I have been visiting churches lately, possibly looking for a new church home. That’s almost as difficult as finding a new hair stylist. But I will say, it’s been a joy to hear new people speak and to experience a variety of worship styles again. It’s been a while.
My most recent visit was to our local Episcopal church and the priest delighted me with his reflections on Revelation 1:8, “‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.'” He reminded me of the timelessness of God, that great I AM, who exists both inside and outside of time.
We have some understanding of the God “who was” by the stories and sacred texts that describe God’s actions throughout history. But, we can have a more intimate relationship with God in the current moment. If we are open to God’s Presence, we can know the God “who is.”
But there is a third aspect that is critical to this passage: the God who is to come (hence the Advent message). And, as Father James puts it, the best way to know who comes, is to know who God is in the now. It is out of this knowing that we can anticipate the future with joy and confidence, with trust in the Truth of God and to submit to that ultimate authority who touches our individual lives with intent.
her piano. When they arrived to pick it up, she explained that she had purchased a new piano and no longer needed the old one. And so she gave it to the church. I am “convicted” as they say by this story. After all, is that the intention of giving to God, our second, third or fourth best? Or, is it supposed to be our first fruits? In other words, not the old piano but the new one. That’s a sacrifice, that’s giving something of true value. We so often treat the church like the used clothing store. I have been guilty of this too.
About a year after we adopted our Russian daughter who was struggling with English in high school along with white, middle class bullies. At the same time, she had never known people of color, so I took her to see the film, Freedom Writers. In this film, a teacher, played by Hilary Swank, inspires a class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education (a hope for a future). But before the teacher got there, these same students, mostly poor, were given the worst supplies, the shabbiest books, and so forth. The administration reinforced the expectations that the students were unworthy. The teacher in this film took a risk and gave them new books and opportunities never afforded them before. She gave her best. And she commanded their best. [For my daughter, this opened her own eyes as well, to prejudice of all kinds and she turned a huge corner.]
I’ve been doing a lot of downsizing as I moved into a smaller house. I literally had to let go of most of my furniture and when I could, I sold it. But really, not all of it would sell. Among these things was my very expensive bedroom set. It was two days before moving day and still no one would buy it and so, I gave it away to a family in the church. And I felt better about that giving than any dollar I earned from anything else. 
Meditations from Zion 