Presbyterian Outlook: Younger elders

Younger elders:

"... Why not ask every presbytery to elect one commissioner under the age of 27? Such a commissioner would have been nominated and elected by his/her own congregation and entrusted with leadership in that particular church. He would have been examined by the Session and been ordained into office. She would have voted on church school curriculum, on receiving members, and sorting through the costs of building maintenance. After serving at the GA, this young adult commissioner would give an account to that same local body of leaders. ..."

The Book of Order (G-14.0221) provides that: "... Every congregation shall elect men and women from among its active members, giving fair representation to persons of all ages and of all racial ethnic backgrounds and to persons with disabilities who are members of that congregation, to the office of elder and to the office of deacon (if used in the congregation). ..."

Many congregations, including the one where I worship, elect a high school student for a one year term on Session. This allows them an opportunity to be a part of church leadership without burdening them with a three-year commitment. The idea of ordaining youth and young adults has been around for some time. I was ordained an elder at the age of 21 in the United Presbyterian Church in the USA, and there was at least one congregation that had ordained a high school student in my presbytery. My son, who is a sophomore in high school, began a one year term on Session in early January, so he too is getting a taste of Church leadership.

One of my minor peeves is the way people tend to label them as "youth elders". There is no such office in the PC(USA). These young adults when elected, ordained, and installed to active service on a Session are elders on the same level as any who serve in a like capacity. And, like any other elder, they are elders for life.

There is not complete agreement as to whether this is a good idea or not. One substantive difficulty some have is whether a young person is ready to take on the role of spiritual leader. I have to admit that when I was ordained an elder at age 21, I was not ready to be a spiritual leader. But I had to come to grips with the concept and thus I began a process of self-examination, prayer, study, and service. Now I am of an age where I am an "elder" in the chronological sense, I have presbyopia. and my hair and beard are grey -- I am truly a presbyter. And I still know that even though I am better equipped spiritually than I was 35 years ago, I still am striving to be worthy of the calling of elder. My son is now finding his own way, and I wish him the best.

Jack Haberer's suggestion for each presbytery to send an elder under 27 to General Assembly seems to me to be a solution looking for a problem. There is currently no bar to younger elders serving as GA commissioners, and while I have no idea how many such there are, I suspect there are some commissioners each year who would also qualify as a Youth Advisory Delegate.

I can understand the issues with YADs, but they do have voice and vote in the committees, and often hold the balance of power when the issues are closely divided. Many observers have felt that as a group they are vulnerable to manipulation by special interest groups. There is no question that they are a heavily-lobbied group at General Assembly. But I am not convinced that eliminating the YADs and requiring that each presbytery send one commissioner from that age group is a viable solution. I assume that this would entail significantly increasing the number of commissioners -- otherwise smaller presbyteries would be locked into sending one minister and one youth to represent the presbytery.

One factor that complicates things was our move to biennial General Assemblies. While it was, in general, a good idea, it made it even less likely that any given Presbyterian elder would have the opportunity to serve as a GA commissioner. Short of doubling the number of commissioners, it is hard to see that situation improving. Increasing the number of commissioners could also have the effect of erasing the savings resulting from the move to biennial assemblies.

I see no reason why a younger elder should not serve as a commissioner to General Assembly, but making it a mandate would create problems of its own.

For a thought-provoking essay on how the PC(USA) might go about rebuilding itself, including dealing with the issue of youth representation, check out Beau Weston's Rebuilding the Presbyterian Establishment, which is made available through the Office of Theology and Worship of the PC(USA). Beau and I see things in a similar way, though I differ with him in some details of youth involvement.

You've Got Jail | Christianity Today

You've Got Jail | Christianity Today:

"Longtime missionaries David and Fiona Fulton were sentenced by a Gambian court to a year of hard labor last December after pleading guilty — in hopes of a lenient sentence — to sedition charges stemming from a wry comment e-mailed to a prayer list. ..."

