“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” Matthew 5:9

Christmas evening is usually a quiet time at our place. The mayhem of Christmas morning and Christmas dinner has passed, and everyone settles into their own version of the peace of the day: reading or watching TV or checking e-mail or simply relaxing. Let’s call it the calm after the storm. Christmas is, after all, a non-peaceful time of year for most of us. The few hours of relative peace on Christmas evening are a highlight for me.

Noise and frenzy are not appealing to me. I confess that I’m a pretty peaceful person. Quiet is my friend; calm is my preference. There is a difference, though, between liking peace and making peace. Liking it is a passive indulgence – making it is an active pursuit.

When God sent Jesus to earth, it was a willful act of peace-making. God has taken the initiative to offer reconciliation to us all, so that our relationship with him can be one of peace. It is God’s nature to not only like peace, but to actively pursue it and to make it possible.

Jesus, in turn, has called his disciples to be peace-makers in their own right. We are urged to announce God’s grace to all and to extend God’s grace to all in and through our lives. This means peace will need to be more than our preference – it will need to be our mandate and goal. I know my challenge is to move beyond peace as a preference and instead make peace what I seek to instill in the people, circumstances and settings around me.

After I have enjoyed the peace of a Christmas evening, my prayer is that God will find me a useful instrument through whom to create relationships marked by peace. What better way to reclaim the Christmas season and its true meaning?

“God, make me an instrument of your peace. May the peace I relish and enjoy become the gift I offer to others, so that they in turn may live in peace with you and with one another. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, Amen.”

Bert Browning

When Yvette finally awoke I gave her the bus fare and she offered thanks. She had no clue how long she had been there and I am not even sure she realized she had fallen asleep. As she slowly left the house and walked towards the bus stop she turned once more and said, “Thanks.”

I stood for a few minutes watching her at the bus stop unable to move. I knew I had not welcomed Yvette the way I should have. At Hyaets, we try to answer the door with the mindset that it is Jesus that we welcome into our home. Yet I had treated Yvette as an unwelcome guest.

Yvette was Christ coming into my life unannounced and uninvited in order to call me to be more than I am - more than I say that I am, more than I believe I can be. The violence of Yvette’s situation invaded my home that day as an invitation to peace. It was a challenge to orient my time, my attention and my attitude towards the peace of Christ.

Too often I set my own agenda trying to work each day out in an ordered pattern according to what I think is best. Though I have uncovered a rhythm amongst constant interruption, Yvette showed me that I am still focused on controlling and managing the world around me – a violent approach to life. I am learning that we live into the peace of God by receiving each day, each person, each piece of creation with welcome. God will never give us more than we can handle, but will always offer us the rest and peace we need.

Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice. --Baruch Spinoza

Hyaets – Greg & Helms Jarrell; Jason & Joanie Williams

“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage, I have conquered the world!” John 16:33

Chaos stirs around us on a daily basis. Here are but a few examples…
·Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters rock our stability and remind us of our fragility.
·Job loss or pay cuts leave us anxious and uncertain about tomorrow.
·Health crises shake our priorities and remind us of our mortality.
·Bitter political elections leave us cynical and divided.
·Violence in our city and wars across our globe disturb our sense of security and leave us vulnerable.
Broken relationships and sudden losses wound our souls and leave us longing for contentment.

Peace is sometimes hard to come by in a chaotic world. But through the person of Jesus Christ, our God donned human flesh and entered into the chaos. Our God humbled himself in the form of a child and stepped into a broken world. Our God dwelt among us that we might know peace.

Chaos will always be a part of our world. No matter how many provisions we make, we cannot protect ourselves against everything. What we can do is accept the invitation to place our faith in a God who broke through the chaos and proclaimed peace. The simple words of Jesus in a boat with the disciples, “Peace be still” calmed a storm and calmed some terrified fishermen (Mark 4:39). It was the words of Jesus that promised the disciples “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). These same words break into our chaos and again remind us that through the transformational power of Jesus Christ, God speaks peace into the brokenness and trouble of our world.

As we wind down the days to Christmas, undoubtedly, chaos may enter your world. Remember that God humbled himself and entered our world in the form of a baby; not so that we would fill our lives with worry and fear, but that we might know peace that only God could bring.

Melissa Fallen

Christmas is a time when children are beside themselves with wonder and anticipation. They are in awe of the lights, the tree, decorations, shopping, wrapping, baking, and everything Christmas represents. Adults can be filled with this same awe, if they allow themselves to be, but from a different “grown-up” perspective.

Slow down form all the preparations and festivities, gather the family around the tree or another familiar area, and ask the question, what if?

·What if Mary hadn’t agreed to be God’s servant?
·What if Joseph hadn’t listened to the angel and no longer wanted Mary as his bride?
·What if the innkeeper had allowed them a room at the inn?
·What if the angels hadn’t announced Jesus’ birth to the shepherds?
What if Herod had found the baby Jesus before his family escaped to Egypt?
What if God hadn’t sent his Son to redeem us from our sin?

There are many more “what if” questions that your family can discuss to generate conversation. Invite the young ones in your home to ask questions of their own. Don’t be worried about the direction the answers take. Such questions are meant to engage the wonderment of children’s (and adult’s) minds. Even though such conclusions may not match what happened in the Bible, the truth is God could have overcome any circumstance then and God still does today in our lives!

Adapted from The Christmas Countdown; Creating 25 Days of New Advent Traditions for Families by Margie J. Harding. Paraclette Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 2010.

