SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29 “By the tender mercy of God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” - Luke 1:78-80 It was the first Sunday in Advent of 2009. I will remember that day and the days that preceded it and the days that followed as a time of deep enlightening and profound love. Hal and I had just had a meaningful Thanksgiving visit with my father at home and my mother, who was in the Golden Living Center in Meridian, Mississippi. Mom had been diagnosed earlier in the year with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Dad was not able to care for her at home after she suffered falls and had an increasing need for full-time nursing care. Dad visited Mom every day and they spent precious quality time together. She looked forward to his visits. I cherished our time together, too, and visited as often as I could. Over the Thanksgiving visit I became very concerned about my father’s health, and I was convinced that he had pneumonia. I urged him to go to the emergency room while Hal and I were there to take him and watch after Mom. He adamantly said, “No, I have to teach Sunday School and I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday morning.” And that was that. I preached on the first Sunday in Advent back in Stone Mountain. (I am a lot like my father!) I recall asking the congregation to pray for my parents. Later that afternoon, I got a call from the Nursing Home letting me know that my father had fallen asleep in the parking lot after visiting Mom, and they were concerned about him. When I called him that evening, he assured me that he would be at the doctor’s office at 9:00 a.m. on Monday. By Monday at noon he had been admitted to the hospital for extensive testing. I returned to Meridian on Monday afternoon. The next few days were a whirlwind, but I recall amazing conversations and devotional times with my father and special friends who came to visit. Daily I went to see Dad and consult with his medical team and then went to spend time with Mom. By Friday we discovered that Dad had a rare kind of cancer that had spread quickly. I was there when the doctor delivered the news of his diagnosis. When the doctor left the room, Dad said, “So when do we begin treatments?” I let him know at that point there was nothing they could do but to keep him comfortable. Family and friends gathered. We ate his favorite snacks and we had an early Christmas. We sang carols and favorite hymns and shared lots of memories. We thanked him for the ways he touched our lives and I assured him I would take care of Mom. I watched him sleep and anointed his head and feet. I tried to put the pillows just right to give him the most relief possible and made sure to follow up with his medical team to address his pain and anxiety. Right before he slipped into a coma he told the nurse to tell my Mom he was going to be okay. At that point I stayed by his bedside and remember sensing a soft light around him. He was ready. It was early in the morning on the third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday of joy, that my father was received into his heavenly home. I was holding his hand and when I woke up there was a peace that definitely passed understanding. After the nurse came in and confirmed that he had passed away, I thought of the words of one of our favorite hymns, “When morning gilds the skies, my heart awakening cries: May Jesus Christ be praised! Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair: May Jesus Christ be praised! The night becomes as day when from the heart we say: May Jesus Christ be praised! The powers of darkness fear when this sweet chant they hear: May Jesus Christ be praised!” This is my story of unexpected light-the light of the Resurrection-on the third Sunday of Advent! I went from the hospital to Dad’s Sunday School class to let them know that their beloved friend was in glory and how much he had enjoyed being with them two weeks earlier. I then went to be with Mom. I held her and began to dance with her and whispered that Dad was okay and that we would make sure she was okay too. Prayer: “Thank you most gracious God for the ways you offer us light in the midst of difficult times. Your light warms us and surrounds us and reveals the depth of your love. Amen.” Pastor Ellynda MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30 My son, Gabriel, likes learning all about our world. One of his new favorite topics has been learning more about “bioluminescence.” Bioluminescence is the biochemical emission of light by living organisms such as fireflies and deep-sea fishes. Animals use these lights for different advantages in the dark. Some use this ability to find their way; others use it to communicate; and some use it to attract others. Even so, whether on land or in the water, these glowing lights at night always surprise and delight. One of the more interesting phenomena includes the “milky sea effect.” This effect makes it look as though the water itself is glowing in the dark of night. (see picture below) Pretty beautiful and amazing! It turns out the cause behind this effect are thousands of tiny bacteria (or dinoflagellates) that glow uniformly throughout the waters. And this doesn’t just happen in shallow water at the shore, it can also happen way out in the ocean, sometimes covering extremely large areas. Apparently, this effect is so bright that it can also be seen from space! John 1:5 (CEB) says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.” This verse refers to Jesus as the eternal Light that has come into the darkness of our world and has overcome it. The challenges of this year have made the darkness feel even darker, but we cling to the hope we have in Jesus, who is our everlasting Light. When the world expects there to be yet more and more darkness to come or that the darkness is too overwhelming to bear, we need to receive and be Jesus’ Light more than ever; to help guide ourselves and others; to communicate God’s unending hope; and to draw others into God’s loving Light so that they may receive the same hope we have in Jesus. Our role as followers of Jesus is that even as we experience darkness in our own life, we draw on the unexpected Light of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, to lead us through it all. When I asked Gabriel about a time when he has felt God’s presence in a difficult time this year, he remembered when he was learning to swim in the deep end of the pool. He remembered being scared in the beginning but then God helped Gabriel know that God was with him, and that his family was around to support him as well. This knowledge helped alleviate his fears as he treaded further and further into deeper waters. Friends, the world is overwhelmed with doubt and fear of all kinds. May we hold fast to the truth that the darkness will never overcome the Light. The darkness can feel isolating, and, yet, we are not alone. May we go into the deep end of life together knowing that God is with us always. May we trust that God’s loving Light will shine brightly through each and every one of us so that the whole world will see it and be filled with hope. Amen! Light and Love, Gabriel Jackson and Rev. Tyler Jackson TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” -1 John 1:7 This past year has been a challenge for all of us. We have been advised to live our lives differently – wearing masks, social distancing, staying in place. The news shows us our country is in upheaval – injustice, political divisions, protests. Personally, my world changed a year ago with the diagnosis of breast cancer. Before my treatments started, I decided it would be best for me to not be in crowded places as I became immunosuppressed from chemotherapy. The flu season was upon us and I didn’t want to take any risks, especially as an asthmatic. So Nov. 24 was the last day I worshiped in our sanctuary. Not being with my church family was hard, and I looked forward to the spring when I would be finished with all of my treatments. But the pandemic came and I was not able to return to Sunday School or worship services. Then, our pastors and staff decided to provide online church! What a blessing from God, who broke through the darkness using our church leaders. We were once again in fellowship with each other. Not only do we have Sunday morning worship, we also have daily devotions, week-night services, drive-in services, youth and children’s meetings – all done within the Covid protocol.