Fourth Sunday of Advent Prayer :: Advent Bidding Prayer

A prayer of intercession for the end of Advent (or Christmas Eve) when all four Advent candles (hope, peace, joy, love) have been lit.

Holy One, be the light in our darkness tonight.
As we have lit the candle of hope,
we pray for those who feel hopeless . . .

As we have lit the candle of peace,
we pray for all victims of violence . . .

As we have lit the candle of joy,
we pray for those whose hearts are weighed down by sorrow . . .

As we have lit the candle of love,
we pray for those who do not feel loved,
for those who struggle to love others . . .

Holy One, be the light in our darkness tonight,
that we might reflect your light into the dark corners of our world. Amen.

Taken from: http://re-worship.blogspot.com.ar/2012/11/prayers-of-people-advent-4.html
Written by Joanna Harader, and posted on her Spacious Faith blog: http://spaciousfaith.com/   

Merry Christmas!

Shepherds. James B Janknegt, 2011. 

Taken from: http://adventinart.org/

Favorite Things…Buenos Aires Style (#8 – Christmas)

I leave for California this Thursday! I have been looking forward to Christmas with family and friends in SoCal for several months. In early-January I will also spend several days with my sister, bro-in-law, nieces, and nephew in Toronto. I can’t wait!

As excited as I am for my trip, I will also miss the remaining days of the season with my community down here in the Southern Hemisphere. I have spent the last two Christmas’ here in Buenos Aires. Last year I shared a top ten list of favorite things about Christmas in Buenos Aires. While Christmas in Argentina does not bring the same feel of Christmas in the U.S., there are customs and traditions I have come to look forward to.

This past year I have been sharing my favorite things about living in Buenos Aires. Today I close out my favorite things list for 2011 where it all began. I am reposting a revised 2011 version of my “Christmas Top Ten” that I posted a year ago. This list really inspired and kicked off my year of stability.

1) Our annual community Advent Gathering, when we light the first candle of hope and pray for our friends. Then each week we light the remaining Advent candles on the wreath with a time of liturgy and prayer.
2) All the neighbors out on the street sitting on the sidewalk as both the weather and festivities warm up before Christmas.
3) Our church “pesebre” (nativity) that takes the entire stage (see photo above).
4) Our annual Christmas party with the youth, which took place TODAY. We hosted 11 young adults and 18 children this year.
5) The wire Christmas trees light up in the plaza and parks throughout the city, surrounded by the summertime green and shade of all the trees.
6) The cold drinks of the season…Gancia (similar to vermouth with soda water, lemon, and lots of ice); Sidra (a cider drink); and extra cold cerveza.
7) Our church’s Christmas worship service, which I will miss this year. Candles will be light around the pesebre and the baby Jesus will be laid in the manger.
8) Spending time with our friends at the Retiro train station and sharing some Christmas “pan dulce” and mate.
9) It’s all about Christmas Eve here! Fireworks go off at midnight, gifts are opened, and the festivities continue through the wee hours of the morning. (Definitely not a “silent night”!) I’m gonna feel some culture shock this Christmas Eve when all is quiet and tranquilo in California when the clock strikes midnight.
10) Holiday drinks at Starbucks, Argentina-style…Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha, and Chocolate Carmel. (This year I am holding out for some gingerbread and peppermint!)

¡Amigos y amigas en Buenos Aires, voy a extrañarlos mucho! 

¡Feliz Navidad...y nos vemos pronto!

Christmastide

In the liturgical year the Christmas season has just begun and it continues through Epiphany, on January 6. This season is also known as Christmastide or the Twelve Days of Christmas. This Christmas weekend I just started using a new prayer book just published last month, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Enuma Okoro. You can also follow the daily prayer liturgies here: http://commonprayer.net/. This book describes the Christmastide season this way…

A Note on Christmas (From: http://commonprayer.net/)

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” is not just the title of a fun song but also refers to the twelve-day celebration of the coming of Christ, from his birth, which is observed on December 25, until Epiphany, on January 6. This twelve-day celebration is often marked with the colors gold and white, and dates back to the fourth century. Christmas is short for “Christ’s Mass,” referring to the worship service that marks the birth of Christ. Celebrations during the season include the Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28), when we remember that the joy of Christ’s coming was marked by genocide as Herod fearfully massacred other children in Bethlehem. We can remember that the coming of Christ is about God entering the mess of this world, from the stinky manger to the torturous cross.

I have posted a few Christmastide links on my sidebar. You might also like to check out Christine Sine’s Morning and Evening prayers for the Christmas season…

Christmas Season Morning Prayers...click here.

Christmas Season Evening Prayers...click here.

Merry Christmas from Buenos Aires!

Sending all my love to family and friends in California and around the world this Christmas Eve! Thinking of you all and missing you! Today in Buenos Aires it is a tad bit cooler in the low 90’s. But Christmas Day is forecasted to feel like 100. If you haven’t seen my top ten favorite things about a summertime Christmas in Buenos Aires, click here.

Yesterday Silas from our WMF office in Omaha sent this Christmas blessing and reflection from Henri Nouwen. I thought I would share it on my blog today.