When you read further in this article, you find that Mr Fulton did say something questionable, but in its full context it is obvious that he was not advocating violence -- quite the contrary. But this does raise an important issue when it comes to emails and newsletters from the mission field. First of all, circumspection is called for, especially when dealing with the frustrations of seeing mindless sectarian violence all around you. And secondly, one of the recipients for reasons that are not particularly obvious decided to forward to message to Gambian authorities. I try to assume positive motives, but is it difficult in this case.

Messages from missionaries, especially in sensitive parts of the world, need to be kept confidential and not posted on websites, forwarded outside the original distribution list, and certainly not sent to a government not known for due process or humane prison conditions.

Prayers are needed for the Fultons and for those who have imprisoned them

Universal cellphone charger will ring the changes, say makers - CNN.com

Universal cellphone charger will ring the changes, say makers - CNN.com:

"BARCELONA, Spain (CNN) -- Cell phone makers Tuesday pledged to end one of modern life's chief frustrations --- and introduce a universal charger for handsets by 2012."

This is something that has been a pet peeve of mine, and I'm glad to see the industry take steps to mitigate it.

A Valentine

John Anderson, My Jo
Robert Burns, 1789

John Anderson, my jo, John,
When we were first acquaint,
Your locks were like the raven,
Your bonnie brow was brent;
But now your brow is beld, John,
Your locks are like the snaw;
But blessings on your frosty pow,
John Anderson, my jo.

John Anderson, my jo, John,
We clamb the hill thegither,
And mony a canty day, John,
We've had wi' ane anither;
Now we maun totter down, John,
But hand in hand we'll go.
And we'll sleep thegither at the foot,
John Anderson, my jo.

I enjoy reading Robert Burns from time to time, and this is one of the poems that has a whole new meaning as I get older. Did I mention that in four days my wife will have one of those "milestone" birthdays? She and I "clamb the hill thegither" for close to 28 years already, but we're not quite ready to "totter down". And we still enjoy "mony a canty day".

There are at least two versions of John Anderson, My Jo, a longer version (not written by Burns) from about 1744 and this shorter (and more suitable for a family blog) version from 1789. The 1789 version was written by Robert Burns. You can see both versions by following the link in the previous sentence.

Anyway, happy Valentine's Day, Susan!

And Happy Valentine's Day to all of you who love and are loved.

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune

AP News | The Columbia Daily Tribune:

"WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (AP) -- For years, the juvenile court system in Wilkes-Barre operated like a conveyor belt: Youngsters were brought before judges without a lawyer, given hearings that lasted only a minute or two, and then sent off to juvenile prison for months for minor offenses.

The explanation, prosecutors say, was corruption on the bench.

In one of the most shocking cases of courtroom graft on record, two Pennsylvania judges have been charged with taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send teenagers to two privately run youth detention centers. ..."

This was not a case of judges meting out harsh justice. It was nothing more than greed and kickbacks from two privately-run juvenile detention facilities, which received fees based on the numbers of incarcerated juveniles. One victim of this corruption was sentenced to three months for lampooning an assistant principal on her MySpace account.

According to this article, the two former judges made a plea bargain that calls for more than seven years behind bars. That seems a little lenient considering the nature of the crime.

Scout Sunday 2009

Yesterday was Scout Sunday, generally observed on the Sunday closest to February 8th, which is the anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. This year Scout Sunday fell on the day of the actual 99th anniversary of the BSA.

Three of our troop members, who are also members of the congregation, acted as the worship leaders. They did a great job, reading clearly and with feeling. Having the boys help out with the service is a long-standing tradition in our congregation and troop, and is even more meaningful when the boys are also active participants in the work and worship of our congregation. Just a bit of historical perspective -- when Troop 4 was chartered in 1963, the core leadership and boys came from the congregation itself, since this was a young congregation with many youth. Over the years as the congregation aged, the proportion of congregation members in the troop fell and occasionally stood at zero boys and only a few adults. This trend seems to be reversing with an influx of young families, and we hope that there will always be Trinity youth involved with the troop.

