Light and life to all He brings. Let your light shine!

"Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:

Hark! The herald angels sing, “Gory to the new born King!”

Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.  Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.

Isaiah 9:2-7

The people who walked in darkness

Have seen a great light;

Those who lived in a land of deep darkness--

On them light has shined.

As shepherds watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 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.

Introduction

                          “The people who walked in darkness, have seen a great light;..."  

Tonight, I am an old angel, shouting to you good news of great joy that is for all people. 

For 50 years now,

       I have proclaimed the good news that God’s light shines in the darkness.

Yet, not all the people have seen light.  Many people, in many lands continue to walk in darkness.

We all are shepherds, exposed to the cold realities of life without shelter from its hungers.

Many of us are without cover from cold, cruel loses

           of love ones; we are without cover for our aging bodies;

so many of us find no light to warm us from the despair of break ups and breakdowns.

Yet, tonight we come seeking light,

We come hoping to see and hear the wonderful, dazzling message that God is born in the world tonight; that we are indeed not alone, that God is with us.  Jesus, our Immanuel is shining in our world even now! 

I.              God is with us, for all to see

God is with us, still.  Tonight, as we come with angels and shepherds to look into a toy manger…we hope to see the sparkling eyes of a child born to light up our hearts and minds and give us heart to endure this world’s darkness.

The angel said, “Be not be afraid, for I bring you good news of great joy…”

Oh, how we are ready for any news of great joy that is for all the people.

Each day we hear news of great distress…we are alarmed at the news flashed to us on our TVs, and on our ipads, and our iphones…

This year so many tyrants who darken their people’s world have fallen into darkness….

     Tunisia’s President, Ben Ali

          Egypt’s President, Mubarak

               Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi

                          North Korea’s Kim, Jong IL

Yet, the people of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, North Korea and so many more, in Syria, in Palestine, in Afghanistan….

Continue to walk in deep darkness.

Tyrants of Rome and Judea, over shadowed the manger holding Jesus. Pilot and Harold were already preparing a cross for him.

After this night, Jesus, Our Immanuel, will flee from their darkness to become a Stanger in a foreign land….

The light that is hoped for is a flickering flame in the winds of dark shadows.

Yet, it burns!  It shines bright and strong.  It defies the darkness. It leaps up to the heavens to shine in the deep darkness.

 And the darkness even to this day has not put it out!

II.            Hark! The herald angels sings …Light and life to all he brings

The angel says, “Be not afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that shall be for all the people.”

Listen, the angel sings,  “Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.  Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.”

Light and life to all he brings…the light shines on all of us.  The light’s glow sparks us into a flame as well.  We too shine in the darkness.  We come to the manger to embrace Jesus, our Immanuel.  We are encouraged to give our hearts to the Christ child.  Be not afraid, See the light!  It shines in the darkness again, and again, and again!

Conclusion:  Good News of Great Joy that is for all the people

Thursday night I eat, “tangyuan” with my Taiwanese friends, to mark with sweetness of the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year.  Sweetness and togetherness in the deep darkness of winter is really what we celebrate tonight here at the manger.  The Angel Gabriel calls the shepherds and us to come to the manger and see the light of God in the face of the Christ child who enlightens everyone.  Come taste the sweetness in this dark night of winter.  Taste, and see the light that casts away all darkness.  It is glad news of great joy that is for all people.

Joy, to the world!

The Lord is come.

Let earth receive her King,

Let every heart prepare him room,

For now, heaven and nature sings together!

God becomes as a child, that we may become his godchildren.  God becomes one of us, so that we are enabled to become one like Him.

Love is born tonight.  Love chases out all darkness.

May each of you be reborn into Love’s light tonight!

May you shine brightly in the darkness all the days of your life.

Shine!  Shine in the darkness of this world.

     Jesus’ love outshines the darkness.  God’s love shines in you!

Let your love shine.  You are the light of the world.

Shine!

Amen.

Christmas Eve Combined English/Mandarin Service 8PM
Christmas English Service 9:30AM
January 1, English Service 9:30AM

He Comes, Again!