A Christmas Blessing from Henri Nouwen

May the Child born today be the center of all your celebration

May He be the source of your joy

May the Child born today shine His light into the recesses

of your stress, sorrow, grief and despair

May He strengthen you and uphold you

May the Child born today dwell within you and go before you

May He shine out from deep within you

That you may be the visible sign of the Child born today

A Christmas Reflection from Nouwen, Christmas at Genesee Abbey
(An excerpt from Genesee Diary, Henri J.M. Nouwen)
I keep thinking about the Christmas scene that Anthony arranged under the altar. This probably is the most meaningful "crib" I have ever seen. Three small wood-carved figures made in India: a poor woman, a poor man, and a small child between them. The carving is simple, nearly primitive. No eyes, no ears, no mouths, just the contours of the faces. The figures are smaller than a human hand - nearly too small to attract attention at all.

But then - a beam of light shines on the three figures and projects large shadows on the wall of the sanctuary. That says it all. The light thrown on the smallness of Mary, Joseph, and the Child projects them as large, hopeful shadows against the walls of our life and our world.

While looking at the intimate scene we already see the first outlines of the majesty and glory they represent. While witnessing the most human of human events, I see the majesty of God appearing on the horizon of my existence. While being moved by the gentleness of these three people, I am already awed by the immense greatness of God's love appearing in my world. Without the radiant beam of light shining into the darkness there is little to be seen. I might just pass by these three simple people and continue to walk in darkness. But everything changes with the light.

Finally, today I posted a prayer liturgy for Christmas on the Prayers and Creeds blog. It is taken from the new prayer book, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals by Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Enuma Okoro (http://commonprayer.net/). This is a great prayer book for the new year!

To check out the Christmas prayer….click here.

Christmas in Buenos Aires...My Top Ten!

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas (in the Southern Hemisphere). Yesterday hit 90 degrees here in Buenos Aires with a much higher humidity “feels like”! We are experiencing a weekend break from the heat before it is forecasted to return in full force just in time for Christmas. I’m sitting here in my apartment this afternoon with the window open, fan blowing, my little Christmas tree lights on, and drinking some Christmas coffee. (Thanks World Market for my 52 pounds of coffee prize! Thanks mom and dad for the monthly 5 pounds of coffee runs to claim my prize! And thanks Howie for bringing the latest Christmas supply!)

These past few weeks I have been asked many times when I am leaving for “las fiestas”? Most of my friends assume I am headed to North America or somewhere on vacation. I have had fun responding that I am staying here in Buenos Aires for Christmas. Yes, I will deeply miss being with my family in California these days ahead! But, at the same time, I am trying to soak in the season and receive all it has to offer in Buenos Aires. While Christmas in Argentina does not bring the same feel of Christmas in the U.S., there are customs and traditions I have already enjoyed and others I still look forward to this Christmas week. Here are just a few highlights:

1) Our annual community Advent Gathering, when we light the first candle of hope and pray for our friends. Then each Friday morning we have light the next candles on the wreath with a time of liturgy and prayer.
2) All the neighbors out on the street sitting on the sidewalk as both the weather and festivities warm up before Christmas.
3) Our church “pesebre” (nativity) that takes the entire stage (see photo above). Last Saturday all were invited to the annual community tradition of assembling the pesebre. It was really meaningful to join in that tradition!
4) Our annual Christmas party with the youth, which took this past Monday. We had a total of 30 people, including our community, Servant Team, Argentine partners, and our friends. Our time included a pollo asado (chicken bbq), a Christmas reflection in front of the pesebre, special crafts, and Christmas movies. We shared 18 Christmas gifts to our friends.
5) The wire Christmas trees light up in the plaza and parks throughout the city, surrounded by the summertime green and shade of all the trees.
6) The cold drinks of the season…Gancia (similar to vermouth with soda water, lemon, and lots of ice); Sidra (a cider drink); and extra cold cerveza.
7) Our church’s Christmas worship service, which will take place tomorrow night. Candles will be light around the pesebre and the baby Jesus will be laid in the manger.
8) This week ahead I look forward to visiting our friends at the Retiro train station and sharing some Christmas “pan dulce” and mate.
9) It’s all about Christmas Eve here! Fireworks go off at midnight, gifts are opened, and the festivities continue through the wee hours of the morning. (Definitely not a “silent night”!)

So there are nine favorite things about Christmas in Buenos Aires (in no particular order of importance)! I will keep my eyes and ears open to round out the top ten. Stay tuned!

10) Okay, that was quick…how could I forget? Number #10! Holiday drinks at Starbucks, Argentina-style…Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha, and Chocolate Carmel. (gingerbread, peppermint, and egg nog are not the tastes of Christmas here.)

So, there it is my top ten....so far!

Sari Bari & Suti Sana for Christmas

Christmas shopping this weekend? Anyone out there in need of Christmas gift ideas for the women in your life? I have a couple suggestions from Word Made Flesh India and Bolivia, who offer freedom to women working and trapped in the sex trade by providing employment alternatives. The shiny new website links below give more information. There you can check out the beautiful purses, bags and products for sale! Support freedom for these women through your Christmas shopping this year.

Sari Bari (India)

http://www.saribari.com/

Suti Sani (Bolivia)

http://sutisana.com/

For instructions on purchasing bags...click here.