Blog Archives

Jesus, Buddy the elf, and the reindeer that ran over grandma

Posted on December 24, 2012 by Derik Hamby — No Comments ↓

I enjoy hot cocoa, chocolate covered peanut butter snacks, sausage balls, and homemade Christmas cookies. I enjoy the lights and I also enjoy looking for the tackiest as well as the most beautiful. I love sneak Santa games and real…

Tagged with: Advent, Buddy the Elf, Christmas, Elves, Jeremiah, Micah, Santa
Posted in Uncategorized

Green Day: on Holiday

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Chris Aho — No Comments ↓

The holiday season has reached its peak. Decorations, parties, calories and music abound. Some of this music is soul inspiring. I am warmed each time I hear Sheryl Crow’s “Blue Christmas”, The Barenaked Ladies’ “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” or…

Marching to a different drummer

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Barry Howard — No Comments ↓

The poinsettias are ablaze with holiday red. The Advent wreath is in place and we are on our countdown toward lighting the Christ Candle on Christmas Eve. Among the poinsettias, the wreaths, and the candles, there are numerous Christmas trees…

Tagged with: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas Tree, Civil War, Little Drummer Boy, NIV, poinsettias
Posted in Faithful Living

What’s Cyrus have to do with Advent?

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Thomas Whitley — No Comments ↓

As the semester comes to a close for me, I am able to do a bit of reflecting on the work I’ve done and what I’ve read. One line from Xenophon’s Cyropaedia in particular stood out to me: For I…

Tagged with: 2012 election, Advent, Christmas, Cyropaedia, Cyrus, Cyrus the Great, Epiphany, Xenophon
Posted in Spiritual Formation

The original Christmas village

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Barry Howard — No Comments ↓

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.” This past summer Amanda and I did a lot of walking while we were in the United Kingdom…

Tagged with: Advent, Bethlehem, Christmas, England, Sabbatical
Posted in Faithful Living

Where Christmas music originates

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Barry Howard — No Comments ↓

Christmas songs are among the popular music in the world. Music historians believe the first explicitly Christmas hymns were composed in Rome in the 4th century. However, in Luke 1:46-56 we find a story culminating in Mary’s song, the first…

Tagged with: Advent, angel, Jesus, Mary, Music
Posted in Faithful Living, Spiritual Formation, Worship

Blue Christmas

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Peggy Haymes — No Comments ↓

Last year about this time I was preaching for the Blue Christmas service held at a church in a another city. It’s one of those services where the church gives a nod to the fact that not all people are…

Tagged with: a, Advent, Blue Christmas, Christmas, depression, Grief, holidays, light, loss, Spirituality
Posted in Grief, Mental Health, Spiritual Formation, Suffering