Pence led by example when he was vaccinated Friday, December 18. The President meanwhile has been out of the public eye since the electors in the 50 states and the District of Columbia cast their ballots in the presidential election.

In the Sermon
In some ways Simeon and Anna might be better Advent figures. Both are presented as having waited with eager anticipation and longing for the Christ. Waiting is what Advent is all about. They are, of course, also well suited for the post-Nativity Christmas season. Their waiting has come to an end and they are the first to recognize on their own the stupendous Christmas gift they behold in the eight-day-old baby. Like many Cub fans following the 2016 World Series, Simeon says that he can die, having been “released” by the infant.

Old people usually do not get much attention at Christmas time, especially compared to children. In today’s Gospel lesson it is the old people who are at center stage. There is a special joy that old people express when they recognize that the world can and will continue without them. When I walk through the congregation with a newly-baptized infant, it is the older people who glow the brightest and touch the little one’s toes with the greatest enthusiasm. Studies have shown that grandparents tend to worry more about their grandchildren’s spiritual lives than their children’s. This may be for the mundane reason that grandparents do not take part in the day-to-day activities of child rearing. There is likely another reason — grandparents have lived long enough to know what is truly important and significant in living a meaningful, fulfilling life. Their own children do not stand to benefit from their experience but they get another shot with their grandchildren.

It may be tempting to draw a line between the long-awaited Savior and the long-awaited vaccines. The parallels are obvious. Both are turning points in a story that has a long way to play out, both are the dawn of a new age, but only the first of many milestones. Public sentiment leans toward seeing that old people are among the first to be vaccinated, the first to benefit from this dramatic development. That’s all true, but slow down. Listen to the old people. When they repeat themselves — and you know Simeon was going to tell everyone he sees until he dies that he has held the Messiah — repeat your listening. Put the spotlight on the codgers and crones today; they have a lot to share.


ILLUSTRATIONS

From team member Mary Austin:

Luke 2:22-40
Hard Earned Wisdom
Simeon and Anna demonstrate a patient faith and wisdom, and we hear in Luke’s story that they have been amassing wisdom for decades, waiting for the fulfillment of God’s plans. Other people of similar age have their own forms of wisdom.

A former journalist recalls that life hardened her heart, until she made surprising friends. “I lived my life selfishly, devoid of spiritual belief of any kind. But like many who reach this age — perhaps because we wake up to the fact that our years on the planet are numbered — I began to question all this a few years ago when I stumbled upon a colony of stray cats near my home. They were starving, neglected, sick. As a longtime cat lover, I could not turn away, and started to help. This seemingly small development proved to be the one that would slowly drag me into a softer-hearted version of myself. To quote e.e. cummings, ‘the eyes of my eyes’ were opened.” With the birth of a grand-daughter, “the transformation was complete. Every movement of her tiny hand, every verbal utterance, seemed sacred: biblical code telling me my life’s direction, and reminding me that the iron doors to my heart could never again be closed.”

Another says, nine months into pandemic living, “I miss my little problems. How did my favorite winter cap get so stretched out? Do I need to grow a larger head to wear it again? Can I unclog the sink myself, or do I need a plumber?...Why is it impossible to lose 1 pound, 1 single, good-for-nothing (my mother’s phrase) pound?”

Another recalls a trip to the grocery store in the early days of the pandemic. “I was shocked, unsettled, and feeling vulnerable — not from fear of the coronavirus so much as from the shoppers’ reaction. Selfishness, the most dangerous malady of our time, was on full display. I left the store disheartened and thinking not about my generation with our race riots, moon shots, civil rights and anti-war demonstrations, but about my parents’ generation. I was thinking about the Great Depression and the second World War, hardships Americans faced together. The Vietnam War, civil rights, the Gulf Wars, the war in Afghanistan — these were faced by a country divided. Only briefly did we come together in the aftershock of 9/11, but soon the war on terror, like the war on drugs, was someone else’s problem…Over the last half-century, our focus has turned inward, making ourselves the center of our own self-fashioned universes. However, I think this coronavirus pandemic poses a threat that humans can handle. It presents a unique opportunity to inoculate us against self-centeredness, isolation, the loss of family ties, and camaraderie. This pandemic could bring together communities of all sizes, alert the collective “us” to certain dangers — like pandemics and climate change — that threaten our fragile existence if not faced responsibly.”

The new parents encounter Anna and Simeon, and we have wisdom in our midst, too.