This 99th anniversary of Scouting in the USA was also special for the Reformed Angler family. Sunday morning my son was recognized for his completion of the requirements for the God and Life award (part of the God and Country series). This represented several months of delving deeply into Scripture, discussions with the pastor, and putting what he learned into action. Susan and I were definitely proud parents. The image to the left is Liam and his pastor.

The evening before was the annual District Dinner, honoring volunteers for their service. It culminates in the awarding of the District Awards of Merit (based on the size of the district). This year I was recognized for my service to Scouting and the district. I had no inkling that this was coming, but is is sure nice to be recognized.

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scout of America and there will be many different ways in which the BSA celebrates its heritage and service to the youth of America. It will also represent the 50th anniversary since the day in 1960 when I put on my first Cub Scout uniform and started my own involvement with the Boy Scouts of America.

The Associated Press: Fuller, co-founder of Habitat for Humanity, dies

The Associated Press: Fuller, co-founder of Habitat for Humanity, dies:

"ATLANTA (AP) — Millard Fuller, the millionaire entrepreneur who gave it all away to help found the Christian house-building charity Habitat for Humanity, died Tuesday. He was 74. ..."

The loss of Millard Fuller will be keenly felt, not just by the Habitat for Humanity organization but by the countless people he touched in various ways -- families who experienced home ownership for the first time as well as volunteers who learned not only how to hammer nails but what it means to serve.

Austin road sign warns motorists of zombies | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News

Austin road sign warns motorists of zombies | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News:

"An Austin road sign meant to warn motorists about road conditions instead read: 'The end is near! Caution! Zombies ahead!'"

Some people have too much time on their hands.

Of course, this is a caution to (1) secure the input; and (2) change the default password, which is apparently well-known.

You There -- Out of the Jury Pool!

This week was my term of service on the circuit jury for my county. The last time I was liable for service I ended up serving on a jury -- two days of a trial for sexual abuse of a minor.

This time when I called in on Monday, jurors 1-152 were told to appear the next morning for jury duty. This seemed like an pretty high number just to get 12 jurors qualified. I went in, and it was pretty much "hurry up and wait". Well after the time that things should have been underway there seemed to be a flurry of activity in one of the side rooms, and after a while the presiding judge came out and addressed the jury pool with "good news and bad news".

The good news was that we would be going home for the day since the prosecutor had dropped the charges and would be refiling them probably within the day. In any case, this would no longer involve us. The judge then left without delivering the bad news.

The bailiff was able to get everyone's attention as they were putting on their coats and chattering away, and it fell to him to inform us that we still needed to call in every evening for the remainder of the week. That turned out to be good news in disguise, since no other jury trials were scheduled for this week.

So what was this all about? I read the local afternoon paper later Tuesday and learned that this was to have been a first degree murder trial resulting from a shooting that occurred in the past couple years. The judge in this case had ruled that the defense could raise issues related to a Missouri law that allows deadly force when there is a danger to one's own life or the lives of others. (This is a fairly recent law that makes it a little easier for such people as battered spouses or other abuse victims to take action when they feel immediately threatened. My personal take on self defense or defense of others is that my threshold for acting is set significantly higher than what the law apparently permits. )

So I breathed a sigh of relief. It is doubtful I would have been selected for this particular jury for a few reasons. First, the defense would probably not have wanted me since I spent three years as a reserve police officer in Colorado. The prosecution would have probably dismissed me since I am one of those knuckle-dragging neanderthals who believe the Second Amendment to the US Constitution can be understood in plain English to guarantee an individual right to keep and bear arms. I don't know whether this was to have been a death penalty case, but I am opposed on moral grounds to the death penalty, so that too would have disqualified me.

Having said all this, had the trial proceeded, and I were picked a a juror, I would have listened to both the prosecution and defence as they laid our their respective cases and I would have followed the instructions of the judge in my delberations and done my utmost to render a fair verdict. I'm just glad I didn't have to serve this time.

RNS Feature: "200 years later, Lincoln’s faith remains an enigma"

RNS Feature: "200 years later, Lincoln’s faith remains an enigma":

"WASHINGTON—Seven score and four years ago, Abraham Lincoln stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol and said North and South alike must suffer for the sin of slavery.

