Three words that I think sum up this time of year to a tee. Yes it happens to be the Coke campaign for Christmas but those three little words can mean so much.
The Christmas spirit... it is always better to give than to receive. To see someone's face light up when they receive that perfect gift. But this time is so much more than just the human side of giving. This time represents the greatest gift that was ever given to us. Two thousand and six years ago in a stable in Bethlehem a baby boy was born. This was no ordinary boy. He was the child of God. Of course we all have heard the story at some point in our life. But how often do we take time out of our busy lives to realize just how much this really means. Jesus born literally to die. What an extraordinary gift, from God giving his only son and from Jesus who in the end was nailed to the cross for us. What greater gift is there.
It's the season to start living. What better time then our savior's birth to start living for Christ. It's advent, it is a time for preparing and waiting for our savior. Who's to say that Christ won't come down on a cloud tomorrow. Nobody knows how long it will be or what day it will be that God will restore His reign on earth. So why not start living for Christ today. Why would you want to be sitting and waiting for the end of the world when you could be out there spreading the love of Christ around the world. Live for Him.
This season is the perfect time for spreading love. Love is always present in today's world. You constantly hear of people who start relationships and stop relationships. Everyday is filled with false feelings. Feelings stimulated by hormones not the heart. The following is written in a 2007 planner:
"A healthy definition of love is crucial to understanding the Central message of the Bible. According to the Bible, love is not confined to sexuality, nor is it primarily a feeling at all. The Bible teaches that love is a commitment. As a commitment, love is not dependent on good feelings, but rather on a consistent and courageous decision to extend oneself for the well-being of another. That commitment then produces good feelings, not the other way around..."
So during this Christmas time I leave you with three simple words with tons of meaning.
For most of you, finals are now over (or soon will be) and you're on your way home for the Christmas holidays. Travel safely, and don't forget to check in with us here at www.ecmgsu.org to stay current on all that's happening.
Thanks to everyone who has made this such a wonderful semester. If you think about it, we've seen some really exciting things over the past few months. We've moved our ministry into the heart of campus to make ECM even more accessible. We've reached out to fellow students and to the local community through gifts of food, fellowship, and love. We've started one of our members (Derek) on the journey toward baptism, and another (Kelsey) has just begun discernment for the priesthood. Plus, this New Year's Kelsey and Collins will be in New Orleans for Celebrate!, an ecumenical leadership conference. All in all, this has been a very exciting time for us!
But the truth is that we are really only at the beginning; God is calling us to even greater responsibilities and possibilities in the near future. As next semester rolls around, it will be time to ask ourselves again, "How are we to respond to the immense love God has given us to share?" We can do so by providing new and relevant opportunities for spiritual growth among students and faculty at GSU. We can do so by standing with those in the world who can't help themselves. We can do so by inviting new folks to join in the laughter and joy of our Table during the Holy Eucharist. The point is that God has some pretty big dreams for the folks at Georgia Southern and beyond, and God seems to be nudging us to play an exciting role in their fulfillment.
So no matter who you are--whether you've been a part of ECM for a while or are just learning about us now--I hope you'll join us next semester for what will be an amazing time. Until then, pray for one another, keep in touch, and enjoy your break. We'll see you in January.
Every month or so, the Episcopal Church website features a different parish website on their homepage, and guess who's up this month? ECM@GSU!
If you go to www.episcopalchurch.org, you'll find a link at the bottom of the page with a picture of Collins, Lonnie, and Annie. If you click on it, you can read a terrific little write-up before going on to visit our site. There's also a handy link to find other campus ministries around the country.
Thanks to Bowie Snodgrass for the very nice write-up. Here is the full text:
Episcopal Campus Ministry Georgia Southern University http://www.ecmgsu.org
“Who is Jesus to you?” asks a hip montage on this campus ministry homepage. The images next to the query are clearly tailored to a college crowd – we see Jesus as a Simpsons character, an iPod-wearing hipster, a Middle Eastern Christ, even an arty alien.
On the ECM @ GSU banner is an invitation: come worship, laugh, play & eat with us. If you click through the site, you get the feeling they really mean it – in the sweet name of Jesus. The ‘tues nights’ (worship and free food) page provides as much invitation as information, saying, “Jesus was generous, and he loved to eat! He ate with friends, with sinners, and with strangers.” “We want you to feel as welcome at our table as you would if you were sitting at Jesus’ table.”
