Christmas Celebration, with Rev. Dr. Steven Koski.

Christmas Celebration, with Rev. Dr. Steven Koski. A Spacious Christianity, First Presbyterian Church of Bend, Oregon. Scripture: Luke 2.

We invite you to join us in celebrating the wonder of Christmas Eve. Whether in-person or online, come experience the profound message of Emmanuel – God with us. In the midst of life’s joys and sorrows, may you find hope, comfort and the presence of the divine. We look forward to sharing this sacred time with you.

Join us each Sunday, 10AM at bendfp.org, or 11AM KTVZ-CW Channel 612/12 in Bend.  Subscribe/Follow, and click the bell for alerts.

At First Presbyterian, you will meet people at many different places theologically and spiritually. And we love it that way. We want to be a place where our diversity brings us together and where conversation takes us all deeper in our understanding of God.

We call this kind of faith “Spacious Christianity.” We don’t ask anyone to sign creeds or statements of belief. The life of faith is about a way of being in the world and a faith that shows itself in love.

Thank you for your support of the mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Bend. Visit https://bendfp.org/giving/ for more information.

Keywords:

child’s love, elderly neighbor, God with us, Emmanuel, Christmas message, angel’s words, God’s presence, vulnerability, enduring love, mystery of birth, God’s endurance, tender hearts, presence of love, Christmas gift, God’s love, presbyterian, church, online worship, bend, oregon

Featuring:

Rev. Dr. Steven Koski, Becca Ellis, Brave of Heart, Guests

Transcript

0:20

Welcome to worship at First Presbyterian we at first, Presbyterian practice a spacious Christianity, which means, no matter where you are in your faith journey, you belong, and there is space for you at the table, there is space for your

Whitney Higdon: 0:37

Welcome to worship at First Presbyterian we doubts and questions. We believe doubts and questions are a gift at first, Presbyterian practice a spacious Christianity, which that invite us into deeper conversations and a more means, no matter where you are in your faith journey, you belong, and there is space for you at the table, there is space authentic faith. We believe diversity is a strength. Every for your doubts and questions. We believe doubts and questions story is sacred, and everybody matters. We do our best to live are a gift that invite us into deeper conversations and a more authentic faith. We believe diversity is a strength. Every the spacious and radical love of Jesus so that all might have a story is sacred, and everybody matters. We do our best to live chance to flourish in this world. We are so glad to connect the spacious and radical love of Jesus so that all might have a with you in this way. We would also love to worship with you in chance to flourish in this world. We are so glad to connect with you in this way. We would also love to worship with you in person if you're ever in the neighborhood on Sunday mornings person if you're ever in the neighborhood on Sunday mornings at 830 or 10am and never hesitate to reach out to us to at 830 or 10am and never hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about us or how we might support you. I hope you learn more about us or how we might support you. I hope you enjoy this worship service. Welcome.

Steven: 1:30

Merry Christmas. Welcome to the Christmas service at First Presbyterian Church. My name is Steven, the lead pastor here at First Presbyterian and I am so grateful that you've joined us so that we can share in the beauty and the mystery and the joy and and the hope of Christmas together, we practice a spacious Christianity here at First Presbyterian. You'll meet people here at at so many different places, theologically, spiritually. And you know what? We love it that way. We believe diversity is a strength. Questions and doubts are our gifts that lead to deeper conversations. We believe that everyone's story is sacred, and there's a place at the table for everyone, no exceptions. Our mission here is to live the spacious and radical love of Jesus, so that all, and we mean all, might have a chance to flourish in this world. And we would love for you to join us. The poet Anne Weems wrote, the Christmas spirit is that hope, that hope which tenaciously clings to the hearts of the faithful and announces in the face of of any Herod the world can produce, and all the indoors slammed in our faces and all the dark nights of our souls that With God, all things are still possible, for even now unto us, a child is born. May hope tenaciously, tenaciously, cling to your heart this Christmas and in the days to Come, welcome.

kids: 5:39

We light the Christ candle To celebrate Jesus' birthday. May we make room in our hearts for the love that was born that first Christmas To be born again in our Hearts, this Christmas

