Saying yes to following Jesus in the way of love

5 Epiphany/Year C

Feb 6, 2022

Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 138, Luke 5:1-11

Opening Prayer: (excerpt from a litany for Feb 6, written by Bishop Carol Gallagher)

Loving Creator, God of abundance,

You taught the people from the workplaces

you restored their catch and filled their nets

you dwell now in the midst of your people

restored us now to share your bounteous love.

Help us, Lord, to get up again and follow you. Amen

What a wonderful set of readings we heard today on the heals of our annual meeting just last weekend…the gospel reading, in particular…a favorite and well-known story…especially for its’ images in helping us see the call and response aspects of seeking to understand more clearly the role of our faith and beliefs and how they impact our daily decisions and actions throughout our lives…as individuals, and as a community of faith called to follow Jesus, in a way of love that enables healing, freedom from oppression, delivers us from a mindset of scarcity, creates abundance and more than enough for everyone, and promotes and establishes justice for every beloved child of God….

But, I seem to be getting a little bit ahead of myself here…

When I read and listened to this gospel story again this week…what’s really jumping out for me…is that small window of time when a split-second decision is about to be made…when we verbalize our intention…with a yes or a no…and then participate in all that enfolds after that…

Today’s gospel reading is full of such moments of declaring ones’ intentions…with a yes…

The crowds are pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God….

Jesus sees two boats there at the shore of the lake…

The fisherman are no longer in their boats…they are off washing their nets now…they are done for the day.

Jesus could have told the crowds to go away, he could have kept walking until he found someone else who was already sitting in their boat, getting ready to head out in their boat…but no…

Jesus makes a decision to get into one of the boats already there empty, and looks over and calls out to Simon, whose boat he is sitting in, and he asks him to put out a little way from the shore…

Simon could have said no…I’m too tired…go find someone else…

But, he didn’t send Jesus away. He said, yes…and joined Jesus in the boat, and listened along with the crowds as Jesus taught everyone who was there to listen that day about the love and grace of God that endures forever…

When Jesus was done speaking to the crowds, he could have just made the decision to ask Simon to go back to the shore, now that he was done teaching.

But, instead, he told Simon to go out a little deeper now, and to let the nets down. Jesus most likely knew that Simon and the others had already worked all night, and caught nothing, and were tired. Yet, perhaps Jesus desired to bring the scriptures alive for them, to surprise Simon and the others, to ease their discouragements, and shower them with signs of God’s abundant grace all around them…in what happened next.

Simon could have just said no, firmly sticking to his known story, that they had already fished all night, and there was nothing there to be caught. But, he responds to Jesus, with a yes…still not certain why he was even saying yes. Nevertheless…he says Yes…

And in the split-second decision of wavering between a yes or a no…the yes, even with all of its’ uncertainty…brought in a boatload of fish…an abundance of so many fish, that their nets were beginning to break…

I can only imagine the looks on the faces of the fisherman as all of this was happening… I can only imagine the chaos that ensued trying to handle it all…

Probably overjoyed, bewildered, astounded and overwhelmed by it all, they call out to their partners in another boat, to come and help them.

They could have just chosen to deal with it all on their own and not invited others to help, and the others could have responded No, when asked to help. But, once again…an invitation was extended and a yes answer revealed that Jesus, in the midst of them, was uniting them in love and care and support for one another.

There were so many fish…there was so much help…more than enough…

After all this happened…Simon Peter wasn’t even sure what to make of it all…maybe he was doubting all along, saying “no” under his breath, every time he said yes to Jesus…and feeling a bit humbled to have been called by Jesus to help him by using his boat; perhaps he was feeling unworthy to participate in and behold such a miracle…

All the others who were witness to this catch of fish were amazed too…and I imagine a little afraid, also…

What happened next after witnessing all Jesus taught, seeing the abundance of fish that were caught, and as we heard, all involved saying “Yes” to Jesus and to each other?

First…Jesus, assured Simon Peter …to not be afraid at all that he had just been witness to…to not be afraid of all the varying emotions that were most likely swirling around in his mind and his heart…

Jesus goes on to tell him… “from now on you will be catchers of people”.

Maybe Simon Peter is shaking his head again now…wondering what Jesus was talking about???? Catchers of people????

Or maybe, Simon Peter understood in some small way…what he meant…After all, Simon Peter did call out to invite others to join him in helping him with the miraculous catch of fish that was about to break their nets and sink their boats? Maybe he did “catch people” in this net of love?