“If God wills that (the war) continue until ... every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, so it still must be said `the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether,”’ Lincoln said in his second inaugural address, quoting the Psalms.

Called “Lincoln’s Sermon on the Mount,” his 1865 address has been deemed the most religiously sophisticated presidential speech in American history. It was delivered by a backwoods lawyer with just one year of formal schooling who never joined a church. ..."

This is not really new to people who have read history, although it is a fact that when Lincoln attended services, it was often in a Presbyterian congregation.

As far as Abraham Lincoln's theology was concerned, there is little to quibble as far as it went. His understanding about God's will and how it is distinct from human will remains a model for us today. The excerpt I quoted above does not do Lincoln justice, so I recommend you read his full Second Inaugural Address. It isn't long, and his exposition on Divine Will is in the third of the four paragraphs.

When Licoln delivered this speech on March 4, 1865, he had only about a month left to live, and the Civil War was winding down. The final thoughts in his address outlined his intention to see the nation's wounds bound up and start the healing process. His assassination left a void that was filled with people who were not as concerned with healing as much as with retribution. This is one of the great "what ifs" of history.

Happy Birthday Robert Burns

Robert Burns (1759-1796) was born 260 years ago today. The Bard, as he is known in Scotland, wrote much poetry in the Scots language or in the Scots dialect of English, as well as some essays in standard English. He is perhaps best known for such poems as Scots Wha Hae and Auld Lang Syne.

His birthday is celebrated in many places where Scots and descendants of Scots live and its accompanying ritual sounds intriguing. The Burns Night menu consists of many traditional dishes of Scotland, the centerpiece of which is haggis.

After opening remarks, the Selkirk Grace is said:

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thanket

.Following this, the haggis is brought in and the poem To A Haggis is recited:

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,

Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’ need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic-labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then horn for horn they stretch an’ strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
’Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.

Is there that o’er his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither’d rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle;
An’ legs, an’ arms, an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ thrissle.

Ye pow’rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae stinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ pray’r,
Gie her a Haggis!

The beverage of choice seems to be whiskey, no doubt a single-malt scotch. There are toasts to the women by the men, to the men by the women, to the sovereign, to Robert Burns' memory and as many others as needed to deplete the store of beverage.

I've eaten haggis before at the Highland Games in Denver, Colorado. It is actually quite tasty. Now if I could only find a source for sheep stomachs and a few other pieces-parts...

The text of the poems quoted here are taken from The Complete Works of Robert Burns, courtesy of The Gutenberg Project.

Does This Seem A Little Odd?

Apparently a bill was introduced in Congress to repeal the 22nd Amendment, which limits the number of terms a president can serve:

House Joint Resolution 5 was introduced on January 6, 2009.

This speaks for itself; I have no further comments.

OK. I lied. Here is a comment: An anonymous commenter pointed out that Jose Serrano (D-NY) started proposing the repeal of the 22nd Amendment 12 years ago during the Clinton Administration, and continued it through the Bush Administration, and now has started off the Obama Administration with his biennial attempt to do away with term limitations on the presidency. I checked this out on a variety of independent sites and it all checks out.

Personally, I can't think of many presidents during my lifetime who were so indispensable to the Republic that they deserved a second term, let alone more than two terms. Fortunately the bar to amend the Constitution is quite high -- 2/3 majority in both houses and ratification by 3/4 of the states. (US Constitution, Article V)

Update on The Cyber Hymnal

The Cyber Hymnal, which has been having problems with the hijacking of its old domain name, is back up in a new location. If this is a resource that you have grown to love and depend on, then go ahead and change your bookmarks and links.

I'm guessing that the domain name registration expired and before the good folks at The Cyber Hymnal could get the name re-registered, someone snapped it up and it now seems to be an advertising vehicle.

Candidate Care

I spent the morning and part of Wednesday afternoon at the meeting of our presbytery's Committee on Preparation -- not on my behalf, but rather on behalf of two members of our congregation who are candidates. One is certified as being ready for a call and the other can be certified as soon as she decides that the needs of her family can be balanced with the requirements of seeking a call. Having seen these two candidates pass through adolescence and young adulthood, I am thrilled at the prospect of seeing one or both of them ordained. They are both products of Princeton Theological Seminary and have clear gifts in ministry and a strong sense of their calling.