Advent

Advent means coming.  Advent marks a New Year in the Church’s liturgical calendar.  It is a season for Christians to get ready “again” for God’s coming.

God’s coming, Advent, is a time for us to set the watch in preparations of making the pathway clear for God to find His way to our hearts, again.

You may have noticed that I am very conscious of Advent “again”.  Every year we prepare for the coming of the Christ child’s nativity.  Therefore, during Advent I do not pretend that I do not know the plot.

I know that Advent is a “little” Lent that calls us to repent.  It is a time to get ready for God’s coming to judge us.  Yet, I must confess that never in my life have I “felt” dread in my expectations of Christmas. Since I was surrounded by Christmas songs during most of my life, at school, in the markets, and department stores, and on the bus, and even in the elevators, I rearely heard “Advent” hymns.  Because I spent my childhood in US Army Chapels that were usually guided by non-liturgical chaplains, we sang Christmas songs all during Advent.  This suited me just fine!

Now that I serve as an Episcopal pastor, I am charged to lead our community in its observance of Advent as a season of repentance.  Yet, my child within cries for me to rush to Christmas and skip Advent.

Who really prefers to hear the prophet Malachi warn us?

“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple,…

But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appears?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: …And I will come near to you to judgment.”

As I noted earlier, I do know the “plot”. The judgment that comes is the Christ child.  God’s judgment is the gracious gift of his beloved son that shows us that we are his beloved children as well.  Now that should be cause to rush to Christmas and rejoice.

Yet, I know that it is well for me and for you, to reflect for a few weeks upon this truth that God is coming to judge.  Although His judgment is love, such awesome love illumines our self centered, insecure lives. His coming exposes our lack of passion to imitate the character of His Son’s compassion.  To discover this in our Advent reflections can become the means to receive the Christ Child again.

As I have grown to know the true meaning of “Advent”, I appreciate the discipline to watch out, to prepare my heart “again”, to be ready for His coming to judge you and me with loving compassion, as a Father who loves His sons and daughters.

Ready or not, here he comes.  Watch out!  God is coming again, Christmas!  Hallelujah!

Amen.

                     Come, watch and wait for His coming!

December

Sun. 11th - 9:30am Advent Service of Lessons & Carols

(children assemble the nativity scene) Holy Eurcharist

12 NOON Advent Discussion & Lunch

Sun. 18th - 9:30am     English Worship with Holy Eucharist

12 NOON Advent Discussion & Lunch

Sat. 24th - 8pm Christmas Eve Bilingual Choral Eucharist

Sun. 25th - 9:30am Christmas Day Holy Eucharist

1045 AM Coffee Fellowship

The Episcopal Diocese of Taiwan

Church of the Good Shepherd

509 Zhong Zheng Road
Shilin, Taipei 111, Taiwan
Church Office: (02)2882-2462 Fax: (02)2882-0513
Father Herb B.'s email:  hjbgoodshepherd@gmail.com

Welcome to our Oasis Congregation

Welcome to the Church of the Good Shepherd’s English Congregation in Taipei! We understand our community to be an oasis that hosts hope in the abundant and eternal life of Jesus Christ.       I’m happy that you’ve found us in your cyberspace wanderings.  I hope to meet you personally when you visit us at worship.       For us, “greening” is a way of speaking of life’s vitality and growth in harmony within nature and God’s love.  You’re invited to come, belong awhile with us.  Allow us to accompany you for a way as you journey through life’s adventures.       Our doors, minds, and hearts are open to you all.  Whoever you are, wherever you find yourself on the journey of life and faith, you’re welcome to share in all that we do here---our worship, our prayers, our learning, our service, and our table that is set before us by Christ himself.       We believe that the Holy Spirit calls us to be a place of greening of the heart, mind, and soul.  Therefore, in becoming alive in Christ, we come to live in harmony, understanding, peace and love.       Please continue to explore our website to learn how you can find us on a Sunday morning, or any time of the week.       Come and consider how you may wish to belong, believe, and behave within a spiritual oasis community that transforms strangers into spiritual companions and friends of God.   Our Vision Provide spiritual grounding and oasis  for English speakers in Taiwan Use our unique and diverse gifts        in service to the Lord        Love one another as Christ loves us Father Herb B. The Rev. Dr. Herbert J. Barker Priest-in-Charge of the English Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd Taipei, Taiwan

Psalm 23

A  Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 


He makes me lie down in green pastures, 


he leads me beside quiet waters, 
he refreshes my soul. 