Joy is so much more than happiness. Happiness depends on our mood, circumstance or sometimes for me, the weather. But Joy is so much more. Joy is a constant abiding presence of the Lord. Joy is not something I can produce on my own. It is a direct result of my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His presence, His love, His Spirit causes me to be filled with joy.

Romans 15:13 AMP. May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing (through the experience of your faith) that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing with hope. The filling comes from Him. From sweet, quiet times growing your relationship with the lover of your soul, your creator God.

There are days I rush from one thing to the next always feeling like I can’t catch up. The enemy tricks me with the lie “oh, you’re too busy for that today.” I try to do the day in my own strength and inevitably end up having a rough day. When the day is centered in Him. He sets the tone and my joy is present. I still have all those things to do, especially this time of year, but my heart and attitude are more Christ like, more joyful, because God has filled me first.

We are so prideful to think that we can show up on Sunday and check the box then expect to be filled with joy throughout our week. Imagine if we only had 1 meal a week, or 1 day of sleep a week, we wouldn’t be very joyful. The same applies to our relationship with God. We need to connect to our source of joy, power, and peace daily. We need to be in His word each day to grow.

Joyce Meyer puts it this way “If you're missing joy and peace, you're not trusting God.” That may sound harsh, but if you think about the fact that Jesus died so that we could live, then how can we not trust him and have that joy and peace. He wants us to have life and life abundantly!

I pray as you celebrate Christmas this year you will fall in love with your Savior. Don’t just see him as the baby in the manger. Realize that baby was born to take on your sin and die upon the cross. Take some time to dwell on the fact that the God of heaven and earth chose to send His son to live among us and die on a cross to pay the price of our sins.

Theresa Jennings

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Living away from the places we grew up, Beth and I enjoy the opportunities we have to host friends and family who come for extended visits. There is always anticipation and excitement for their arrival. There is much to catch up on, stories to tell, and things to do around our new home in Richmond.

In the days that lead up to a visit, we are busy with preparations – we gladly clean the house when it’s for someone else, we plan what we will serve for meals, and we make decisions about what activities we will do while our guests are with us. The children look forward to our guests’ arrival – especially grandparents and extended family. In the weeks and days leading to their grandparents’ arrival, they often ask, “when are grandmamma and granddaddy coming?” So I guess you could say that in all our preparations for company, there is a general joy that surrounds our family.

Then the day comes when our guests arrive. The visit goes mostly to plan but quickly; and before we know it, the time has come to say good-bye. Many of you, I am sure, can relate. And this is also the way our Decembers seem to go. For many, there is a general feeling of joy in the preparation – even the mundane tasks get a little bit easier. But once Christmas finally arrives, it feels as if it is quickly over. Sometimes we are left to wonder about those things we so look forward to: what was all the fuss in the preparation?

Whether Christmas brings with it a houseful of guests or a quite celebration, Advent is the pause before hand to really appreciate what is to come. While children will be filled with expectations of what they might find on Christmas morning and adults in catching up with friends and family, those things will pass quickly. But we all can find joy and wonder in the expectation that God can and will do something powerful in our lives. Just as God showed up in an amazing way as a baby in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, so God continues to be present among us during Christmas and all year long.

Do you daily expect an encounter from God? How are you preparing expectantly for God this Advent?

Matthew Hensley

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” Luke 2:10-14

My freshman year of High School I was cast as the leading role in our school's musical, The Wedding Singer. For months and months the whole cast prepared diligently for opening night, joyfully awaiting it's arrival. All I can remember from those months is how excited and joyful I was to be in this show. I showed up to rehearsals everyday with a smile on my face, prepared to work my hardest to bring glory to the show, our school, and the rest of the cast. I joyfully worked for what seemed like forever until opening night finally came. As soon as I stepped onto that stage and saw the audience looking up at me, I knew that all of my preparing was worth it. Nothing up till then compared to this moment.

When I think of this moment I can't help but think of Jesus and how Mary and Joseph prepared for him to come and how we prepare for him to return. I think that if we were to all prepare for Jesus’ return joyfully not only would it make our lives more joyful but when he does return we would know that all of our preparing was worth it. We would know that we brought glory to his name. It will be like stepping onto a stage in front of a crowded audience looking up at you. Nothing will compare!

Catherine McMullan

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Cross references:
A.Romans 15:13 : Ro 14:17
Romans 15:13 : ver 19; 1Co 2:4; 4:20; 1Th 1:5

Christmas is our family’s favorite holiday. My husband Philip can’t wait for the day after Thanksgiving so he can pull out the many boxes of decorations. He is on our roof early that day hanging the many cascading, twinkling lights that adorn our house each year. Later that evening we gather together as a family to decorate the tree. While decorating we sing along to Christmas music, take pictures, reminisce about each ornament, and take turns rescuing our cat as she hangs from the branches. When the tree is done and the candles are in the windows we go outside and await the grand illumination. Philip prides himself on ours’ being one of the first houses in Oregon Hill decorated for Christmas!

But for me, remembering the drive home from our annual Christmas Eve party each year when our daughters were younger brings a smile of joy to my face. They would be so excited about getting home and preparing for Santa. Philip and I of course wanted to get home as well because we knew once our girls were in bed that our night was still far from over! On the drive home we made sure they saw the bright red light hanging in the sky ahead of us. “Look!” we would shout, “Rudolph and Santa are almost to our house; when we get home you better get straight to bed!” Funny they never seemed to notice that the red light didn’t move or the shadow of a steal tower that hung just below it.