Becca Ellis: 7:35

Even now we simply do not expect to find a divine love in a stable. Somehow the setting is all wrong. The swaddling clothes too plain, the manger too common for the like of a Savior, the straw and elegant, the animals smelly and noisy. The whole scene too ordinary for our taste and the cast of characters is no better, with the possible exception of the kings, who, among them, is fit for the night. The shepherds certainly too crude, the carpenter too rough, the girl too young, and the baby, whoever expected a baby, whoever expected the coming of God and a helpless child, had the Messiah arrived in the blazing light of the glory of a legion of angels wielding golden swords. The whole world could have been conquered for Christ right then and there, and we in the church, to say nothing of the world, wouldn't have so much trouble today, even now, we simply do not expect to face the world armed only with vulnerable love, but that is the gift we make room in our hearts to receive anew, the gift of love to bring to a weary world that no longer expects such gifts you

kids: 9:13

Joseph, I'm scared. I don't know what's gonna happen next to go on this fake journey when the baby could come at any time. I know Mary. I'm scared too, but we just must remember what the anal said. You were chosen to carry the child in hope that he will bring to the world. Yes, I don't know why I picked for this, but I will try and hold on to hope, even though I'm scared, we better get going. You. Finally, we're at Bethlehem, Gary, how are you

Unknown: 10:24

feeling? I'm so tired. I think the baby's gonna come. I'm not

kids: 10:29

sure we'd better find a place for the night. Oh, here, let's check this in. I Hello. How can I help you? Please? My wife is very pregnant. We have been traveling for days to arrive in town for the census, and we need a room for the night. I'm very sorry, but we are full. you again. Look, I told you we have no more room. I wish I did, but I just can't help you, we are so full. We are bursting at the seams. Please, you must have some small space somewhere. We'll sleep anywhere, a broom closet, anything. You are very persistent, and you look very tired indeed. Hmm, well, there is a place, as long as you don't mind some brown animals keeping you company. But yes, anywhere, it's fine. Thank you. All right, wait there just one moment, and I will show you the way. Nothing interesting ever happens. Say, Don't you get tired of just tending the sheep? I know it's kind of relaxing sitting here day and night and looking up at the

Unknown: 12:07

stars. Yeah, I guess you're right. Hey. Do you see that? Hello. Didn't mean to scare you. Do not be afraid. I bring good news that will cause great joy for all the people Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah of the Lord. To the sign to you, you will find a baby wrapped in cloth and lion in a manger. Glory to God in the highest heaven. On earth, peace to those on whom his rest. Glory to God. Glory to God. Bye. Hey, that was amazing. Come let's go to Bethlehem. Hey, snap out of it. I said, Let's go to Bethel now, right. Let's go. What just happened?

kids: 13:27

Look, do you see that star? What is it? I wonder where it came from. Let me see

star: 13:37

Hi guys.

kids: 13:39

Wow. I've never seen it before. Could it be the star? You know why it must be, I can't believe it's finally here, the Star of Hope, the star that will lead us to the king of David. We must go at once. Wait. But we need the gift. You know, the gifts, the ones we've been taking all this time, the goals,

Unknown: 13:59

the faintest, the mark.

kids: 14:03

I think they're in the closet next to the Christmas gifts. Ah, right. Let's gather the gifts and follow that star. Where did the star go?

Unknown: 14:18

Look there it is. Come on. Follow me. Follow that

kids: 14:37

star. I can't believe he is here. Jesus is here. After all this waiting and worrying, suddenly it feels like there's a little more hope in the world, like I'm holding love itself, like the worries and fears are not big anymore, like the Earth is a little bright. At her somehow, it is amazing, isn't it? And just look around us, this humble place, born with animals, manger for a bed, the rest of the world, quiet and unaware of what has just happened. Is it true you've gave birth to the baby that would bring joy and hope, the one that we've been waiting for, the Messiah. Where have you heard this from? We are just simple Shepherd, but a host of angels appeared in our field and told us this news, we had to come right away to see for ourselves and worship the King. And now we have we must now go and tell others the news of the child. Well, that was unexpected. This trial really is something special. Mary. Hello. Don't mean to startle you. Hello. Can we help you? We are Magi who come from the east. We study the sky and saw the prophetic star of you, the one that brings a message of hope that the Messiah has been born, we have come to worship the King. Thank you for your generosity and kindness. It sounds like you have traveled a very long way. I'm sorry you do not have anything to offer