He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil, 
for you are with me;


your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 


You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 


and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Herb B.'s Epistle

Father Herb B.’s  Epistle to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei

(October - November 2011)

 “What’s happening?”

“What’s happening?” was a form of greeting in America during the 1970’s and beyond: “What’s going on?”  “What’s UP?  “What’s happening?”

All of these greetings emphasize the idea of “NOW”.  How is life happening with you now!  There was no interest in yesterday, or even tomorrow.  Life was all about the present.

As I think about reporting news from the English Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd, it is the present that absorbs my attention.

Our Lenten Study Series of Karen Armstrong’s “Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life” and our elders English Class’s study of Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s “The Little Prince” are distant memories as I come to terms with our nomadic congregation’s vicissitudes.

The ebb and flow of our foreign members transforms our hopes and focus as an English-speaking faith community at Good Shepherd.  We’re aware of an endless search for identity and vision of ministry here and now.

We’re like an adolescent, who is growing in independence and self-differentiation from family, while at the same time discovering as a young adult fulfillment in integrating her needs in partnership with a life companion.  In short, our congregation is challenged by an ever-present identity crisis:

Are we an English-speaking gathering of Sunday worshipers sponsored and supported by the Church of the Good Shepherd?  Are we an independent, separate, global, family church congregation?  Are we an international mission congregation to foreign and local English-speaking Christians and seekers in Taiwan?  Or, are we an emerging church community that sees itself and its mission to host all who make a stop at our oasis spiritual well to rest, to heal, to find purpose, and to gather strength for their spiritual and physical journey through this world?

As Priest-in-Charge of the English-speaking Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd, I have been pondering these questions during my first year with you.  I have come to understand our concerns with identity are not a crisis, but rather reflections of a natural growth process in church community life.  A church’s life, like a person, grows in learning cycles.  We’re infants, toddlers, school kids, young people, householders, progenitors, and elder sages over the evolutions of our church life.  Therefore, I have come to see that our congregation’s life calls for us to nurture its growth cycles, not to preserve or arrest it in one of its life stages.

This dynamic growth view of our congregation frames our questions of identity and guides us to ways of seeing ourselves and expressing our unique church community life.  As I searched for a vision to guide our diverse Christian community,

I found it literally under my nose, in our church bulletin:  “Our Vision”.

 “Our Vision” is declared and propagated each Sunday on our bulletin.  I have decided to commit myself to renewing our collective ownership of this vision as it is proclaimed:

Our Vision:  X  Provide spiritual grounding and oasis for English speakers in Taiwan X  Use our unique and diverse gifts in service to the Lord X  Love one another as Christ loves us

Our vision addresses our identity questions. It also works in creating responses to our natural life cycles as a church community. 

With this vision as our guide we will now formulate our strategies and tactics for ministry in the coming years.  It will shape how newcomers and old timers engage in belonging, believing, and behaving as “members” of the English-speaking congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei.

As a first step toward renewing our commitment to this vision of our congregation as an oasis and spiritual way station for sojourners, I’m posting this invitation on my blog and on our website [englishepiscopalchurchintaiwan.org], and here I share it with you:

Welcome to the Church of the Good Shepherd’s English Congregation in Taipei! We understand our community to be an oasis that hosts hope in the abundant and eternal life of Jesus Christ.       I’m happy that you’ve found us in your cyberspace wanderings.  I hope to meet you personally when you visit us at worship.       For us, “greening” is a way of speaking of life’s vitality and growth in harmony within nature and God’s love.  You’re invited to come, belong awhile with us.  Allow us to accompany you for a way as you journey through life’s adventures.       Our doors, minds, and hearts are open to you all.  Whoever you are, wherever you find yourself on the journey of life and faith, you’re welcome to share in all that we do here---our worship, our prayers, our learning, our service, and our table that is set before us by Christ himself.       We believe that the Holy Spirit calls us to be a place of greening of the heart, mind, and soul.  Therefore, in becoming alive in Christ, we come to live in harmony, understanding, peace and love.       Please continue to explore our website to learn how you can find us on a Sunday morning, or any time of the week.       Come and consider how you may wish to belong, believe, and behave within a spiritual oasis community that transforms strangers into spiritual companions and friends of God.

For now, this is what’s happening for me and for you at the English-speaking Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

The Holy Spirit is “happening”!  As with all revelation from God, what is happening is His calling and sending of individuals and a people to be an oasis for our neighbors.  Our neighbors sometimes come as strangers calling on us for spiritual conversation, a cup of coffee, directions to the nearest western shopping, for urgent care of their heart and soul, or for renewal and reunion with Christian life.

As an oasis in Taipei, we at the English-speaking Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd seek to be a good neighbor to all.  Therefore, learning and practicing “heavenly hospitality” to all comers is our hope and vision.  Heavenly hospitality is God’s eternal grace alive and working in us as the Holy Spirit who is Christ with us.  It is His everlasting graciousness, welling up and giving life to our spiritual character and religious practices.

What’s happening?  God’s oasis is greening the desert of all souls who wander into our courtyard and rooms at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei.  It’s happening now!  Come and drink at Christ’s oasis well.  Its waters restore your heart by faith to be God’s beloved children eternally, now.

Father Herb B.

The Rev. Dr. Herbert J. Barker

Priest-in-Charge of the English Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd

Taipei, Taiwan

Psalm 23

A  Psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 


He makes me lie down in green pastures, 


he leads me beside quiet waters, 
he refreshes my soul. 


He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil, 
for you are with me;


your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 


You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 


and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Welcome

 Welcome to the Church of the Good Shepherd’s English Congregation in Taipei!  We understand our community to be an oasis that hosts hope in the abundant and eternal life of Jesus Christ.

I am happy that you have found us in your cyberspace wanderings. I hope that I may meet you personally when you visit us at worship.
For us, “greening” is a way of speaking of life’s vitality and growth in harmony within nature and God’s love. You are invited to come, belong awhile with us. Allow us to accompany you for a way as you journey through life’s adventures.
Our doors, minds, and hearts are open to you all. Whoever you are, where ever you find yourself on the journey of life and faith, you are welcome to share in all that we do here---our worship, our prayers, our learning, our service, and our table that is set before us by Christ himself.
We believe that the Holy Spirit calls us to be a place of greening of the heart, mind, and soul. Therefore, in becoming alive in Christ, we come to live in harmony, understanding, peace and love.
Please continue to explore our Web site to learn how you can find us on a Sunday morning, or any time of the week.
Come consider, how you may wish to belong, believe, and behave within a spiritual oasis community that transforms strangers into spiritual companions, and friends of God.

Father Herb B.

The Rev. Dr. Herbert J. Barker, Priest-in-Charge of the English Congregation of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Taipei, Taiwan

Good Shepherd's Worldview and Life Situation

Our blog is intended to be a forum for dialogue and for telling our tales from our journey with Jesus Christ.

We at the English Congregation of the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Taipei have the face and character of a 21st century, global religious community. We are bi-lingual, multi-cultural, multi-racial, third culture children and adults, and expatriates.

We recognize that we are an ecumenical community that has evolved from forces within Roman Catholic, and a multitude of Protestant denominational traditions. We realize also that The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer frames our worship and grounds us in the historical religious transformations of the Anglican Church.

Religion and spirituality is by nature subjective, shared narrative. Therefore, we invite all visitors and followers of our blog to share your story with us as you respond to the telling of our Gospel tales.