When we arrived home the joyful ritual of preparation would begin. Full of giggles the girls would look with us on the computer for the website that told exactly where Santa was at that moment. Curiously he was never far away from our house. Then we would prepare the milk and cookies using the special Santa cup and plate. Because all five of our fireplaces were boarded up, it was necessary to leave the special gold Santa key we bought at Disney World under the doormat. Luckily, the girls never questioned why Santa’s key had princesses all over it. Last but not least, we would go to the front yard and sprinkle the reindeer food. Then, finally off to bed , ready for Santa’s arrival!

As our children have grown older and come to a deeper understanding of the real significance of Christmas the excitement has not lessened but matured into a deeper and more meaningful type of joy. We still prepare as a family for the coming of a special guest. But instead of cookies and milk; keys and reindeer food, we prepare our hearts to once again hear, retell, and reflect on the story of our Savior’s birth so long ago. But we prepare for much more than just a story. We are reminded to prepare our hearts as not only a cradle for the Christmas babe but as a throne for the King of Kings.

As we approach another Christmas may we all be as children filled with excitement, awaiting the arrival of our special guest, Jesus Christ. May we not sit idle as we wait, but be making preparations and looking forward with joyous expectation to the day of his return.

Jennifer Turner, RBA Missionary at Oregon Hill Baptist Center

“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy.” Psalm 16:11

Going to the beach is awesome! I have to pack my bags, get food, most of all get cheese balls, and get new swimsuits. Preparing to go to the beach is fun!

This connects because Jesus is a special boy and God’s son. At Christmas time, we prepare with joy for Jesus’ birth.

I hope this inspires you to prepare for Jesus’ birth with happy joy!

Clara Prillaman, Age 7

I sometimes will ask the people that I encounter what is the biggest goal in their life. After thinking through their responses they often settle on the following phrase. “I just want to be happy.” That’s the goal of most of the people in the world.

I just want to be happy….

While that’s a noble thought, it falls short what is best. It falls short of what God wants for us. The reason that this falls short is that happiness is an emotion. It rises and fades depending on your circumstance. When your kid hits a home run in little league you are happy. You jump up and down. You scream. You embarrass your kid. That’s happiness. But with every passing minute that feeling fades. The emotion goes away. That’s the problem with happiness – it comes and it goes. In the good times it’s your best friend. In the bad times it’s no where to be found.

I just want to be more than happy.

And then there is joy. Joy is not an emotion. It’s deeper than that. It’s a gift of God. Joy is what gives contentment when the happiness fades away. Joy gives peace when death rears its ugly head in our lives. When security is taken from us, joy is still there giving us hope in the security of our eternity. Happiness is fleeting. Joy is eternal.

The reason that we spent time talking about joy during advent is simple. Jesus is the source of our joy. It is only through Christ that we can experience true and everlasting joy.

The truth is that our joy is a result of knowing Christ. Our joy comes from knowing that the things that take away our happiness are not eternal. We know that even through hard times, financial struggles, families being separated, and even death; that even through these things, we will join Christ one day and glorify God forever. This is the source of our joy. And what a joy that is.

I hear a lot of people say that December is often the busiest time in their lives. It causes stress. There’s a lot of shopping to do. There are a lot of programs and parties to attend. There are so many things to do that the season begins to wear on them. This is always followed by the phrase, “but it’s ok, because Christmas is soon!” Christmas day is something that is looked forward to. It’s a goal. It’s what keeps them going.

My prayer for you today is that you would view heaven that way. We have eternal life through Christ. What a beautiful thing! I pray that as you think about this, you are filled with the joy of knowing Him. I pray that you can rejoice and scream and shout the goodness of our Lord. (Go ahead, no one’s looking!) I pray that it overwhelms you and your joy reflects the glory of God to the world around you.

Jon Greenhill

Christmas traditions can begin with a single family’s idea. One family will share their idea with another family, and they with another family, and on and on until an entire region may share what has become a tradition. The following idea can be shared over and over again in hopes that more and more families attend the Christmas Eve service to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Each family member can make an invitation to share – they need not be identical, but personal, designed for the person receiving it.

Materials Needed:
·Construction paper or colored art paper
·Christmas stickers
·Pencils
·Markers, pens, or crayons
Information on HRBC’s Christmas Eve service (December 24: Family Service and Children’s Pageant at 5:30 pm and Candlelight Communion Service at 11:00 pm)

Fold a piece of construction paper into quarters. On the outside front write “A Special Invitation for You” at the top. Apply Christmas stickers throughout the center of the card for decoration, or make an appropriate drawing. On the bottom of the front write “Rejoice with Us on Christmas Eve” (or another statement of your choice).

Also decorate the inside left-hand side of the card. On the inside right, at the top write, “Please join us in the celebration!” Then, one below the other, write Time, Date, and Place, filling in the appropriate information. Give the invitation to someone you would like to invite to your Christmas Eve service.

Adapted from The Christmas Countdown; Creating 25 Days of New Advent Traditions for Families by Margie J. Harding. Paraclette Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 2010.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 Love is patient; Love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

After school recently my sister’s whole class and me went to see their classmate Lucy. She has a sickness that is rare. She hasn’t been able to come to school for a while. Her birthday is coming up and we went to her house to celebrate. We prayed for her and ate cake with her and sang to her. But most importantly we loved on Lucy. Lucy has been sad being at home without her friends. Yesterday our love brought light to her darkness. So always love on people like Jesus did for us.

Sophia Jennings age 10

On November 28, 2011, I fainted at my home. After seeing my cardiologist, he sent me to Chippenham hospital for further tests. It was determined I needed a pacemaker and a defibrillator implanted. Except for a problem after the heart catherization, and spending 24 hours in ICU, the pacemaker procedure went well. I came home on December 7 and had a wonderful Christmas with my family. Prayers were answered!