If we humans are to survive and prosper, we must rediscover the inner strength, the selflessness — the collective responsibility — exhibited by my parents’ generation, the ingredients of a permanent vaccine to assure our planet’s habitability and our species’ survival.

* * *

Luke 2:22-40
Growing Wise, Not Old
As he grows older, Chip Conley is giving a lot of thought to what it means to be an elder in our world. He calls it being a Modern Elder, and believes this stage of life offers a unique kind of wisdom. After selling his hotel company, he was approached by Air BnB to advise them on the hospitality industry. He says, “In my five and a half years working with people mostly two generations younger than me, I’ve come to realize that a Modern Elder is both a mentor and an intern. While some of my accumulated knowledge might serve as timeless wisdom, much of it wasn’t relevant to this new home-sharing world. So, I realized I needed to strategically edit my knowledge and evolve my identity and take a beginner’s-mind approach to how the oldest person in the room (often me) showed up at work. This led me to learning to intern publicly and mentor privately. As a result, I mentored over 100 employees in the company even though it wasn’t part of my job to do that. And I learned so much from being an intern as well.”

Like Simeon and Anna, he had to tailor his wisdom to the setting and the people around him. In words that Simeon and Anna might have said, he advises, “The more we have seen and experienced, the better we can handle problems as they come along in stride. Will Rogers wrote, “Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” My skinned knee from the past can help prevent you from falling and skinning yours today. Modern Elders have a long-term perspective based upon the wisdom they’ve gathered over the years.” He adds, paralleling the wisdom of Simeon and Anna, “The older you are, the more you recognize your small place on the planet, but, the more you also want to put your lifetime of experience and perspective to work to positively impact future generations. Robert Bly said an elder is someone who knows when it’s time to give rather than to take, and often our giving is to those younger than us.”

By grace, we grow not just older but also wiser, and have that gift to share, as Simeon and Anna did.

* * *

Isaiah 61:10--62:3
Joy
Matching the joy that Simeon and Anna feel when they see the infant Jesus, the prophet Isaiah speaks of a determination to rejoice. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God.” Giving thanks to God, the prophet celebrates the way “the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.”

This kind of determined joy is an antidote to our pandemic loneliness. Joy is a counterweight to the sadness of this time. Heather Lanier recalls people gathering one day to spread joy in the Chicago subway, when “at the close of the business day, a handful of people gathered at the exit turnstiles of a Chicago subway station. Their sole aim was to cheer on commuters. The group held hand-drawn signs that read, “YAY YOU!” and “Life is a Marathon!” and “Hip Hip Hooray, Way to Conquer Today!” They handed out bottled water, high-fived the “finishers,” and shouted words of encouragement. They jumped up and down in unbridled joy. Some riders were bemused. Some skirted past, their grins belying their reserve. Some, clearly amused, met the raised hands with their own palms — high five! — never breaking the pace of the bustling rush hour. But my absolute favorite responses are from the commuters who leapt immediately into the joy of assumed victory. As in, Thank you! It’s true! I crushed today! Take the tall guy in black pants, black jacket, and royal blue ski cap with red pom-pom atop his head. Wires dangle from his ears and connected to his cellphone. Once he glimpses a sign, he throws his arms in a wide V and shouts, Woo!”

Some people really understand the kind of joy Isaiah is talking about, like “the guy in the navy hoodie, faded jeans, and well-worn chukkas. He doesn’t just walk past the cheerleaders, as most every other subway rider does. He runs to them. His black cross-body bag jiggles with his jog. He high-fives every single sign-holder, making a slight curve with his path to ensure he greets them all. When he reaches the final cheerleader he does a little leap to smack their hand.”

Things are hard — for Isaiah, and for us. Still, joy calls to us, and we meet up with God again when we take time to rejoice.


* * * * * *

From team member Tom Willadsen:

Luke 2:22-40
Christmas is for the dying
The two people who were delighted to see Mary and Joseph with their newborn were both very old. Simeon broke into song briefly; the song has echoes of the song Mary sang in the first chapter of Luke’s gospel. Anna was 84 years old and a widow who never left the temple. It is very significant that it is these two elderly people who were happiest, or most relieved, at Jesus’ birth. Do not overlook the older people in your congregations at Christmas time. Especially if you’re having in-person worship, there is a very good chance that it will be your congregation’s Simeons and Annas who are at church this Sunday.