The gospel reading ends today…with another affirmative response to Jesus…Simon, James and John say “yes” to following Jesus…

When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him….

During these past couple of years of the pandemic, we’ve been thrust into a lot of yes and no decision-making moments, in the midst of so much uncertainty…We’ve probably had to leave a lot of things behind, that we have loved…and we’ve had to learn new ways of trusting where our faith is leading us now…

I’d like to believe that you, along with me, have surely seen some abundant blessings fill your nets to overflowing during these uncertain times:

*because you have had the courage to say yes (when what you really wanted to say was no because you were afraid),

*because you have had the courage to trust the prompting of the Holy Spirit, as she nudged you forward to imagine something new (when you were tempted to say, “but we’ve always done it this way”),

*because the Holy Spirit nudged you to go someplace hard, that you’ve never had to do before…

*because the Holy Spirit nudged you to invite someone else to join you in your faith journey, encouraging them to answer yes to explore with you what it means to follow Jesus in 2021 and now in 2022…

Last week, we had a few new people say “yes” to joining the vestry, to serve as deanery and convention delegates…In our pledge campaign for this year, we had many returning pledgers and new pledgers say yes to making a financial commitment and gift to the church this year…we have new people responding to help with the worship services, with the upcoming work on the church buildings, and with outreach in the community…there is always, always, always, always room for more people to be invited and to be engaged in this work of the church, in our places of worship, and most assuredly, out in our communities and the neighborhoods where we live…

It really does take all of us, to be engaged in this kingdom-building, life affirming work of God…

So, the next time you find yourself in a moment of uncertainty, in a moment of decision that leads to declaring yes, I will follow you Jesus…Remember, that this work of God, is never something we do alone….God’s amazing grace goes with you always…

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Hymn after sermon: Amazing Grace

(sung by Ali Hosford)

1        Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,

          That saved a wretch like me!

          I once was lost, but now am found,

          Was blind, but now I see.

2        ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,

          And grace my fears relieved;

          How precious did that grace appear

          The hour I first believed!

3        The Lord has promised good to me,

          His word my hope secures;

          He will my shield and portion be

          As long as life endures.

4        Through many dangers, toils, and snares,

          I have already come;

          ’Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,

          And grace will lead me home.

5        When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

          Bright shining as the sun,

          We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise

          Than when we’d first begun.

Annual Meeting Day Sermon Reflection

4 Epiphany/Year C

January 30, 2002

Annual Meeting Day

Sermon time – Rev Julie Platson

*Share the St Peter’s year in Review 2021 (photo video)

Click on the link below:

St Peter's by the Sea - A year in Review 2021

Prayer (written by Kaitlin B Curtice)

Jesus,

We go through life assuming that you journey with us only at certain points, that only specific moments catch your eye.

But in truth, you journey with us everywhere and through everything.

You are there in the beginning, and you are with us through every new experience, in every space we inhabit, every season that calls us to ourselves and to the people around us.

You journey with us because your goodness is constant, and in that goodness we are, of course, never alone.

Hallelujah, that you have always been one who journeys.

Hallelujah, that you do not abandon the task…Amen.

As we prepare to meet after the service for our annual meeting…let this be a reminder for us…that God is here. God has always been with us. God will be with us for the long journey ahead….

Hymn after the sermon: Lord of all hopefulness (H) 482

Sung by Ali Hosford

1        Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,

          whose trust, ever child-like, no cares could destroy,

          be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,

          your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2        Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,

          whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,

          be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,

          your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

3        Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,

          your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,

          be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,

          your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

4        Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,

          whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,

          be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,

          your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit - JAN 23 SERMON

3 Epiphany/Year C – Jan 23, 2022

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Psalm 19; Luke 4:14-21

We hear a lot about the Spirit in today’s readings…

No, it’s not the Day of Pentecost…the feast day on the church calendar in late May, early June each year, when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit being poured out upon us, to unite people of all languages and cultures, in the family of God and to empower and equip each one of us…to proclaim the good news of God’s love, made known to us through Jesus and his marvelous works..

Today, on this 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany, we are reminded, once again, of the power of the Holy Spirit poured out upon Jesus, in his baptism, and in us, by our own baptisms into the household of God…and how calling upon the Holy Spirit, is key in influencing and sustaining our actions and outpouring of love in the world around us…

If we go back a few verses to Luke, chapter 3, we recall that Jesus has just been baptized…  and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

And immediately following his baptism, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.

