While I am not new to the process of editing people’s stories, I am always humbled when I am allowed to carefully handle what are, in many cases, very intimate moments. The very clear message that God is found in every crack and crevice of our lives means no story in these pages is commonplace, even if that story reminds you of one of your own experiences. What we have in common isn’t necessarily ordinary. I hope you discover that, too. My deep gratitude to the many folks who contributed to this devotional. I pounded out a large list of personal questions based on our Advent theme this year, then asked you all to pick a question and write around 150 words for it. All your gifts came in, and I had the task to faithfully edit them, mostly for length. Several submissions brought me to tears. Thank you again. I invite you, as you go through this devotional, not just to read the memories shared but to also reflect on your own experiences as prompted by the questions, as well as reading the scriptures associated with each week. I hope you are as blessed through that process as I have been in anthologizing these stories. With hope, joy, peace, and love, Amanda Zuehlke Community Life Coordinator, MHCUCC [email protected] “A man with a good running car ain’t got no need of redemption.” This quote, from Flannery O’Connor, is one of my favorites. When things in life are going well, when our cars are running smoothly, we tend to take life – and God – for granted. This explains a lot about why the church over the last several decades has grown most quickly in the southern hemisphere . where more people have poor running cars. This past year, however, has challenged us like no other. And suddenly there are a lot more people praying to God for strength and patience and health. Others, however, experience this time as a test of faith. It can be challenging when God seems to be silent. This is why Marc Miller’s beautiful song, I Believe, is perfect for this Advent season. “I believe in God, even when God is silent,” Miller writes. As the pandemic drags on, and as the pain of separation grows more acute during the holiday season, God can appear to be silent. And so our faith grows increasingly challenged. But God’s presence is steadfast. Whether you struggle to trust God’s promises in the silence or are unfaltering in your commitment to your relationship to God, leaning on one another for strength is critical in this time when being surrounded by a faith community is such a treasured gift. My prayer for you in this holiday season is that you will be safe, will reach out to others when you struggle, that you will trust God’s presence through it all, and that these stories can offer you little gifts each day to lift your spirits and remind you that you are held, treasured and loved. Warmly, Pastor Vicki November, 2020 Sunday, November 29 Has good news ever brought about a major change for you? Once I was seeking a part-time job when both my boys entered school full time. I responded to an ad in the Sun Post about an opening at Baldwin Wallace University. After being interviewed several times, I said a prayer asking God to guide me in whether or not to accept the position (should it be offered) knowing that my hands were pretty full with a busy family and church volunteer positions. I then felt confident when I received a call offering me the job to say yes. I later found out that over 100 women had applied for that position and that they had never placed an ad in the paper before! I worked at Baldwin Wallace for 27 years and was very happy in this career choice. Thank you, God, for that guidance. – Fran Rudolph Monday, November 30 Have you ever received a message of real comfort in a time of fear/ anxiety? When I graduated from college, music-teaching jobs were scarce. I grew up in the suburbs, and attended Baldwin Wallace College, receiving a fairly elitist conservatory education. I actively tried to avoid urban teaching jobs, however, that is exactly where I ended up. Eventually I was hired as the Shaw High School orchestra director in East Cleveland. I was kind of out of my element being the only white teacher in the high school music department and a wind player teaching mainly strings. I must have looked pretty scared those first few weeks because our staff accompanist gave me a small plaque with a picture of a young student playing the violin and the words from Psalm 118:6: “The Lord is for me, I will not be afraid.” I looked at that plaque every day for about 27 years, repeating the words until I truly believed it. I left the plaque for the new teacher when I retired, hoping that it would provide the same comfort and courage for her. – Sandy Uhl Tuesday, December 1 Share about a time you’ve had to repent/confess and its impact on you. My dad was my superstar. Having three girls, he tended to spoil us and would do special projects out in the garage to surprise us with gifts. Years ago, as a teen, I was away at a volleyball camp and my dad decided to paint may old, used car. It was probably a huge undertaking for one man in five days, but he did it. When I got home from camp, he was so excited to show me and I remember looking at the car and being disappointed that the headlights and taillights weren’t in it because I had missed my friends and wanted to take off and see them. I was so ungrateful! I hurt his feelings. I carried that feeling of shame and embarrassment, even though I had apologized to him. I brought this up to him years later and he did not even remember my lack of appreciation. He had forgiven me long ago, but I had not forgiven myself. Confessing my wrongdoings to my father was essential in the forgiveness process. The weight of my feelings was lifted, and I felt peace. – Laura Toth Wednesday, December 2 Sometimes promises are long in coming. When have you exercised trust? When it comes to trust, we have two situations that stick out. They both involve medicine, a field of study that we with our liberal arts backgrounds know little about. The first was when Athena was diagnosed with leukemia. With a type of cancer that only affects 600- 800 individuals per year, we needed to put a lot of trust in the care protocol of the medical team. We needed to have faith that every treatment choice would bring Athena closer to recovery. Athena remembers one time looking up at an intravenous bag of arsenic trioxide and just quietly hoping that the pharmacist who processed the medication did so correctly. In 2018, we once again put enormous trust in medicine during Henry’s delivery. Due to complications, he needed to be rushed to a different hospital. We hoped that everyone from the ambulance transport team to the doctors, lab technicians, and nurses were taking the best care possible of our new-to-this-world son. We unfortunately could not be there to hold his hand, and we had to trust that all eight pounds of him was being taken care of in the best way possible. – Melissa Zagata & Athena Mericsko Thursday, December 3 Have you ever "raised your voice" to oppose injustice or give hope despite fear? When I saw the prompt about courage and fear, my memory immediately resurrected a moment over thirty years ago. We were living in Cleveland, a neighborhood where we knew several neighbors but not many. I was upstairs when I heard screaming and a young girl crying. I quickly went to the window, seeing a girl straddling a bike and a man standing over her with a raised hand. Not thinking, I yelled out. I have no idea what I said. The girl quickly rode off and the man followed. My husband later wondered if our house would be targeted. I hadn’t even thought about that, or probably anything else, including if my reaction, immediate and from deep within, deescalated the tension or if the girl would later be punished. If such an incident were to happen again, I’m not sure logical thinking would come first though it should be an integral part of any action. The definition of courage is vast; fear is intertwined with its expression despite the order. – Debbie Thompson Friday, December 4 How has being hospitable helped you mature spiritually? I love to plan parties and have guests over. There’s a profound sense of joy in sitting amidst those I love and watching them interact with one another. Not being able to host Friendsgiving this year has been a devastating blow. This seemingly endless isolation from people whose company I crave has been crippling. True hospitality, however, is much more than throwing a party for people you like. I learned that lesson a few years ago when I found myself serving in an organization that welcomed all, regardless of mental health, addiction, criminal record, literacy level, access to showers and clean clothes, and a dozen other “reasons” that would typically disqualify many folks from employment. In needing to walk alongside such a diverse crowd of people who all desired the dignity of earning income, I discovered how practical grace is, and how little my privileges and advantages mattered in God’s eyes.