The Edge of the Inside » Christian Seasons

Celebrating Advent with Snow Hill

Todd Littleton — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:03:39 +0000

How are you celebrating the Season of Advent? We are offering some daily Advent reflections (Mon-Friday) at www.snowhill.org. I would also suggest you consider subscribing to an Advent blog – Go to Bethlehem and See -Â created by Michael Spencer a few years ago. In the past I have contributed a post or two and plan to do so again soon.

If you are still looking for another way to engage in the Season of Advent, you may want to get a copy of The Voice of Psalms. Thomas Nelson just released the Psalms in the new “transaphrase” project initiated by my friend Chris Seay. They offer a reading through some of the Psalms for Advent.

What are you doing to reflect on the Season of Advent?

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Breath, Spirit, Life – Thoughts from the Edge

Todd Littleton — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:20:21 +0000

Pentecost Sunday will be observed by many Christian congregations around the world. Here are some thoughts on two of the texts for this coming Sunday. In a world full of words sometimes we are speechless and it is the breath of God, the Spirit of God that gives life to our senses.

The Drapes Are Open

Todd Littleton — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:45:06 +0000

The first time I heard the description “window treatment,” I thought of old wood frame windows. Quickly my ignorance was exposed and learned this was a eupemism used by Interior Decorators. Growing up our windows were treated with drapes. Big, heavy, thick drapes.

When we wanted to see who was at the door in those “home alone” moments, it was difficult to do so without those big, heavy, thick drapes being seen moving. The upside to those drapes – you could block out the daylight and avoid being awakened by the sun.

Tuesday was the Day of Epiphany in the Church Year. Beginning this Sunday each week until Lent will be referred to as the 1st (2nd, 3rd …) Sunday after the Epiphany. The reference to the visitation of the Magi to the young Jesus’ family and the subsequent illustrations where Jesus is declared to the “Son of God” comprise the kinds of “revealing moments” intended by Epiphany.

The revealing of Jesus, that is the Incarnation, in at least one sense, if not a major sense, intends to shatter our statements made about God. In other words, Jesus is the medium and the message of God to us. When we hope to talk about God and any way of living that would underscore what it means to follow Jesus, we must pass through Jesus and not make Jesus pass through us.

Carl Raschke writes,

As Christians we are called to reveal who Christ is – the truth of God made flesh in relation to us, the real Emmanuel, “God with us” – just as Christ revealed the Father. In every day and every way, the Christian life amounts to a radical relationality, a readiness to reveal who God is while “being Jesus” to others when the occasion arises. As Christians we are always Christs to one another. (Raschke, GloboChrist,p.118-119)

The ongoing “epiphany” of Jesus to the world comes when we pass through Jesus on the way to the world. Our “wish dreams” (Bonhoeffer, Life Together) become shattered by the life of Jesus. Only then do we find the living way of Jesus that compels others.

You could say, Jesus pulls the drapes back. No longer big, heavy, thick drapes. Exposing us to life in God, life with God and life for God, Jesus shed light on God. Now we can say what we say only as we cause what we say to pass through the life of Jesus. Better yet, we can now live by pressing the way we live through the life of Jesus.

What About Advent?

Todd Littleton — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:06:23 +0000

We are posting our Advent 2008 with Snow Hill Baptist Church journal over at the Snow Hill website. As an introduction I wrote the following piece. Click over and follow Advent with us.

What of Advent?

In the late summer of 1986 we accepted our first staff position as a family. My title was, Associate Pastor/Youth Minister. Dr. Rick Davis served the church as Pastor. One of my many responsibilities came each week in what we called the, â??Childrenâ??s Sermon.â?
I learned of Advent Season during my first year on staff. Dr. Davis, a voracious reader, clipped an article from one of his preaching magazines. He wrote at the top, â??Letâ??s do this.â? I think I still have this article.
The phrase, â??Letâ??s do this,â? really meant, â??Todd, I want you to do this.â? I did not know anything about Advent Season and yet I knew everything about Advent Season. Growing up in our Southern Baptist Church did not include celebrating the Advent Season. Instead, we celebrated soon coming Christmas. Our festivities included an Adult Christmas Musical, Childrenâ??s â??Gradedâ? Choir Christmas programs, and the annual visit by Santa Claus.
We talked about the coming of Jesus in these activities. But, we did not view the calendar the same way. What was found on our Julian Calendars set the agenda.
The first year with the Advent Wreath was both exciting and uneasy. New things always excite me. Since I had never seen this done it left me feeling un-easy. We enjoyed the celebration. Ever since those days we always use the Advent Wreath with the Children.
We shared the stories of anticipation (the people and the prophets), preparation (the prophets and John the Baptist), expectation (Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary), and annunciation (the angels, the shepherds, the â??starâ? and the wisemen). These are the stories of Advent, which means â??coming.â?
This year your staff thought of putting together a journal to reflect on the Season of Advent. The Christian Seasons Calendar begins with the expectation of Jesusâ?? first coming and ends with the hope of his return, or â??Second Advent.â? Throughout the year we tell the same story â?? anticipation, preparation, expectation and we await the annunciation.
We were sure others had written a journal for the Season. I have recommended Walter Wangerinâ??s little book, Preparing for Jesus, over the years for families to use for devotional times during the â??hustle and bustleâ? of â??shopping days left before Christmas.â?
One of the features of community is hearing from those in our community. While I greatly appreciate Walter Wangerinâ??s reflections, we wanted to hear the reflections of people in our own congregation. What does God say to us? How can we share in hearing from God? What stories or thoughts from people we know would God use to draw our attention Jesusâ?? direction?
So, this is our first adventure into publishing an Advent Journal by Snow Hill Baptist Church. We hope it will not be the last endeavor of this kind.
We have added a special treat. A few months ago we adopted Jonathan and Kari Masson as our missionaries to Lyon, France. Our relationship is one of encouragement, prayer and communication. We may one day help with a financial need as we are made aware. But, to let them know we believe they are part of our â??familyâ? we invited them to share some thoughts. Each week there is a special reflection from the Massonâ??s. As you read these in particular, pray for this young couple who will be away from family and friends during special seasons we often take for granted here.
This journal offers reflections from each of our staff and a variety of people in our church. Next year, you may want to participate. Write a reflection of your own and keep it. When we make plans for our journal next year, you may want us to include it.
More than anything else, we trust this tool will give you moments to reflect on the coming of Jesus this Advent Season.

From your staff â??

Praying for your blessings as you listen as the Spirit of God animates the activity of God found in the Scriptures and in these reflections in the giving of His Son this Advent Season.

Watching and Working … Thoughts from The Edge

Todd Littleton — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:53:14 +0000

Watching and working express one of the key themes of the Lectionary Texts for the coming Sunday. Often we favor one end of the spectrum created by these two practices. Jesus calls us to watch and at the same time to work. Most often our working appears like busy work. We instead should view our work as the work of bringing the Kingdom to bear on the world in which we live. Listen for the Tim Keller quote I found on Steve McCoy’s blog. There is something about our message that may be amiss.