Jesus emerges from the wilderness time, full of the power of the Holy Spirit, ready to begin his public ministry…first in Galilee…where he was praised by everyone…then on to his hometown, of Nazareth.

The Spirit led him and guided him in the wilderness time, in a time of temptation, and the Spirit is upon him now…as he answers the call to proclaim the good news to all in his presence that day in the synagogue, and as he sent out into the world to proclaim the good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Some have called these past couple of years of the pandemic a wilderness time. It’s surely been a time of struggle, and temptation to abandon our faith and our hope that anything will ever get better or change for the good of everyone…It surely has been a time that has left us wearied at times, and unable to see any clear opening or way forward in front of us…

It’s surely been a time of wondering and questioning…what can I do to help the poor, the hungry, and the homeless; what can I do that would proclaim release to the captives, those who are stuck in fear and hopelessness; what can I possibly do to help others see the hope that is present in this moment that can enable us to imagine a hope and a future before us; what actions can I take to set the oppressed free; what words can I offer to another; what words of love and support could I share with someone today, to set them free to know they are a beloved child of God…and set them free to love others, too…

I think that Jesus’ examples of being filled with the power of the Spirit, acknowledging and relying on the Holy Spirit to guide and prompt one into taking the next small step, gives us a starting point to discern what we can do.

As blogger, preacher girl Kate says, If Jesus, whom we believe was at once fully divine and fully human, needed to be filled with the Spirit of God – his own Spirit – to be effective in ministry, what does that say about us?

Perhaps, as baptized Christians, it reminds us to pause and pray for the Holy Spirit to open our eyes, and ears, and hearts and minds, as we explore our wonderings and questions…because when the world wants us to look away from the poor and the suffering, and only think about our own survival,  the Spirit says …look here…listen here…open your heart and hands to help…

Perhaps, as baptized Christians, it reminds us to pause and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us in all our decisions…because when the world tells us there isn’t an answer, the Spirit opens doors over and over again to new possibilities, new ways of doing things…

Perhaps, as baptized Christians, it reminds us to pause and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us recall our baptismal vows, and lead us in ways that help build up the body of Christ in the world…because when the world says just think about yourself…the Spirit prompts us to strive for the greater gifts…to love and respect the dignity of every human being…

Perhaps, as baptized Christians, as the Body of Christ, made up of many members, united by the one Spirit, here on earth and in heaven, it reminds us to pause and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us discern our call and the gifts given to each one of us to uniquely proclaim and share the good news of God’s love, revealed to us through Jesus and his marvelous works…To share this good news with all those we meet…at home, in church, in our communities or our workplaces…because when the world tells us we are not smart enough, good enough, gifted enough…the Spirit whispers a reminder from God that each one of us needs to hear…You are beloved…with you I am well pleased…You are enough….

In the words of Teresa of Avila….

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

Let us pray now for the Spirit of the Lord to be upon us and to unite us in the work and ministry we will be called to do in the coming days and months as the Body of Christ here on earth…In the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, and by the power of a Gracious Spirit and loving God, we pray…

Hymn after the sermon: Gracious Spirit, give your servants – (WLP) 782

(sung by Ali Hosford)

Gracious Spirit, give your servants

joy to set sin’s captives free,

hope to heal the brokenhearted,

peace to share love’s liberty.

Through us bring your balm of gladness

to the wounded and oppressed;

help us claim and show God’s favor

as a people called and blessed.

Word made flesh, who gave up glory

to become our great high priest,

taking on our human nature

to redeem the last and least:

let your courage and compassion

shape and guide our ministries;

as our Savior and our Shepherd,

lead us to the truth that frees.

Loving God, who birthed creation

from the nothingness of space,

kindling life where all was empty,

turning chaos into grace:

when we feel confused and fruitless,

dawn upon our restless night;

give us faith’s imagination,

hope’s renewing, love’s delight.

Triune God, eternal Being,

never ending, unbegun,

boundless grace and perfect justice,

righteous and forgiving One:

so enfold us in your mercy

that our wills and yours unite;

through us may the world behold you,

find your love, your truth, your light.

