[RCL]: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Canticle 9; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18 Technically, Christmas lasts 12 days. It starts at sundown Christmas Eve and continues until January 6, the Epiphany. In the old days, Christians refrained from Christmas celebration until Christmas Eve. Not even the tree would go up before then, as people respected the holy anticipation of…

Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”? Networking has been an established social function in society for as long as there have been people. We often use our connections to get us into social circles and places we might have difficulty getting into alone. On television shows…

When was the last time that you were filled with so much anticipation that you actually thought you might burst before the anticipated event arrived? Maybe it was a time when you were expecting a visit from an old friend or a present from someone special. Or maybe it was a time when you were…

Remember when you were expecting your first child? Most of you know what that’s like. It was really something — keep it in mind. That feeling is probably clearest today, the third Sunday of Advent. This day is traditionally called “Gaudette Sunday.” It means “rejoicing Sunday,” from the Latin word, gaudere, to rejoice. The rose candle…

Power. What a strange thing to be thinking about in the midst of Christmas shopping and holiday plans. But today’s lessons and prayers are about just that. Power. Today we ask for God’s power to come amongst us. We hear, in Luke, that John the Baptist’s power wasn’t enough. In Zephaniah we are told of…

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come!…. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire,” proclaims John the Baptist in today’s gospel. And “Rejoice in the Lord…