J is for....

 

J = JOY

""

Have you ever done the “Managing Interpersonal Relationships (MIR) Program?" It’s similar to the more famous Myers-Briggs except MIR has other persons, answer the questions in how they perceive you.  Like Myers-Briggs there are four main quadrants with four sub quadrants.  The big four are clockwise from bottom left: Amiable, Analytic, Driver, Expressive.  

 

I live loudly in the “Expressive-Expressive” corner.

 

I don’t have a poker face.  

I wear my heart on my whole wardrobe.

I am a human muppet.

 

We disciple ourselves to the Christ, who is Love, who has come to dwell with us! I believe we should act as if that is so and show a little…OK, a lot of joy.

 

Because it is so infrequent, I clearly recall three worship moments when the joy present was tangible, felt, buzzing, snapping, humming, there!  

One was during a communion service at Mt. St. Benedict. While walking up to partake with the music soaring, persons went up front in a wonderful weaving pattern, dancing all the way, giving and receiving hugs and smiling big and bright!  

The second was at my home congregation of Freeport when I preached and lead worship and our closing hymn was “Shine, Jesus, Shine!”  The organist was Julliard trained and her playing and our joy was rock concert worthy!  Forget being called the “frozen chosen,” we were the melted and moving in joy!

The third was while pastoring a congregation in Erie, the Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6, was on a Sunday.  Tradition holds that for the Feast of St. Nicholas children would leave their shoes near the fire place and St. Nicholas would fill them with treats.

Along with the children's ministry team we decided to celebrate this tradition.  Prior to coming up front for the "Little Lesson," I asked the kids to remove their shoes and take them to the back of the sanctuary.  They trusted me and followed the request. 

When the little lesson was over and the kids went back to get their shoes they found their footwear filled to over flowing with a variety of candy and chocolate.  The congregation knew the kids had found the surprise when little Michael shouted, "Holy Crap! Look at all this stuff! I'm glad I wore my snow  boots today!"

That unbridled, free, released, honest joy should be the norm in all our celebrations....  

Advent ABC's

 I = IMAGINE

Those of us of a certain age recall the excitement the day the SEARS Christmas catalog arrived.  As the youngest, I waited my turn patiently....OK, I'm sure pouting was involved, some whining and then wisdom to just wait as I knew my siblings would be off to school and the book would be all mine....I'd find the toys section, look at the pictures and dog-ear the pages that contained my desires.

Though, as a kid who cared if the catalog had a title, just show me the goods....yet, I am confident that one of those treasured catalogs was emblazoned with "IMAGINE" on its cover.

Mum, holding steadfast in the engine of the house, the kitchen, would be at the table, catalog in hand, checking each dog-eared page and deciding the economics and enchantment of the selection.  She always came through and Christmas morning was a wrapped pile of delights. 

I don't have to imagine any of the home memories of my childhood and the efforts my mother gave during this holiday season, I see all clearly and can readily hear mum's voice and I miss her in the down deep places where the good stuff is. Blessed be for the gift of her;  

H is for.....

 H = HANDEL's MESSIAH

The student pastor/choir director at my home church determined for the Fourth Sunday of Advent interested congregants would sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah as the sung benediction at the 11 am worship service.

Handel's Messiah is as much a part of the Advent and Christmas season as is Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Ballet. Because we didn't have the floor space in the sanctuary we went with the singing piece.

I signed up to be part of this effort and cleared my schedule to participate in the rehearsals.  

I am not gifted in the talent of music or song.  I am one always singing harmony with the definition of harmony being any note your neighbor is not singing and, trust me, my deaf tone self never has anyone singing the same note....not gonna happen. 

The first rehearsal, the choir director asked the 25-30 persons gathered to arrange ourselves in our vocal ranges. Because "sounds only dogs can hear" was not an option, I knew the timbre of my voice was deep and joined the altos. 

Because Handel's Hallelujah Chorus relies on knowing when to sing your part and when to come in, I was instructed to follow Helen, the alto choir member who was quite the character and had begun to lose some of her mental acuities. Perfect, what could possibly go wrong. We practiced and I deemed it a success when I did not come in too early and that my fellow altos surrounding me did not politely suggest that maybe instead I should help to pass out the programs.  In fact, in recruiting more church members to join in the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus, the choir director's sale's pitch was, "Sally's doing it....you certainly can do it."

The performance on that Fourth Sunday in Advent many decades ago went off wonderfully and as I sung I was misty-eyed and moved by the power of the music, the connection of the choir, and the shared experience with my home congregation.

During the beginning of Luke's Gospel, it's like a Broadway musical, everyone is singing.....so should we....sing out this season and bring the joy!