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Signs of God’s glory, light and love are all around us…

2 Epiphany/Year C/January 16, 2022

Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11

Signs of God’s glory, light and love are all around us…

When was the last time, you really thought about that…and believed it…with your whole heart, body, mind and spirit…

Signs of God’s glory, light and love are all around us…

In these sometimes, dark and difficult days we’ve journeyed through together these past couple of years of the pandemic…and as we begin a new year, with a fresh surge of the covid virus, when was the last time, you looked up, and all around you, with the hope of catching a sign of God’s glory, light and love all around us…

Today’s scripture readings, on this 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany…call our attention to being aware of these signs and looking for these signs…and seeing the light of God, revealed in Jesus, and brought to life in our relationships with God, with one another, and with all of creation…

Last week, on the 1st Sunday after Epiphany, Jesus was revealed in his baptism, as God’s beloved Son, and anointed by the Holy Spirit…and we were reminded that by our own baptisms, by water and anointing of the Holy Spirit, we too are called beloved children of God, and anointed by the Holy spirit to share in this way of life, with Jesus, the light of the world.

This week, we get another glimpse of who Jesus is, in the story about the wedding at Cana. And similar to last week’s setting with a crowd gathered at the Jordan River, this revelation happened in the midst of a community gathered again, only this time…for a wedding.

I think that’s an important piece to consider of how it is that we come to see signs of God’s glory, light and love all around us. 

Signs of God’s glory are revealed to us, when a community is gathered, with Jesus at the center, with Jesus as the light that opens our eyes, and our hearts to see the belovedness in ourselves, and one another. And I believe that the Holy Spirit is brought alive in us, when we recognize that in ourselves and in each other.

Think about all that happened in the wedding scene at Cana today.

There was Jesus, there was his mother, there were the servants, the chief steward. Each one helped each other take the next step, to ensure the guests, all those gathered to celebrate a marriage…were filled with joy…

And as many of us know, who have planned a wedding or recalls being in the midst of the celebration itself…it takes everyone, to ensure that it is a grand celebration…it takes all ears, and eyes and bodies to be on the lookout, for one another’s well-being…and enjoyment of the festivities for everyone gathered.

We all have a role in this shared life together…to be on the lookout for signs of God’s glory, light and love all around us…some days we are the ones helping others see the hope and the light and the love all around us…and on other days…someone else may be shining the light for you in your dark and sad moments…

Each one of us, as our reading from 1st Corinthians reminds us, has a gift to share in all of this… Think for a moment of those people in your life who have helped you see your belovedness… Have given you the courage to take the next step…Think for a moment of those YOU have helped along the way…ones you have helped to see their own belovedness and gifts they have been given, to share in this world…

Our lives together, are enriched and brighter beyond measure…when we all seek to be aware of the signs of God’s glory, light and love and seek to share it, through the gifts given to us, gifts meant to be shared with everyone we meet!

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Hymn after sermon: H538 – God of mercy, God of Grace

(vocalist: Ali Hosford)

God of mercy, God of grace,

show the brightness of thy face.

Shine upon us, Savior, shine,

fill thy Church with light divine,

and thy saving health extend

unto earth’s remotest end.

Let thy people praise thee, Lord;

be by all that live adored.

Let the nations shout and sing

glory to their Savior King;

let all be, below, above,

one in joy, and light, and love.

1st Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord

Today’s sermon reflection by Kit Mellema

Jan 9, 2022

Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Gifts given and received...

2 Christmas/Epiphany Sunday/Year C– Jan 2, 2022

Jeremiah 31:7-14; Psalm 84:1-8; Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a; Matthew 2:1-12

Gifts Given and Received

Happy New Year to all of you as we begin 2022!

Gifts given and received are on my mind this week…

One reason…is because as one year is ending and a new year is beginning…it’s a pretty common practice for many of us to look back and reflect on the past year…and when we set aside this time of reflection, it often helps us to recall the gifts given and received throughout the year…even in the midst of some troubling and sorrowful times…

It’s also an opportunity for us to think about how those practices of giving and receiving gifts in the past year, have influenced the way we have loved and cared for one another, in this sometimes heart-wrenching, ever-changing, chaotic world we inhabit with one other…

This time of reflecting back and remembering, also gives us the opportunity to contemplate on what gifts we want to carry forward with us, to share with another, in the coming year…

When I say gifts…I’m not really talking about material or monetary gifts; although, surely those are some of the gifts I’m thinking about… but, at this moment, I’m thinking more about the spiritual gifts that influence and transform our everyday lives together… I’m thinking about the people behind the gifts shared…our loved ones, our family and friends, the health care workers, the caregivers, the counselors, the first responders, the teachers, the artists, the musicians, the faith community leaders, the business owners and employees who assured we had the necessary food and material things we have needed and wanted, the too numerous people to name who have shared their gifts with us to help us walk through this last year together without giving up hope…for better days to come…