* * *

Galatians 4:4-7
Crying “Abba, Father”
Scholars are evenly split over how to translate the Biblical name “Abba.” It may be the first coherent babblings of speech from an infant, something like “Dada” for English-speaking babies. It may also have the connotation of something much grander, perhaps, “Honorable Father.” This is the same word that Jesus uses to begin what we know as “The Lord’s Prayer.” How would your congregation respond if you challenged them one Sunday to begin the prayer they have memorized since childhood, “Dada.” Spoiler alert — they will hate it and feel very uncomfortable. So that’s all the more reason to do it!

* * *

Psalm 148
Let’s get political — sea monsters
The Hebrew word that is rendered “sea monsters” in the NRSV is translated as “sea creature” or “dragon” in other versions. תּנּיּנּ “Tanin” comes from the name of a Ugaritic god. That this other culture’s god is joining other beings and entities in praising the Creator is a subtle way of saying “Our God is better than yours.” Take that, Ugarits!


* * * * * *

From team member Dean Feldmeyer:

Property Laws of Toddlers (A Baby Changes Everything)
1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours.

* * *

Things We Can Learn From Our Kids (A Baby Changes Everything)

1. You can be anything you want to be when you grow up.
2. Nobody can pedal the bike for you.
3. If you wait until you're really sure, you'll never take off your training wheels.
4. Nobody notices when your zipper is up, but everyone notices when your zipper is down.
5. Sometimes you have to take the test before you've finished studying.
6. If you're going to fight, use pillows.
7. Before you trade sandwiches, check between the bread.
8. You have to eat a lot of cereal before you find the free toy.
9. If you want a kitten, start out asking for a horse.
10. You don't have to own a swing to enjoy it.
11. It doesn't matter how fast you're running with the ball if you're going in the wrong direction.
12. Sometimes the biggest apple has the biggest worm.
13. Every castle has a dungeon.
14. A little kiss can make a big difference.

Source: Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me by Cynthia Copeland Lewis, quoted in MSC Health Action News, Jan./Feb. 1997, p. 7

* * *

The Children’s Art of Argumentation (A Baby Changes Everything)
Child: Dad, can I have a dog?
Dad: (Distracted) No, you can’t have a dog.
Child: Didn’t you have a dog when you were my age?
Dad: Yeah, but things were different then.
Child: Aren’t things different, now?
Dad: No, they’re the same.
Child: Right! So, can I have a dog?

* * *

Never Too Old (Aging)
History records that many people made some of their greatest contributions to society after the age of 65. The Earl of Halsburg, for example, was 90 when he began preparing a 20-volume revision of English law. Goethe wrote Faust at 82. Galileo made his greatest discovery when he was 73. At 69, Hudson Taylor was still vigorously working in the mission field, opening up new territories in Indochina.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie book series, was 64 when she published her first work, Little House in the Big Woods, in 1932. She continued the series about herself and her family, ending with These Happy Golden Years in 1943, at age 76

Benjamin Franklin signed the Declaration of Independence when he was 70 years old, making him the oldest to sign it. He retired from public serviced at the age of 82. Peter Mark Roget published his famous Roget’s Thesaurus when he was 73 years old and oversaw every new edition until he was 90. Verdi was 80 when he wrote Falstaff. Gladstone became prime minister of England for the fourth time at 83. Stradivari made his first violin after his 60th birthday.

Susan B. Anthony was past the age of 80 when she formed the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. At age 87, Pablo Picasso produced 347 engravings in one year. In 1979, Mother Theresa received the Nobel Peace Prize at age 69 for her work with “Missionaries of Charity.”

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, better known as “Grandma Moses,” did not start painting until she was 76 years old, after her arthritis made it too hard for her to hold an embroidery needle. Even though she had no formal training, she painted every day for 25 years and produced thousands of paintings. Her simple depictions of farm life were shown all around the world.

* * *

Top Ten Benefits of Getting Old (Aging)

1. If ever held hostage you are likely to be released first.
2. No one expects you to run into a burning building.
3. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.
4. There's nothing left to learn the hard way.
5. Things you buy now won't wear out.
6. You can party and the neighbors don't even realize it.
7. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.
8. Your back goes out more than you do.
9. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.
10. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them either.     

* * *

The House is Falling Down (Aging)
Author, Henry Durbanville tells the story of a time when John Quincey Adams was a very old man and someone asked him how he was keeping, and he said:

Thank you, John Quincey Adams is very well himself, sir; but the house in which he lives is falling to pieces. Time and seasons have nearly destroyed it. The roof is well worn, the walls shattered. It trembles with every gale. I think John Quincey Adams will soon have to move out. But he himself is very well, sir.