Since the inquirers and candidates were not present, the committee and the session liaisons were able to discuss a wide range of issues concerning the process, including the bumpy road that many candidates take along their way to clarifying their sense of calling.

One fact in our presbytery is that nearly all inquirers pass to the candidate phase, which concerns many on the committee. This arises from a pragmatic assumption that a certain percentage of people who think ministry is where they'd like to be will eventually decide that that is not where they want to be. There are statistics that suggest that many such decisions are made following ordination and a few years of ministry. Many feel that it would be better to "change majors" while in the inquirer phase, rather than as a minister of only a few years experience. One solution seems to have been to make entry to the inquirer stage more rigorous. To my lay point of view, this seems to go against the whole idea of "inquiry". Here is where they begin the process and start learning what ministry of Word and Sacrament is all about. The trend in thinking in our local CPM is to make sure that inquirers understand that moving to candidacy is not a guarantee. It is a decision mutually arrived at by the inquirer and the committee, and that there is no stigma attached to deciding that God is calling one to different service. This makes more sense to me than to administer a rigorous examination at the outset.

Other issues revolve around the heavy financial burden borne by the seminary student. Many candidates go into their first call with upwards of $30,000 in debt and little prospect of paying off quickly unless they can find themselves in a more affluent congregation. The small, often rural congregations find it difficult to call full-time ministers, and when they can do so, are not able to pay much more than a basic living wage. I understand there are programs in some presbyteries whereby those who serve in one of the "wee kirks" can have a portion of their indebtedness forgiven, but such programs generally require that they have attended a PC(USA) seminary.

This was a long-overdue meeting, and I certainly appreciated the information we received regarding our duties. It turns out that I am a little unusual, since I was appointed session liaison for one of our candidates while I was between active service on session, and remained liaison during a term of active service and now am not on active service. Other congregations tend to rotate the liaisons as they rotate on or off session or the candidate care committee. Personally, I think that the continuity is beneficial, and I am more than happy to continue in this service.

On another topic, somewhat related, I have just begun a three year stint on the presbytery Commissioned Lay Pastor committee, so I will get a bit of a different perspective on the various issues related to how people answer the calling of the Lord.

Father Neuhaus, iconic U.S. theologian, is dead at 72 - International Herald Tribune

Father Neuhaus, iconic U.S. theologian, is dead at 72 - International Herald Tribune:

"The Reverend Richard John Neuhaus, a theologian who transformed himself from a liberal Lutheran leader of the civil rights and anti-war struggles in the 1960s to a Roman Catholic beacon of the neoconservative movement of today, died on Thursday in New York. He was 72 and lived in Manhattan.

He learned he had cancer in November and recently developed a systemic infection that doctors say led to his death, said Joseph Bottum, editor of 'First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion, Culture and Public Life,' of which Father Neuhaus was editor-in-chief. ..."

First Things is a web journal which I have read from time to time, and always found thought-provoking. While Father Neuhaus was not the only writer, his leadership was key to its success. I hope his successor is as effective as he. At present, the First Things website has some recent and older articles by Neuhaus on its front page.

No, I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth!

It's been a busy couple of weeks here in Missouri. Susan is on her annual trip to warmer climes to do pollinations for the winter research corn crop. This year it is Puerto Rico. She left December 26th and will return tomorrow evening. Puerto Rico has pretty good cell coverage, so we have been able to talk on a daily basis, and she has texted photos from time to time. One of these years I'm going to have to go down to PR with her and see some of these sights together.

A lot of my time was spent in providing attractive alternatives to the television, computer games, and general idleness for my boy, but I also had to work at my day job. I was able to take a couple days off so we could get out of the house and do something. So what would get a 16 year old boy out of the house when there are such attractive nuisances available? Well, a lot of it was target shooting at a public range north of town. I guess some might consider that an attractive nuisance, but it is one thing that he and I both enjoy, and he understands that when we are engaged in such activities there is no compromise with safety. It's a character builder.