Life was good or so I thought—until January 22, when in my Sunday School Class, I suffered a heart attack and back to Chippenham I went. It was determined I needed a 3-way bypass. The bypass was performed on January 27, 2012 and went better than the doctors expected. Just before being transferred to a rehab facility everything went bad. I was put in ICU where I remained for almost 2 months. During this time, my loving family took turns sitting with me around the clock. Even though I was “out of it” most of the time, I was aware of Bert’s, Melissa’s, Rod’s and others’ visits and prayers.

I came home the last week of April, but to the surprise of many, including my doctors. Again prayers were answered! I’ve come a long way, but I still have a ways to go.

Words cannot express my gratitude and my family’s for the love, prayer, and support from our HRBC family during this difficult year. As we celebrate this Advent Season, my prayer is all may experience the illumination of God’s Love.

Howard Mead

“I thank my God every time I remember you…” Philippians 1:3

About two years ago, I was very frustrated, discouraged and felt very unappreciated for all of the hard ministry work that I do in two counties in Eastern Kentucky. I was sharing my feelings with an old friend that I had worked with some thirty years ago. At the end of the conversation, he and his wife offered to give me a vacation weekend. They sent me a check and I spent a leisurely weekend in Knoxville soon thereafter.

In ministry it is easy to get discouraged and frustrated when people continue to make bad choices that have lasting consequences down the road. Sometimes we wonder if all of our teaching, encouraging, role modeling and sacrifices are making a difference. We know in our hearts that we aren’t supposed to quit trying but it is difficult when you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for some people.

This gift was a very special gift that allowed me to get away and smell the roses, see old friends, and get away from the daily frustrations. It was a time of renewal and refreshment for the body and soul.

It was a gift that I will never forget. During this season of Advent and a time that is so full of activities and expectations for our ministers and community helping agencies, why not think of something special you can give to them? Volunteer your time to ease their work load, write a note of appreciation or find some way to encourage those who give and give all year long.

I will always “thank my God upon every remembrance of you”……….

Paula Settle
CBF self-funded field personnel In Eastern Kentucky

When I was a child, I, along with many other kids, was afraid of the dark. I demanded a night light and I would crack my door so that the hall light would shine through. But was I really afraid of the darkness, or was I afraid of what I couldn’t see? Not knowing any better, my mind imagined terrifying monsters and ghosts lurking around me because I didn’t have the light shining to prove the images in my head wrong. Now we look back and think we were crazy because we obviously know they aren’t real. Today we still make the same mistake but it’s in our walk with Christ.

Often, I get lost within the darkness of my doubt and ideas that I’m not good enough or not as talented as someone else. Sometimes I feel like God forgot about me and is too busy focusing on the more important people who stand out and draw more attention. Sin begins to build up and we feel like forgiveness is only an imaginary idea and couldn’t apply to us. Everyone has times where they go through a tough period in their faith with God. The darkness of sin doesn’t allow us to truly see and we are caught wandering around though the unknown.

But God’s love is like our night light or the light streaming in from the hall. His love allows us to see through the darkness because Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God loves us enough and puts people in our lives because of his love. He wants us to prosper. In my own life, around this time last year, I was feeling a bit alone. Not necessarily that I didn’t have a lot of people around me, but that none really cared about me. My grandma had recently passed away and I had to drive three hours to go to her funeral and then three hours to return home in time for school the following day. One of my good friends wanted to come. Six hours in the car to go to a sad event where he knew no one, excluding my parents and sister was the most selfless act of love I had received in a while. It showed me how God works through the people in your life to shine over the doubts and darkness.

This Christmas season it may be easy to get caught up in the darkness, whatever that may be personally for you. I encourage you to let the love of God shine through you and to remember the love of Christ for you. Keep in mind Romans 8:39 verse: “Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Godthat is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing can separate us from God’s love that shines through the darkest of doubts or sins in this world. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

Emily Branch

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

The darkness! It’s overwhelming! Yes, like many, I have lost loved ones early in life – my dad when I was 17, my brother when he was 29, my best friend in her early 60’s, and my wonderful husband in his time. However, the darkest period of my life was when my amazing daughter died, leaving two children, 7 ½ and 14 years old. I felt like I was in a dark hole and was hanging onto a rope over the side. My husband, Cecil, and I comforted each other. Our family grieved together. Many friends from diverse places reached out to us. Still, each day it was so hard to get up and face reality. I fought depression because Deb’s children needed me. I had to pull myself out of that dark hole.

I couldn’t have gone on without the LOVE which God, through Jesus Christ, supported me and pierced the darkness. We weren’t members of HRBC at that time, but Deb was. What practical and helpful things the group in which she was involved there did for her during her fight against cancer and for her family after her death. The church where Cecil was pastor at the time enveloped us with love, as did so many other friends. I found more than ever that we are all in this together – that reaching out to each other in small ways with the love of God can make a real difference to someone’s life. It certainly did in mine. I feel it every day in this family of faith that we call Huguenot Road Baptist Church.

Betty Marsh

“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:7-12

When I was in fifth grade my family moved here from Florida. My parents always stressed the importance of finding a church family. In moving to Richmond, that importance was strained and tested. In a matter of six months we tried 13 different churches. I didn’t know what it felt like to be loved by a congregation of people. Wherever we went, someone in my family felt like they didn’t fit in the church we were visiting.