The 26-year-old chaplain (and web designer) is available to the students online through this site and Facebook (an online social networking site). The News & Notes blog and weekly E-newsletters are good ways to stay connected to the latest ECM goings-on. As a cyber gathering place and news source, this website is part and parcel of the mission of this ministry: helping students feel connected and cared for, while discovering who Jesus is... to you.
Today marks the first day of a brand new venture for us: our very own podcast! Devo-to-Go is just what it sounds like... it's a series of short daily devotions you can take with you wherever you go. You can listen to them on our site at www.ecmgsu.org/podcast.htm, or you can download them in iTunes and listen to them on your mp3 player.
The devotions you'll find in Devo-to-Go are geared toward 20- and 30-year-olds, but anybody can listen. In them, you'll hear stories, prayers, and music that are all designed to help you stop and look around for the presence of God in your life. We tend to get so busy in our daily routines that we forget that God is right here in our midst. Who hope Devo-to-Go can be a good way to remind you of just how near God is.
Devo-to-Go is written and produced by our ECM chaplain, Lonnie Lacy, and by the Revs. Casey and Melody Shobe of Houston, TX. Melody works as the Associate Rector at St. Thomas the Apostle in Nassau Bay, and Casey heads up the young adult programs at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston.
Join us as we celebrate the baptism of our own Derek Layman! Derek's baptism will occur as part of our usual Tuesday night dinner and worship at 7:30 p.m. on February 13, 2007, the Feast of Absalom Jones.
This will be our very first baptism as a campus ministry! Share with us and with Derek as he is sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ's own for ever.
For some folks, being a Christian means cutting themselves off from the world, immmersing themselves in "the rules," and finding endless clever ways to confront others with their Christianity.
But here at ECM, we think Christianity is about learning to live like Jesus. For us, that means trying our best to love all people (and we do mean all), walking in the way of peace, caring for all of Creation, and respecting the dignity of every human being ... just to name a few.
We admit that we're not always great at this. Nobody is. But that's why we have each other to help along the way. If you're looking for a place where you can just be you while journeying toward a life of faith, come join us for worship and a free meal. We meet Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. in Russell Union.
Got questions about the Episcopal Church? Father Matthew has answers ... and they're funny!
Father Matthew is a recently ordained priest who lives and works in Yonkers, NY. He's also a native of our very own Diocese of Georgia. Check out his hilarious blogs about life in the Episcopal Church. Find out why Jesus would have been a friend to strippers, what graphic novels have to do with the Gospel, and how to play Nintendo music on a church bell tower. You won't be the same.
The Episcopal Church has published a free booklet of daily meditations and prayers for each day during this season of Advent. Prepare yourself for Christmas with these short meditations written for students by students. Click here to download the guide.
"Wait... what the heck is Advent?" you might ask. Good question! Advent is an old word that means "arrival," and it's the span of time during most of December when we await and prepare for the arrival of the baby Jesus on Christmas Day.
Many people prepare by setting aside special time for prayer each day. It's sort of like taking time to clean your house and get it in order when you know you have an honored guest coming. When we welcome the child Jesus on Christmas day, we're welcoming the King of all Creation and the very Lover of our souls into our world.
You can use Advent as a way to prepare your own heart for the arrival of Creation's most honored guest. Who knows?... if you take the time to pray and prepare, you may just find that Christmas has a whole new meaning when it rolls around this year!
Due to the Fall Break at GSU, we won't meet for our normal Tuesday night dinner and worship on Tuesday, November 21. But be sure to come and see us in Russell 2073 one week later when we'll be back in full swing. Happy Thanksgiving!
By now you've probably seen the black and white TV ads like the one to the left. It's an ad for the ONE Campaign, a global effort to end extreme poverty and AIDS. What you may not know is that the Episcopal Church is very involved, and you can be, too. (Incidentally, Frank Griswold, our former Presiding Bishop, is in this commercial just before Pat Robertson.)
As the commercial says, they don't want your money; they just want you're voice. The truth is, we already have enough wealth in the world to eradicate extreme poverty; we just don't distribute it well. Did you know that the U.S. allocates less than ONE percent to fight global AIDS and poverty? If our government only increased that amount by ONE percent, we could halve global poverty by 2015. All it takes is our voices, our votes, and our vocations working together ... ONE-by-ONE.
To find out more about the Episcopal Church's involvement with the ONE campaign, click here.