* * * * * *

WORSHIP
by George Reed

Call to Worship:
Leader: Praise God! Praise God from the heavens.
People:    Praise God, sun and moon; praise God, all shining stars!
Leader: Let them praise the name of God who created them.
People:    God established them forever and ever.
Leader: Praise the name of God whose name alone is exalted.
People: God’s glory is above earth and heaven.

OR

Leader: God comes into our midst when we are young and when we are older.
People: We welcome God into our lives always.
Leader: We never know who God will use to speak to us.
People: We will be attentive to all so that we can hear God.
Leader: God has a part for each of us to play.
People: We will play our part in sharing God’s love.

Hymns and Songs:
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
UMH: 127
H82: 690
PH: 281
AAHH: 138/139/140
NNBH: 232
NCH: 18/19
CH: 622
LBW: 343
ELW: 618
W&P: 501
AMEC: 52/53/65

O God, Our Help in Ages Past
UMH: 117
H82: 680
AAHH: 170
NNBH: 46
NCH: 25
CH: 67
LBW: 320
ELW: 632
W&P: 84
AMEC: 61
STLT 281

All My Hope Is Firmly Grounded
UMH: 132
H82: 665
NCH: 408
CH: 88
ELW: 757

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
UMH: 229
PH: 37
CH: 163
LBW: 44
ELW: 276
W&P: 221

Love Came Down at Christmas
UMH: 242
H82: 84
NCH: 165
W&P: 210

O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright
UMH: 247
PH: 69
NCH: 158
CH: 105
LBW: 76
ELW: 308
W&P: 230
Once in Royal David’s City
UMH: 250
H82: 102
PH: 49
NCH: 145
CH: 165
ELW: 269
W&P: 183
STLT: 228

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
UMH: 240
H82: 87
PH: 31/32
AAHH: 217
NNBH: 81
NCH: 144
CH: 150
LBW: 60
ELW: 270
W&P: 185
AMEC: 115 

That Boy Child of Mary
UMH: 241
PH: 55
ELW: 293
W&P: 211

My Master, See, the Time Has Come
UMH: 226

I Call You Faithful
CCB: 70

Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus
CCB: 55

Music Resources Key:
UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
H82: The Hymnal 1982
PH: Presbyterian Hymnal
AAHH: African American Heritage Hymnal
NNBH: The New National Baptist Hymnal
NCH: The New Century Hymnal
CH: Chalice Hymnal
LBW: Lutheran Book of Worship
ELW: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
W&P: Worship & Praise
AMEC: African Methodist Episcopal Church Hymnal
STLT: Singing the Living Tradition
CCB: Cokesbury Chorus Book
Renew: Renew! Songs & Hymns for Blended Worship

Prayer for the Day/Collect
O God who comes among us in our youth and in our later years:
Grant us the wisdom to recognize your coming
so that we may greet you in love;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

OR

We praise you, O God, because you come to us at all stages of our lives. You come to us in our infancy and you come to us when we grow old. Help us to be wise enough to recognize you when you come to us and give us loving hearts to welcome you. Amen.

Prayer of Confession
Leader: Let us confess to God and before one another our sins and especially our failure to welcome God into our daily lives.   

People: We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have failed to make space in our everyday lives for your presence. We are so focused on our own agendas that we neglect to ask for your guidance. We get ourselves into trouble because we don’t follow your ways. Forgive us and strengthen us in your Spirit that we might listen for your voice over the din of the world. Amen. 

Leader: God cares about us and the smallest details of our lives. Receive God’s grace and use it well to listen to God and, especially, to listen for God’s voice in the words of others.

Prayers of the People
Praise and glory are yours by right, O God, because you are the Creator and our Redeemer. Glorious is your Name.

(The following paragraph may be used if a separate prayer of confession has not been used.)

We confess to you, O God, and before one another that we have sinned. We have failed to make space in our everyday lives for your presence. We are so focused on our own agendas that we neglect to ask for your guidance. We get ourselves into trouble because we don’t follow your ways. Forgive us and strengthen us in your Spirit that we might listen for your voice over the din of the world.

We give you thanks for all the blessings of this life. We thank you for this time of preparing for the coming of the Christ into our midst. We thank you for the love that embraces us even as we find ourselves distanced from those we love.

(Other thanksgivings may be offered.)