Flash-forward with me to sixth grade band class, with Ryan Phole. We sat in the back of the class all year and in every class he would tell me how I needed to come to HRBC. I went through months and months of empty promises saying, “Yeah man! I will totally come!” Finally, during the middle of sixth grade, Ryan called me telling me he was coming to take me to “Duct Tape Night” at his church. I went and had the best night I had experienced since I moved to Richmond.

Since that night, my family has been in love with our church. Without Ryan Pohle, I don’t know where I’d be right now. I saw love in Ryan – he changed my life and showed me where I belong. What kind of life-changing love have you experienced? I hope we all count Jesus’ love as our most important life-changing love.

Cole Withers

Many times I have tried to remember the date of this particular year in my childhood. But being only 3 or 4 or 5 years old has its limitations on such specific bits of information. However, the happenings of that day so long ago have been written indelibly on my heart and mind. The town was Rockingham, NC. The place was our backyard. The time of year was late summer.

As usual, all of the kids up and down our street gathered in our backyard to play. However on this late summer day there were just three of us – my brother Jeff, our next door neighbor and playmate Tim, and me. Jeff, the oldest of the three of us, was busy riding his bike around the yard. Tim went inside his shed and brought out a red metal gas can with a spout coming out of the top. It was the kind of old rusty can that you would use to fill the tank on a lawnmower. Tim then ran inside the house and came out with a red and blue box in his hands. Being the youngest of the three, I was always curious to know what the older kids were up to. Tim set down his small box and picked up the gas can. He poured a big puddle of it near his house and threw the can over to the side. He then picked up the red and blue box and pulled out a kitchen match. Curious as to what he was doing, I moved in even closer. Tim struck the match on the side of the box and a bright orange flame emerged from the match. He looked at it for a moment and then tossed it into the puddle of gasoline. I gasped as a large whoomm! filled my ears and eyes as the puddle roared to life in flames. I stood transfixed, gawking as the intensity, heat and flames burned the ground.

As a little kid, I could not realize the danger that was mounting, moment by moment. The flames were not burning out – they were growing! And, for a brief moment, time stood still. In an instant I realized why. The gas can had landed on its side and a river of gasoline was flowing out, and downstream, the puddle became a small fiery lake. As the momentum of gasoline began to slow ever so slightly, the fire changed course and began to burn its way raging faster and faster upstream toward the gas can. If the fire reached the can, it would then become an instantaneous bomb that would level a good portion of our neighbor’s house and consume two curious little boys in an instant.

But then, the lone figure of my brother Jeff came running in between us and the fire, shielding us from certain death. He pushed us out of danger and kicked the gas can away from the flames. And then…there was a scream.

When I looked up I saw my brother running away from us, terrified - and on Fire!
I had never seen a person on fire. It is a horrific thing. I had no idea what to do except to run and get the garden hose. By the time I could get the water on, my brother’s training in school had kicked in and he had stopped, dropped and rolled. The good news was that it saved his life. The bad news was that he no longer had any skin on the shin of one leg from his ankle to his knee. This began a long painful journey of healing, of being extra, extra careful on a day-to-day basis and bearing a massive scar to this day.

Fast forward to the present, Jeff is grown and married and they have two children in college. He is an EMT and a Paramedic – still helping those in need, putting their needs ahead of his own. Because of the love of my brother, Jeff, I am alive today. He ran selflessly into the face of danger to rescue me. So it is with Jesus. That babe in the manger has come to set us free and to rescue us from certain death – a life separated from God. He bears the scars that were meant for me and for you. If you want to give a real gift this Christmas, give your heart and life to Christ. The light of His love will brighten even the darkest places in your life. “Love came down at Christmas, Love all lovely, Love Divine.” Merry Christmas!

Phillip Brown

Christians living in China celebrate Christmas, known as the Holy Birth Festival, by decorating their homes with evergreens and a “tree of light” trimmed with lanterns and red paper chains to represent happiness.

Make your own paper chain to decorate your tree or some other place in your home. You may choose to use other colors beside red to celebrate your won joy. The directions that follow give an added step to help celebrate this special season of Advent.

Materials Needed:
·Construction Paper
·Scissors
·Ruler
·Glue
Pencil or Pen

Cut seven strips of construction paper eight inches by one inch in your chosen colors. Write on each strip one of the key verses from each of the seven days of this week. Glue the ends of one of the strips so they overlap to become a circle. Place a second strip inside the first; glue the ends to form another loop. Continue in this way until all seven strips have created a chain. Place this section of the chain on your tree or in another area for display.

You may choose to repeat this activity at the end of each week of Advent. Add the new section of seven strips to the previous section completed, with scriptures from the past week written on them. Or you may choose to make the chain as long as you want the very first week.

Adapted from The Christmas Countdown; Creating 25 Days of New Advent Traditions for Families by Margie J. Harding. Paraclette Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 2010.

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25

“Looking for that blessedhope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13

Hope is a feeling that things will get better. When I think of hope I think of dreaming of the future and wanting people to trust that God loves us. We can see some things we hope for, but that is not real hope. That is wanting something you do not have and that is different than hope. When I was three, my great grandmother died. I was watching as everyone was sad and missed her. I told my mom and dad that I hope Great Granny is in heaven. I believe she is in heaven because she loved God and had hope that he would come bring her to heaven. We can hope for many things, but most important is that we hope that we do what God wants and he brings us to heaven.

Joshua Beasley, Age 9

For most of us, waiting is an unpleasant experience. We live in a culture that strives to eliminate waiting-time: We order gifts online to avoid long lines at stores, use GPS to get around traffic, and record our favorite shows on DVR so we can skip the commercials. And if waiting-time is unavoidable (in the checkout line at the store, for example) we find other things to do – we make phone calls, think about upcoming tasks, perhaps read news or emails – in an effort to prove to ourselves that this waiting-time has not been “wasted-time.”