My son went back to school on the 5th of January, and fortunately he is learning to get up and dressed without a whole lot of prodding. He is at the bus stop at 6:40am and since I am pretty much alone this week, I just go into work early, and, if possible, leave a little earlier. As a computer system administrator I work mostly during normal work hours, but when a crisis occurs at 4:59pm it has to be dealt with. Fortunately that is a rare occurrence.

I plan to take tomorrow off and make sure the house is tidied up for Susan's return -- after I sleep in for some much needed rest.

Well, anyway, Happy New Year to all, and I hope you experienced the blessings of Christmas. And I'll try and be a little more regular with the blog entries.

Life Has Changed...

For a little over a year now, my son has been eligible to obtain his learner's permit. I took him down to the local office of the license bureau and he picked up a manual, and I decided to let him make the next move.

Two months to the day after his 16th birthday he requested that I drive him to take his written examination. He passed, and he obtained his permit. He was surprised that it only cost $3.50. I reminded him that once he gets his driver's license there are insurance implications simply because he will be a male driver under the age of 26.

We have six months minimum until he can take the driving test, so he have time to reflect on the financial impact of his becoming a driver. Of course he wants a 2009 Ford F-150 4x4 pickup. I suggested a used Dodge Neon. He said he wouldn't be seen driving one of those. I said he wouldn't be seen driving at all. Life's tough when you lack your own wheels and a bank balance to support that habit.

I think we'll need to start looking for another vehicle, though. We have a 2002 Ford Escape, and a 2006 F-150 and both of them have standard transmissions. One thing that we need to think about is our own physical limitations. I am just emerging from a period of time when I underwent foot surgery and was hampered in my abilities to use the clutch pedal on the Escape (but not the F-150). Since I am closer to 60 than to 50, I may go with an automatic transmission the next time we buy a new car.

Oh well. Pray for patience -- We'll need it!

Whooping crane count in Texas up to record 270 | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Whooping crane count in Texas up to record 270 | Top stories | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle:

"LAMAR, Texas — The whooping crane population has set another record with 270 of the endangered birds wintering on the Texas Coastal Bend.

The birds in the world's only wild flock spend each winter in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas before returning to Canada and the Wood Buffalo National Park.

Tom Stehn, whooping crane coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the flock size is up four from last year. The worldwide population, which includes both wild and captive birds, stood at more than 500 in September. The low for the species was 15 in 1941. ..."

My earliest memories of the whooping crane were that the count was hovering around thirty. During the same time frame, the brown pelican was on the verge of extinction because DDT applications had weakened the shells of their eggs to the point where almost no young were being born.

The whooping crane and the brown pelican recoveries are two good examples of why environmental protection and mitigation are important.

Where is the Cyber Hymnal?

[UPDATE - 12/27/2008]
MB noted in the comments that the Cyber Hymnal is back. It's certainly good to see this important resource available again.

I ordinarily go to cyberhymnal.org to look up the words to hymns, but that domain name seems to have been taken over by a company that offers vacations, insurance, online dating, and so on. I wonder if someone forgot to pay the registration for the name?

That would be too bad, since they have been around since the mid 1990s providing an excellent reference for those interested in hymns and their history.

Merry Christmas 2008

From time to time I offer up a hymn for reflection, and today I present O Little Town of Bethlehem, written in 1868 by the Reverend Phillips Brooks, an Episcopal priest from Philadelphia. He was inspired by a trip he took in 1865 to Bethlehem. The words below are from Wikipedia, and the fourth verse is one I have never seen:

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee to-night.

O morning stars, together
Proclaim the holy birth!
And praises sing to God the King,
And peace to men on earth.
For Christ is born of Mary,
And gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love.

How silently, oh how silently,
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heaven.
No ear may hear his coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

Where children pure and happy
Pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to thee,
Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching
And faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.

O holy Child of Bethlehem!
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in,
Be born in us to-day.
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
Our Lord Emmanuel!