Unknown: 16:37

you for your trouble.

kids: 16:40

No, you have given us enough. Thank you for letting us come to worship. May you be blessed, as we have been blessed with this new hope in our heart. What a night, what a new world we have entered into now that we are apparent, it feels like such a big responsibility. I hope we don't let Jesus down. The world is so scary and uncertain at times. How will we know what to do?

Unknown: 17:13

We will hold on to hope.

kids: 17:17

It got us this far. Dang it, even though we might be afraid and we don't know what will happen next, we do know that God is with us. Of This, I am sure you

Unknown: 17:25

we do know that God is with us. Of This, I am sure.

Becca Ellis: 22:56

Jesus, I think it's much easier to picture you in a stable cozy and your swaddling clothes nestled in the hay held lovingly in Mary's arms with Joseph looking fondly at your sleeping face. Yet this Christmas Eve, that is not where we find you. You are buried in the rubble under the destruction of destroyed hospitals and apartment buildings in places like Gaza, Ukraine and Syria, your cry is muted by the whales of mothers who have lost their babies, the shouts of despair of terrified fathers and the whimpers of young siblings clinging to anything that will keep them safe. It feels impossible to celebrate your birth tonight, a night when so many are hurting and afraid. Emmanuel God, who promises to be with us, keep your promise, be with those who are crying out in pain and anguish as we gather with loved ones to celebrate your birth, help us to remember you, the real you, not the cleaned up shiny version of you in the warm stable, but you the you who is love buried in the rubble, Emmanuel God who shows up in the rubble of our lives, their lives, all of our lives. And there is so much rubble for there are many who are hungry and tired and lonely and afraid this Christmas Eve. So Jesus, you who are in the rubble, you who are God with us, May we also be the presence of Love that shows up in the rubble of people's lives, bringing healing and joy to this weary world, amen.

kids: 27:27

Here is the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke's Gospel chapter two. About that time, Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the empire. This was the first census that was taken when corinas was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee up to Bethlehem in Judea, David's town for the Census. As a descendant of David, Joseph had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancee, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for Mary to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them. In the end, there were shepherds in the fields keeping watch over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angels stood among them, and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for all people today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. At once, the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises. Glory to God in the heavenly heights, peace on earth and good will to all. As the angel choir left and went to heaven, the shepherds talked it over. Let's get to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us. They left running and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard, the shepherds were amazed. Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear. Deep within herself, the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they've been told,

Steven: 29:22

a magazine asked people to write in and share stories of children expressing love. One story shared was of a young boy was playing in his backyard when he saw his elderly neighbor, who's whose wife recently died, crying in his own backyard. The young boy went over and and crawled into and sat in his neighbor's lap. Now his mom was amazed as she watched the scene from her kitchen window, and when the young boy came home, his mom asked him what they talked about. And the little boy said, nothing. We didn't.

Unknown: 30:00

Talk.

Steven: 30:01

I just didn't want him to feel alone, so I helped him cry. You know, somehow life's grief and suffering, life's life's burdens and challenges, life's fears and uncertainties just seem more bearable if we know we're not alone, and that's the gift we make room to receive once again, this Christmas in the birth of Jesus, we listen for the words of the angel. Don't be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy for unto you, a child is born. God is with you. The Gospel of Matthew says an angel appeared to Joseph, had a dream and said, Mary will conceive and give birth to a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us in the birth of the child laid in a manger, an animal's feeding trough. God came to be with us in the muck and the mess and the and the murkiness and and heartache of life. You know what I believe and understand about God as has evolved throughout the years. But there's one thing I hang on to there's one thing that really hangs on to me,

