John 8:12-19 South Presbyterian Church – December 28, 2014 The Reverend Deborah Fae Swift             This Christmas has been very amazing, hasn’t it? EVERY Christmas is unique, but THIS one – our first one since “the church has left the building” has carried with it some amazing power. And I don’t know as it has as much to do with CHRISTMAS as it does with where we find ourselves … what we have all experienced this year … this birthing of a new congregation in a new place … our time and place in history, if … Continue reading “Refraction, Density, and Faith”

CHRISTMAS EVE 2014 Luke 2; Matthew 1 South Presbyterian Church – December 24, 2014 – Christmas Eve The Reverend Deborah Fae Swift From the time we are little, learning Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, on through our adult renditions of Silent Night, pleading for world peace … Christmas music tells the story of our lives. For Christians and non-Christians alike, our stores, our radio waves, television, our concert halls are all FILLED with the sounds of the season. More and more we begin HEARING the songs starting with Halloween … but that’s another story. J The essence of this night … … Continue reading “The Never-Ending Song”

Isaiah 6:1; John 1:6-18 South Presbyterian Church – December 14, 2014 – Installation of Officers – Third Sunday of Advent The Reverend Deborah Fae Swift In a little while we’re going to install our ordained leadership. And it’s a bit unusual to have ordination and installation in December, I guess. Most churches put it in the fall or January, but this is the second year we’re done this and I have to say that I really like it because it weaves itself into the Advent message so well. We’re waiting. We are waiting for Christmas … for gifts and presents … Continue reading “Joy in the Shadows”

Isaiah 40:1-5 (NRSV); Mark 1:1-8 (NRSV) South Presbyterian Church – December 7, 2014 – Advent 2 – Communion Sunday The Reverend Deborah Fae Swift   For many years … in fact for her entire life … my daughter and I would go camping in the Michigan woods for two weeks during August. When people would hear about it, they’d picture some camp ground, I think, and when we’d tell them no … it was a music festival where women came from all around the world … and there were no camp sites … you just tamp down the ferns and … Continue reading “Advent-ure in the Wilderness”