English Congregation’s Calendar
2015-2016
Advent – Christmas – Epiphany Year C
November 29 Advent Candle of Hope, A Prophet's Prayer of Hope
December 6 Advent Candle of Peace, Shepherds Behold a Great Light
December 13 Advent Candle of Joy, Shepherds’ Lessons and Carols
December 20 Advent Candle of Love, Waiting for our Savior’s Love
December 24 Combined English & Chinese
Christmas Eve Candle Light Service 8PM
December 25 English Christmas Service at 9:30AM
Father Barker
December 27 First Sunday after Christmas
Father Barker
[Dec 28 Father Barker departs for Home Leave]
Listen!
Do you hear what I hear? See, what I see?
“The
people who walked in darkness, have seen a great light..."
Monday, December 28, 2015, I will fly home to
my family in Scottsdale, Arizona to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
Yet, before I go, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the 1st Sunday in Christmas, 27 December, I
will be proclaiming again, news of great joy that is for all people.
This year I am conscious, humbled, and in awe that for
more than 50 years, I have proclaimed the good news that God’s light shines in
our darkness.
Each of these years, I am ever hopeful that God’s love and
light will even now be felt and known to people who still walk in cruel, cold
darkness.
Like shepherds sitting on a dark, lonely, cold, hillside,
on that first Christmas Eve, we too are afraid and are exposed to the cold
realities of life without shelter from its threats and fears.. Many of us
are without cover from cold, cruel loses of love ones. Some of us are without cover for our aging
bodies; still more of us are without cover from youthful blemishes that mirror
our vulnerabilities.
In the end, so many of us find no light this Christmas
season to warm us from cold despair of break ups and breakdowns.
Yet, we all, young and old alike continue to hope for
light that drives the darkness away. We come longing to see and hear the
wonderful, dazzling message that God is born into our world; that we are indeed
not alone, that God is with us.
Hark! The herald angels sing …Light and life to all he
brings
The angel cries, “Hark! Listen UP!” “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
ignites in us a flame as well. We too shine in the darkness. We
come to the manger to embrace Jesus, our Immanuel. Who can resist wanting
to “hold” the newborn babe? We are encouraged to give our hearts to the
Christ child. Be not afraid! See the light? It shines in His face. It shines in the darkness again, and again,
and again!
Good News of Great Joy that is for all the people
Tomorrow, I will eat, “tangyuan” with my
Taiwanese friends, to mark with sweetness the Winter Solstice, the longest
night of the year. Sweetness and togetherness in the deep darkness of
winter is really what we celebrate this week at the manger and beyond it.
The Angel Gabriel calls the shepherds and us to come to
the manger, and to Christmas Day worship, and on the first Sunday of Christmas celebrations, to see anew
in the face of the Christ child whose innocence and sweetness calls us to
taste, to see how we are esteemed by Heaven.
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!
As many of our church fathers taught us,
“God becomes a human child that we may become God’s divine children.” God becomes one of us, so that we are enabled to become one like Him.
“God becomes a human child that we may become God’s divine children.” God becomes one of us, so that we are enabled to become one like Him.
Love is born at Christmas time. Love’s light drives
out all darkness.
May each of you be reborn in Love during this Christmas
time!
May you shine brightly in the darkness all the days of
your life! Love and Peace be with you all, always. Amen.
Father Herbert December
21, 2015
January 3 Second Sunday after Christmas
Father Tom Reese, Supply from New York
January 10 First Sunday after Epiphany
Father Tom Reese, Supply from New York
January 17 Second Sunday after Epiphany
Father Tom Reese, Supply from New York
January 24 Third Sunday after Epiphany
Combined English-Chinese Service
The Rev. Philip Lin Li-Feng, Rector
January 31 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. Philiip Lin Li-Feng, Rector
February 7 Last Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. Philip Lin Li-Feng
February 14 First Sunday in Lent
Father Herbert Barker