Unknown: 31:36

Emmanuel,

Steven: 31:39

God with us. You know, it's the one thing that can sustain us through the darkest of nights. It's the one thing that gives us hope when when everything feels hopeless. It's the one thing that gives us the courage to keep doing what's right when everything feels wrong. It's the one thing that reminds us there, there is beauty in the in the brokenness, sacred in the ordinary. It's the one thing that reminds us we are loved and in a world that tries every single day to to steal our hearts, it's the one thing that reminds us that love is what matters most, one simple and essential truth. Emmanuel, God with us, a prevailing belief and trust that somehow, some way, God is with us. God is always with us. God is with us in the ER in the classroom, where children are hiding under deaths. God is with us changing diapers in prison on the first date. God is with us during the ugly cry, working the graveyard shift, working the 12 steps. God is with us at the office, at the gym. God is with us in therapy, at the checkout, in the delivery room, doing dishes. God is with us on the bus at the custody hearing at the table in AA. God is with us in the waiting room during chemo in recovery at the funeral. God is with us at the altar in the divorce attorney's office. God is with us when we're missing the one who is no longer here. God is with us when the pregnancy test is positive, when it's negative, when it's everything we hope for when it's nothing we anticipated. God is with us when they can't find the heartbeat, when it's cancer again, when the kids stop coming home, when they reject what they once believed. God is with us when we're not sure what what we believe, when we can't sing the songs, when we're frustrated, overwhelmed, betrayed, when we feel like we're on the outside, God is not just looking after us. God isn't merely mindful of us. God did not become a theory to be debated, a concept to be pondered, or a philosophy to be discussed. God is with us. Yes, God is always with us. There was a woman who has a brain injury that that would cause her, without warning, to to fall on the ground. She described how people would would rush to her and rush to her aid, and would want to immediately try to try to get her back up on her feet before she was actually quite ready. And this woman said, I think people rush to help me, to help me up, because they're so uncomfortable with seeing an adult vulnerable and helpless lying on the floor. And she said, If I'm honest, most of the time, what I really need is someone willing to be vulnerable enough to get down on the ground and just be with me there. They're on the ground until I feel ready

Unknown: 36:06

to get back up again.

Steven: 36:10

The birth of Jesus is a mystery. You know, the word mystery is not a negative word. Mystery is not the absence of meaning. Mystery is the presence of more meaning than our than our limited minds can fully comprehend. And the mystery we celebrate in the birth of Jesus, in the birth of a helpless, vulnerable child born in a manger, an animal's feeding trough in a dark and smelly barn is that God meets us

Unknown: 36:46

right where we are,

Steven: 36:50

that God is with us in our own vulnerability and humanness. You know, we often think that it's that it's our job to figure out what we need to to do to be with God, that what do we need to believe? What? What creeds do we need to recite? What prayers do we need to pray? What? What church do we need to belong to? What, what holy behavior is expected of us? The remarkable good news we celebrate at Christmas is that God has chosen to be with us, and as promised in the book of Romans, there is nothing. There is nothing we can do. That's nothing we can say, Nothing we can believe. That will separate us from the presence of God's love revealed in Jesus. Matt Gavin is a Presbyterian pastor. He tells, he tells the story that when he was 16 years old, he told his father

Unknown: 38:02

that he loved him.

Steven: 38:04

Now, his father was in an inpatient psychiatric facility. Now, Matt's dad was consumed by by depression, and Matt said when the Depression came his his charismatic father

Unknown: 38:20

would disappear without leaving,

Steven: 38:26

and that told his dad that he loved him

Unknown: 38:32

because he did.

Steven: 38:34

He was 16, and at the time, naively believed that that if his dad knew just how much he was loved, that he wouldn't be sad anymore. As Matt grew older, he he learned something about love, something something difficult. Love can't always fix things. Love can't always fix depression, because depression is not a result of a lack of love or a failure of love. Depression is a mix up of chemicals in the brain that that actually prevents you from trusting

Unknown: 39:23

that you are loved.

Steven: 39:26

Love can't always fix things. Love can't always fix cancer or Alzheimer's

Unknown: 39:37

or grief.