We pray for one another in our need. We pray for those who struggle with the isolation and loneliness during this pandemic. We pray for those who give of themselves as they serve the needs of the rest of community. We pray for those who are struggling with diminished resources and find it difficult to provide food and housing for themselves and their loved ones.

(Other intercessions may be offered.)

All these things we ask in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together saying:

Our Father....Amen.

(Or if the Our Father is not used at this point in the service)

All this we ask in the name of the Blessed and Holy Trinity. Amen.

Children’s Sermon Starter
The Gospel story today has several characters in it. Some of them we are very familiar with and some we are not. There are Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus, of course, but there are also Anna and Simeon. All of them are children of God and all of them have a part to play. Jesus is just a baby, Mary and Joseph are young adults, and Anna and Simeon are older adults. No matter what our age we can be part of sharing God’s love. It doesn’t matter whether we are known by a lot of people or only a few. We still are important to God.



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CHILDREN'S SERMON
I Spy…Jesus!
by Chris Keating
Luke 2:22-40

I was surprised recently when members of my church told me they had never heard of the stories of Simeon and Anna. I know I have preached sermons about them! It was a reminder that these stories, sometimes forgotten, are essential in describing the ways God’s people engage in acts of waiting, blessing, and praising.

There’s no doubt about it: waiting is hard. When I was a child, I found waiting frustrating. It was hard to wait at the doctor’s office, or at the grocery store. Even harder was waiting your turn for a special treat like ice cream or for food to be brought to your table. I loathed those interminable stretches of time spent stuck in traffic.

Whether it is waiting in line at a theme park, waiting to open Christmas presents on Christmas morning, or waiting at the doctor’s office, children will easily identify with the feelings associated with long waits: impatience, boredom, frustration. In our family, Christmas presents are not opened until everyone is up and out of bed — something that often created tension between older and younger siblings.

Ask the children, “What do you do when you are stuck waiting in a line? How do you pass the time?”

Long car trips are another type of waiting. Our family used several boredom-busters to help pass the time, including games like “I Spy.” In that game, one player picks out an object that can either be very obvious or somewhat hidden and pass along short clues to help the others guess. They say, “I spy with my little eye…something RED!” In some ways, the scripture today is a bit like a game of “I Spy.”

Introduce the story by playing a quick game of “I Spy.” If your church has a nativity scene nearby, use some clues that point to the baby Jesus. Share with the children how Simeon and Anna had spent their lives waiting, and waiting, and waiting….and waiting! They were waiting for God to show up. As they waited, they kept their eyes opened to the many ways the Messiah would come.

One day, Simeon sees Mary and Joseph bringing the newborn Jesus to the temple. Something — Luke says it was the Holy Spirit — had encouraged him to go to the temple. When he got there, he looked and saw the baby. All of a sudden, it dawned on Simeon: “I spy with my little eye…the Messiah!”

People had wondered what the Messiah would look like. Faithful Jewish people like Simeon and Anna had prayed that they would live long enough to see the Messiah. Would the Messiah look like King David, mighty and great? Would the Messiah look like one of Israel’s great women? Would the one sent by God act like the legendary Elijah?

No one expected that the Messiah would be born to a poor family. But the moment Simeon’s eye caught sight of Jesus, he knew he had seen the Messiah. Maybe he was so excited that he tossed his cane up in the air! Patience can teach us to slow down and look for the things others may miss.

Aside from waiting, this often-overlooked story is also a reminder of the dedication of two elderly persons who were wise and loving. Every church likely has its own version of Anna and Simeon — faithful elderly persons who do not say very much, but whose prayers and presence are important to the church. You can be assured that they will be present in church, even on the Sunday after Christmas! Help the children thank these persons — do not limit them to just two — for their devotion.

It may be worthwhile to mention the role that praise and blessing play in this story. These are big “church” words whose meanings may need to be explained to children. Take a few moments on this Sunday to talk about how we engage in acts of blessing, or how we offer praise.

When Simeon sees the baby, he sings a song of praise to God that is sometimes used in churches as a blessing. You can help the children learn what it means to give and to receive a blessing. You might consider looking up versions of the Nunc Dimittis in your hymnal, perhaps enlisting the help of a musician to teach it to the children. Likewise, Anna is also a woman of prayer. When she sees Jesus, she is filled with joy and immediately begins to praise God. These are great examples of what it means to share the Christmas spirit with others, even a few days after opening our presents.


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The Immediate Word, December 27, 2020 issue.

Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.

All rights reserved. Subscribers to The Immediate Word service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons and in worship and classroom settings only. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.