Favorite Christmas Hymns

Throughout Advent, I invited the congregation at Lebanon UMC to vote for their favorite Christmas Hymns, and for the first Sunday after Christmas, we counted them down-- well, not in order, but as part of the worship service. I shared some history of each song, gleaned from the wisdom of the Internets, and I did…

Sermon: Love is Born, Ready or Not!

"Love is Born, Ready or Not!" (Dec 24, 2013 - Christmas Eve) Into our lives where sorrow and loneliness lurk, into the life of the world, where love was least expected, God's presence breaks in. Christmas is not about celebrating Jesus' birthday-- or at least not primarily about that. First and foremost it is a…

Sermon: Christmas Miracles and Mystery Grumps

"Christmas Miracles and Mystery Grumps" (December 22, 2013) One last sermon in a series about how love breaks into our lives. This time, it's my story. God surprised me with love; Christmas came early this year for me, and opened my heart, bringing me joy. May you be surprised by love as well. (Matthew 1:18-25,…

Sermon: Christmas is Coming, Ebenezer Scrooge!

"Christmas is Coming, Ebenezer Scrooge!" (December 8, 2013) Bah Humbug! Ebenezer Scrooge's name is synonymous with being stingy and mean and hating Christmas. He seems quite happy with his life, but he has no peace, because he does not live with justice. That Christmas spirit can't be contained, however; Scrooge sees some glimpses of his…

Sermon: Christmas is Coming, Mr. Grinch

"Christmas is Coming, Mr. Grinch!" (December 1, 2013) The Grinch, alone and angry, despised the whole Christmas season-- until love broke into his life and he found his heart growing three sizes. Can God really break in to our cold-hearted loneliness? (Isaiah 2:1-5) Before the sermon, I played a clip similar to this from the…