Since our family moved to Slovakia a few months ago, we’ve had more waiting-time than we ever did in the U.S. Most of that time is spent waiting on public transit. We do not have a car, so we rely on city buses and trains to get to the places we need to go. Therefore we are guaranteed to spend time waiting every day – at bus stops waiting on the bus to arrive, and on buses as we wait for them to carry us to our destinations.

We have developed all kinds of “busy-ness” to occupy this potentially idle waiting-time (we usually review our language lessons). But I recently noticed something surprising about our Slovak fellow passengers – most of them are not concerned with busying themselves during this waiting time. They are simply waiting… and watching. And because of this, they often notice things that I would not. At least once each bus ride I see a person get up to greet a friend who has gotten on the bus, and the two will sit together talking for the remainder of the trip – a delightful interruption in the midst of a tedious in-between time. Theirs is a different kind of waiting; a hopeful expectation of seeing someone they might recognize.

I didn’t realize the importance of this until a few days ago, when made my normal 30-minute bus trip to the school where we work. All through the ride I reviewed flashcards for new words I was learning. I was tired and distracted, so the work was largely useless, but still I kept pushing myself to ignore everything else in an effort to focus.

When I got off the bus at my stop and began walking toward the school, I suddenly realized that one of the school’s teachers was walking quietly beside me. He had ridden the whole way with me on the bus, just a few seats away, and I hadn’t noticed him because I was so busy trying to be productive! Who knows what kind of conversation we might have had if I had not been so intent on filling my waiting-time with busy-ness?

As little as we want to admit it, waiting consumes much of our lives. Fortunately, it’s also the place where God surprises us in powerful ways. Our openness and willingness can be an open door to a surprise encounter – sometimes with another person, sometimes with ourselves, and occasionally with the living God himself. But this rarely happens unless we are intentionally waiting with hope and expectation. I don’t think we should be idle with all of our waiting-time, but perhaps we can be more open to the Spirit’s call to simply “be still and know that I am God.”

Where will you spend waiting-time today? How can you focus your attention so that time can have eternal significance?

Jon Parks, CBF Missionary to the Roma people of Slovakia

According to God’s great mercy, God has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable…and unfading. (I Peter 1: 3)

I grew up as part of a large extended family. My mother was the youngest of ten children who survived to adulthood---her mother actually gave birth to fourteen children. Although my nine uncles and aunts weren’t quite as prolific as my grandmother, they nevertheless did their part to keep the population growing. My grandmother died when I was 13, and I remember that when they began to count up those she was leaving behind, the number was well past 100.

Some of my fondest childhood memories involve lots of good country cooking at our almost yearly family reunions. (Think coconut pie, corn pudding, and all the home-grown vegetables this vegetable loving- person could imagine.) Frequent visits to the farm home-place, where we sat out on the big screened porch, shelling butterbeans, snapping green beans, and listening to family stories, punctuated my childhood.

Closer to my home in Richmond, my dad’s mom---Nanaw---provided my brothers and me with weekly grandma fixes. I particularly loved this grandma, probably because I didn’t have to share her with a bazillion other cousins. My Nanaw’s trademark treat was warm chocolate pudding served in a clear glass custard cup with two coconut cookies propped on the side. I have some of those custard cups, and each time I get one out of the cabinet I remember my Nanaw and what she meant to me.

My Nanaw died suddenly and unexpectedly at a relatively young age when I was eight years old, and the trauma that surrounded the night we learned of her death is still a vivid memory for me. However, superseding that negative memory are all of the positive experiences that I had with her in those few brief years. The combination of all of those special family experiences helped give me a secure and happy childhood.

By now, you’re probably wondering what all of this has to do with hope. This fall I’ve participated in a wonderful small group led by Melissa. We’ve been reading and discussing the book What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty. I’ve learned a lot, but I think the most significant thing I’ve learned is that the lack of material resources is not necessarily the most significant factor when it comes to generational poverty. There are many other factors, but the one that stands out to me is the lack of a support system. Many people are unable to leave poverty because they simply don’t have the support system to get out. Here’s where the hope comes in. We can’t always fix one another’s problems. Actually, more often than not we can’t. But we have something to offer one another and those around us in need---a support system that enables us to know that others care about us, that offers us hope in times of trouble and moments of distress; not to mention the sure belief that there is a God who cares about us and wants the best for us.

As we remember the birth of Jesus and all that his life has meant to so many people through the centuries, let’s say a special prayer that God will use the members of HRBC to be messengers of hope to one another and to the world. Let’s do all we can to build up the family of God for ourselves and those who are waiting to be invited in. And the next time you hear we’re having a covered dish dinner at HRBC, remember that food can be more than physical nourishment. It just might be the instrument of hope for someone who needs to be welcomed into the family of God.

Rose Browning

“Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord.” James 5:7
But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“Are we there yet?”

We can certainly recall these annoying chants from our kids during those long road trips. Waiting patiently is not a strength that many of us have. If anything, we are all occasionally guilty of impatience that causes us to be anxious and to act impulsively, sometimes with bad consequences. Even when it comes to God, we can be just as impatient.

In reflecting on my personal walk with God, I recall that I often sought God for directions only when all other means failed. Then, even when approaching a sovereign God as my help of last resort, I still expected a quick reply. However, I now realize that God doesn’t always respond in ways that I desire and according to my time. So waiting expectantly is often God’s way of teaching me to have faith, never to take things for granted, and to appreciate who God really is.