Steven: 39:39

Love doesn't have the power to fix everything. What what love does have is endurance

Unknown: 39:49

and staying power,

Steven: 39:52

as the Bible says love, love endures all things. Love never ends, and because love endures and is now and will always be with us, we're able to endure those things that can't always be fixed. God is with us. God comes to meet us and be with us right where we're most vulnerable and human. That's the gift and mystery we make room to receive once again. At Christmas in one of my earlier churches, I went to visit a woman who who had been teaching she'd been teaching Sunday school in that church longer than I had been alive, and the children loved her. She was dying of cancer. I mean, I was fresh out of seminary and wasn't quite sure what I was doing, and I didn't know what to say to her, so I said everything. I talked and I talked and I talked and I talked. I I talked covering up my own anxiety, my own my own insecurity, filling the air with noise. I spoke of the flowers in her garden. I talked about the children from the church. I insensitively spoke of the day she might return to teaching. I just kept talking and this beautiful woman, she lowered her head and she lifted her gaze. She held up one boy bony finger and and said pretty sharply, but with love,

Unknown: 41:55

Stephen, shut up.

Steven: 42:02

I did shut up in my anxiety and in all my words, I wasn't with her.

Unknown: 42:13

I was actually trying to lift her to where I was more comfortable than choosing to meet her where she was, my heart wasn't present to her heart, she asked me to visit again about a week later, the time For her transition to to more life was near this time. I said nothing. I sat all afternoon with her in her garden without words, just presence, presence and tears until the shadows stretched across the yard, and with the shadows, to my surprise, came the spirit. And I spoke the words given to me by the Spirit, the very the very same words God spoke in the birth of Jesus, I said to her, I love you. And she said, I COVID. I love you too. It didn't fix everything, but in that moment, we both felt held by the presence of a love that that was with us, and that was enough, Mary will give birth to a child, and his name shall be called Emmanuel, which means God with us. What if we celebrated this gift by giving one another the gift of our tender and vulnerable hearts this Christmas? What if we chose to be with to be fully present to one another? What if we chose to get down on the ground and sit with those who are suffering as if love was all that mattered? Maybe you've unwrapped all of the presents under the tree. There's one more gift to be given, the gift of your presence, the gift of asking, how are you? No, really, really? How are you? Where is life hard for you right now? Where does it hurt? What do you need? How can I best love you? Or perhaps you simply give the gift of your tender and vulnerable heart without any words, who knows, as you choose to be with others, you just might experience the mystery hope, healing of God with us in a whole new way, friends for unto you. This day, a child is born. God is with us. God is with you today, tomorrow and always. Merry Christmas. The light shines in the darkness, and no amount of darkness can extinguish that light. A little bit of light can dispel a whole lot of darkness. May the light of God's love revealed in the birth of Jesus burn bright within you. May you be inspired to share that light with others, bringing as much love and goodness into this world as you can in this moment, as we sing Silent Night, let's make room in our hearts, let love take over so that we might give to one another and to the world, the gift that really matters, the Gift of our hearts, the gift of our love. Oh, my God So Me, live, Jesus, Lord. My God, Round Your as I extinguish this candle, in the words of Howard Thurman, the work of Christmas begins to shine light into the darkest corners, to find the lost, to care for the least, to heal the brokenhearted, to feed the hungry, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace, To make music in the heart. God is with you. Love is with you this day and always Merry Christmas as we celebrate the birthday of Jesus, Jesus gives us his own wish list for a birthday gift, and none of it comes from a store. Jesus said, Whatever we do for the least of our brothers and sisters, our most vulnerable neighbors, we do for him when we offer gifts to those in need, it's offering those very gifts to Jesus, food for the hungry, care for the sick, drink for those who are thirsty, hospitality for strangers, compassion for those imprisoned in body or mind. First Presbyterian Church of Ben exists to serve Jesus by serving those in need in our community, we are bringing love and compassion and hope and healing where and when it is needed the most this Christmas, so many are struggling. I ask you to consider to please give generously if you're able, so that we can be generous in love, you can make a gift online at benfp.org or you can use the QR code on the screen. Or you can just simply mail a check to the church. Through your generous gifts, we will let those in need know that they are not alone, that God is with them and that they are loved. Thank you so much for joining us for this Christmas service. We really hope you enjoyed it, and we hope you will join us again. Merry Christmas.