Father Herb B.
A Shepherd's Journey

Lenten Series: "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life" by Karen Armstrong

Wednesdays
March 16, 23, 30 and April 6 and 13 6:30 PM
Meet at Father Barker's home.
Light Supper will be served.

Sundays
March 13, 20, 27 and April 3 and 10 11AM
Meet at the Episcopal Church Community Center (2 blocks north from church)
Light Lunch will be served.

Confirm your intention to attend to Father Barker
at hjbgoodshepherd@gmail.com or by phone at 0988-689-801

Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of the season of Lent. Therefore, here is a note about "What is Lent". Sunday we will begin a Lenten Study series which will be a dialogue around Karen Armstrong's book, "12 Steps to a Compassionate Life". Do join us for that conversation.


Lent is a 40 day period before Easter that commemorates the time Jesus spent in the wilderness. In the early church this was a time of preparation for those about to be baptized. Today it is more often regarded as a season of soul searching and repentance for all Christians when we prepare for the joy and celebration of Easter by giving ourselves an annual spiritual check up. It begins with Ash Wednesday and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. (The Thursday before Easter) If you are a good mathematician you probably realize that there are more than 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday. That is because early Christians never fasted on Sundays. They are are excluded from the days of Lent because they are always celebrations of Christ’s resurrection.

The temptations of Christ parallel those of the children of Israel in the wilderness but how different are his responses. The children of Israel were dissatisfied with God’s provision of manna. They remembered the rich foods from their captivity in Egypt and greedily hungered for more so that their physical cravings could be satisfied. (Num 11:4-36) Christ saw his physical hunger as unimportant and trusted in God to provide for all his needs. At Massah the Israelites demanded miraculous signs that revealed God’s presence, totally ignoring God’s constant and miraculous care for them.(Ex 17:1-7). Jesus refused to test God by the use of miraculous signs. The Israelites fashioned a golden calf to worship but Christ turned his back on temptations of worldly wealth and power. Each time he is tempted by Satan, Christ deliberately turned away from the attractions of a self centered and self serving world in order to place God’s purposes and the outwardly focused values of God’s kingdom at the center of all he was and did.
Lent is a time for “confrontation with the false self” (Thomas Keating) when we reflect on the responses and behaviours we exhibit that are least Christ like and seek God’s help in rededicating ourselves to God and God’s purposes. This is a time for self-denial and fasting when we give up some of the comforts of our lives in order to make ourselves more available to God.
Traditionally, Lent is marked by penitential prayer, fasting, and alms giving. Some churches especially in the Orthodox tradition, still observe a rigid schedule of fasting on certain days during Lent, especially the giving up of meat, alcohol, sweets, and other types of food. Other traditions do not place as great an emphasis on fasting, but focus on charitable deeds, especially helping those in physical need with food and clothing, or simply the giving of money to charities. Most Christian churches that observe Lent at all focus on it as a time of prayer, especially penance, repenting for failures and sin as a way to focus on the need for God’s grace. It is really a preparation to celebrate God’s marvelous redemption at Easter, and the resurrected life that we live, and hope for, as Christians.
Interestingly the concept of spring-cleaning emerged from the practice of Lent. This was the time of year in Europe when one cleaned house – first physically and then spiritually. I love this idea of connecting our daily lives and routines to the seasons of the church calendar. However what we “sweep out” or give up at this season should be more than food. It could be soccer or TV or social commitments. We might discuss with our families ways to give up our busyness and focus on the truly important things of God. The time we free up can be used for special prayers and Bible readings, for spiritual retreats and for involvement in local or overseas mission that enables us to focus beyond ourselves and onto our responsibility to those who are hurting and in need.

During Lent it is as though we join Jesus in his walk toward Good Friday and the crucifixion. Our self denial is a way to enter into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering so that we can identify more fully with those who are chronically hungry, oppressed, in pain or in need. This year as we walk towards the Cross may we invite God to make us aware of those things that distract us from a wholehearted commitment to God. We may want to gather up all those things we are aware of that vie for our attention and literally nail them to the Cross.