Waiting, however, is not intended to be passive. A pause often provides a timely moment for us to reflect and to get our bearings right. While waiting on God for directions, we can use the down time to recuperate and prepare so that we are ready to act. Often God partners with us in solving our problems rather than acting alone because God values our fellowship. Only then do we know God as our Friend, Savior, and Lord.

There will be times in our lives when things may go horribly wrong or when situations become so despondent or desperate. These are tender moments for us to seek hope through our struggles so that we can work with God on a solution or wait expectantly for a miracle.

Every Advent is a reminder that even as Christmas approaches, the festivities and gifting will surely come to pass. However, we can take heart that God is not constrained to act only on Christmas Day.

Eng Heah

“Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love…” Psalm 33:18

When I found out that I was moving to Richmond I didn’t know what to expect. I hadn’t really been involved in church that much in Alabama. So I hoped that in Richmond I would find a church home that would provide me friendships and a chance to grow.

When I moved to Richmond, Marvin and Carolyn Gregory, who lived down the street from me, first gave me hope by inviting me to Elevate on a Wednesday night. Elevate is the youth group’s weekly Bible study. That night Jon introduced me to the youth and made me feel welcome. So the following Sunday I asked my dad if we could visit the church. Over the next year I was able to make good friendships through the youth group and eventually my family and I joined the church.

Looking back, I was uncertain about what a move to Richmond would mean to my family but I had hope that God would provide. Through the Gregorys, Jon, the youth, and others, I have found more friendships than I have had in the past years of my life. Just like my hope for my move to Richmond was met by attending church at Huguenot Road, we also are reminded that as Christians we have hope in trusting Jesus to lead and guide our life. What are you hoping for this advent?

True Kraner

I have to admit waiting is not something that I do very well. Whether it is waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting for a plane that has been delayed (which happens all too often these days), waiting in traffic driving to and from Washington, DC, or something that used to happen with regularity – waiting on my family to get ready for Church on Sunday mornings, patience while waiting has always been difficult for me.

The events of the past several years have been both joyous and difficult for our family. Both our children have graduated from college and our son is now engaged to be married and has found a job he dreamed about in Chicago near his fiancé. At the same time, we have dealt with the prolonged illness and death of my mother and the declining health of Mary’s mom. Sometimes hope has been hard to find.

Through it all, several passages of scripture have always given me strength and renewed my sense of hope. Isaiah 40:31 has been a source of inspiration for me since my childhood singing in my church’s “Booster Band.” It says:
“but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint”.

As I waited by my mother’s side this verse gave me hope. It made the waiting for the inevitable not quite as difficult. It taught me something about patience and God’s timing.

Romans 8:24-25 says, “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” As we enter this Advent season, no one knows what the future holds. There is an Arabic and Hebrew saying that someone very wise shared with us a couple of years ago. It translates to English as “If God wills, in God’s time.” We all should wait for God’s will with hope for tomorrow.

Greg Hedrick

The advent wreath most likely has its origins in Germany and northern Europe as one of many symbols of light used by Christians in the Middle Ages to celebrate the Christmas season. I may go back to even earlier times. The candles symbolically were placed in a circular evergreen wreath, which represented not only victory and glory, but also the eternity of God and everlasting life. Tradition evolved so that on each Sunday of Advent the candles are lit to proclaim the coming of the Christ Child, the Light of the World. It is customary to say a prayer and sing a hymn with the lighting of the candles. Additionally, some families will extinguish all other lights in the home to allow only the glow of the candles to permeate the room as they reflect on the upcoming joyous celebration.

Materials Needed:
·3 purple candles, 1 pink candle (you can also use battery operated lights and wrap them purple and pink construction paper)
·One white candle
·A Styrofoam holder or ring
·A base for the wreath (perhaps a plate or tray)
Greenery to decorate (artificial or fresh). You can use holly, fern, cedar, pine needles and pinecones, or any other evergreens that are available.

Place the three purple candles and pink candle in a circle in the Styrofoam holder or another type of candleholder on the base being used. Place the white candle in the center. Arrange the greenery around the bottom of the candles in a way that is pleasing to the eye.

On the first Sunday of Advent, light the first purple candle, the Candle of Hope, in celebration of the coming of our King. Some scripture to read with the candle of hope include: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalm 25: 1-10; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13; and Luke 21:25-26.
Sing the first verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Pray a prayer of hope. Thanking God for sending his son, Jesus, who brought the world out of darkness into light. When you have finished, carefully blow out the candle. The remainder of the candles

On the second Sunday of Advent, light the first candle and a second purple candle, the Candle of Love, as we think about the love God shows us through his son. Some scripture to read with the candle of love include: Malachi 3:1-4; Luke 1:68-79; Philippians 1:3-11; and Luke 3:1-6. Sing the first and second verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Pray a pray of preparation, asking that God may prepare our hearts to receive God’s love and to share it with others.

On the third Sunday of Advent, light the previous two purple candles and then light a third candle, the pink Candle of Joy. Some scripture to read with the candle of joy include: Zephaniah 3:14-20; Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7; and Luke 3:7-18. Sing the first, second, and third verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” As you celebrate with joy, pray a prayer of thanksgiving to God, for a love so great to personally draw us to him, to become God’s children, and to offer eternal life in heaven.

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, light all the previous candles and the last purple candle, the Candle of Peace. Some scriptures to read with the candle of peace include: Micah 5:2-5a; Psalm 80:1-7; Luke 1:47-55; Hebrews 10:5-10; and Luke 1:39-45. Sing all four verses of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Pray that God’s peace would envelop and guide you during this season and all year long.

On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning begin your celebration by lighting all four candles and finally the white candle in the center, the Christ Candle. Some scripture to read with the Christ Candle include: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; and Luke 2:1-14. Sing your favorite Christmas Carols, especially those that recount Jesus’ birth. Take time to begin the day by thanking God for his unending love, and for “becoming flesh and living among us” (John 1:14).

Adapted from The Christmas Countdown; Creating 25 Days of New Advent Traditions for Families by Margie J. Harding. Paraclette Press, Brewster, Massachusetts, 2010.

We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33: 20 - 22

One plaintive word . . . “Mommy.” The words on this page can’t convey the emotion behind this one little word. It was spoken by a sweet little toddler, sad to be left behind, full of hope for the speedy return of her mama. Eyes full of tears, quivering chin, frowning mouth, hands clasped wistfully.

We knew her mama was coming back for her, and soon, but this little one ached for her mama’s voice to soothe her and arms to hold her and shoulder to lean her head on. We tried to distract her from watching the door, consoled her by telling her that Mommy would be back very soon. And, yet, there she stood, waiting with hopeful, if tearful, eyes, with that one word on her lips, “Mommy.”

It’s this kind of hope that marks the Advent season – longing, watching, waiting, focused on that one thing. We, like Israel, long for someone to save us, remember us, help us. We watch for the signs that what was promised is about to appear. We wait, sometimes patiently, sometimes not so much, eyes full of tears, hearts tight and twisted. We look again and again, checking the clock, trying to do other things, not quite able to focus on anything but that which was promised.

As you wait through this season, I pray that you will experience the wistful kind of hope that makes your eyes shine and your heart overflow with longing.

Merry Christmas!

Amanda Lott

It is from these vantage points—past, present, and future—that we, through our Advent celebrations, identify with the ancient people of Israel who looked for the coming of the promised Messiah. We also look forward with hope and anticipation to an experience with the living Christ during this season of Advent. Finally, we look forward to Christ’s coming in final victory.

Advent is the first season of the Christian year, and it begins four Sundays before Christmas Day. During each Sunday of Advent and on Christmas Eve, we enrich our corporate worship by lighting candles on the Advent wreath. Each Sunday, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World and that we, as Christians, are called to be the light of Christ to a needy world.

1st Week – Candle of Hope – purple
2nd Week – Candle of Love – purple
3rd Week – Candle of Joy – pink
4th Week – Candle of Peace – purple
Christmas Eve & Day – Christ Candle – white

The colors utilized during the Advent season are symbols to remind us of Jesus Christ. Purple represents royalty and is a traditional symbol of the Advent season. Pink represents the joy that Christ came to offer us. The white color of the Christ Candle symbolizes the purity of Jesus Christ. The Advent wreath is made from greenery that is the symbol of Christian growth. The circular form of the Advent wreath represents the everlasting nature of God’s love.

Members of HRBC have written devotional thoughts for each day of Advent to help you prepare for the birth of Christ. Each day you will receive the daily devotional in your in box. We encourage you to use an Advent wreath in your home and light the appropriate candle(s) each day. (You will find directions for this activity in tomorrow's post.)

We have also included a listing of all Advent worship experiences on our web site. These opportunities are designed to enrich your time of preparation. Encourage others to join you for meaningful times of celebration during this season of Advent.

Christmases conjure many emotions and memories, don’t they? And I am willing to bet that most of our fondest Christmas memories have little to do with what presents we receive and a lot more to do with the people in our lives. Just ask a child what she got last Christmas – its likely it will take some work to recall the toys that she anxiously waited for all December long!
Of the 35 Christmases I have celebrated, there are two that stand out as especially important. The first one is my first Christmas and no, I don’t remember it! What I do know is that it was important for my family – my parents especially. It was Christmas day, 1976, in which they brought me home from the hospital to their first home on Ashville Highway in Spartanburg, South Carolina. I was just four days old and was snug inside a stocking the hospital had provided for Christmas babies. I was their first child and, as my mom recalls, “so ignorant about babies but so joyful at our first child.” She also recalls really identifying with Mary that year.
The other important Christmas memory I have happened 24 years later, Christmas 2000. Beth, my fiancée of just over a month, was celebrating Christmas with her family in Connecticut while I was with mine in Spartanburg. She had to fly back to Columbia, SC Christmas night to return to work the next morning. So, after participating in my normal Christmas traditions, for the first time, I left my family and climbed in my car to pick up Beth, an hour and a half away at the airport. At the same time, she was tearfully telling her family goodbye, with the feeling that her Christmas was somehow being cut short by this new adult responsibility, a job hundreds of miles away.
On that cold Christmas night, as we both left behind the comfort of what was familiar and safe, we also started something new as we celebrated our first Christmas together in a quiet airport, miles from family. Like Joseph and Mary, we too were alone and uncertain about what the future was holding for our soon-to-be family. But we were excited to be on the journey together.
Like my memories, Christmas is about new beginnings too. On that first Christmas, God revealed himself to humanity in a new and personal way – by bursting into creation as one of us, as a baby. And he put himself in the hands of a teenage mom and first-time dad far away from home. In the days ahead there would be much to be uncertain about. But for that moment, the skies opened up, angels sang, shepherds worshiped, and the love of God, found in the frail body of a baby took center stage.
The things that make Christmas special are not decorations, gifts, or bountiful dinners. Rather, they are our relationships with one another and the relationship that moved God to humbly move into our neighborhood to share in our sufferings and joys. (John 1:14, Philippians 2:5-8) This year, may you make room in your heart for both.

Matthew Hensley