So, let’s take a moment now to reflect back a bit…on the topic of gifts…

 Looking back to the start of our pledge season this fall…our focus has been on gifts and gratitude…based on the scripture from James 1:17… “Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above…coming down from the creator of lights…”

As part of a year-end reflection time practice, I would invite you to go back to St Peter’s website page that includes all of the letters and reflections on gifts and gratitude from the Every Perfect Gift Pledge campaign this past fall…(https://stpeters-sitka.org/every-perfect-gift-pledge-campaign-fall-2021)... Once you have a chance to re-read some of them…ask yourself a few questions…what is coming to light for you now as you review them? What is it that you want to pay more attention to in 2022? What gifts of time, talent or treasure can you look forward to sharing with the church, the community, and the wider world in 2022?

In the season of Advent…I focused my sermon time on the gifts given in Advent – the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love…I encouraged you to be on the lookout for the signs of these gifts of God all around us, in the scriptures, the prayers, the music, and in the people and places we find ourselves…especially focusing on the greatest gift of all – the gift of God’s love… A love that changes everything and everyone it touches…A love that has the power to transform lives for those who believe…

Think back to some of those messages I shared about the gifts given in Advent…Are these gifts you want to carry forward into 2022? How might God be calling you in 2022 to be bearers of these gifts to others? How might God be inviting you to gratefully and graciously receive these gifts from God and through others?

My Christmas sermons focused on bringing all of these gifts together…shining light on the greatest gift of all, the love of God made known to us in the birth of a Savior, the Messiah, the Lord…the love of God who came down to dwell among us and walk with us…The One we came to know as Jesus.

In the scriptures throughout the Christmas weekend, we heard the good news about this greatest gift of all, proclaimed by the angels, the shepherds, and treasured and pondered in Mary’s heart…the good news that reminded us  that the light of God’s love has always been here…waiting to be born anew in our hearts, and in our lives…not just at Christmas time, but a light that burns in us throughout the whole year…a light that swells within each one of us, when we reach out to one another, to love one another, encourage one another, and support one another…in all the ways that we can…What a wonderful gift to give and receive!

I wonder how you might gather up all of these gifts together, the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love that you received in 2021…and use them in the coming year to lead others to the light and love of God who was born for us on Christmas Day, the One whom we call Jesus…the light of the world shining for us and in us, forever lighting the way for us to walk in love, with God, with one another, and with all of creation…

There will be so many different ways that each of us will be called in the new year to give and share our gifts, in gratitude for the greatest gift of all given to us at Christmas…

The wise men opened their treasure chests and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh….

In our hymn, we are about to sing…the donkey carried the mother up hill and down, to Bethlehem; the cow gave a manger and hay for the Christ child’s bed; the sheep gave them wool for a blanket and coat; the dove used its voice to coo and to comfort…

In 2022…in gratitude to God, and for the glory of God…What gifts will you give and share with others? What gifts are you longing to receive?

This year, I am longing for the gift of wisdom….

This year, I will be praying for the gift of wisdom as I reflect back on the past couple of years of living through these pandemic times and look for guidance in the coming year….

I will pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give us all a spirit of wisdom and revelation as we come to know him, so that, with the eyes of our hearts enlightened, we may know what is the hope to which he has called each one of us, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:17-19)

And I will not cease to give thanks for each one of you, for all the ways you have shared your gifts with others in this past year…I look forward to walking with you in this new year…full of promise and hope of what is yet to come….

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

*Hymn reflection after the sermon: The Friendly Beasts

The friendly beasts

Heralders Children's Choir (Utah)

https://youtu.be/vPR2ymhtEgg

Christmas Day Sermon: Gloria in excelsis Deo

Christmas Day– Dec 25, 2021

10am (in person)

Isaiah 62:6-12, Luke 2:8-20

On Christmas Day, we gather together to praise God for the gift of God’s love, the gift of God’s light born for us and anew in us, as we pause to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and as we await with hope for his coming again, someday…

Last night, we listened to part of the gospel story you hear today…and ended with verse 14…suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God is pleased!"

We hear those words again in today’s reading….as they sing out with joy…the glory of what has just taken place…a good news story to sing out to the heavens! A good news story about the glorious light of God’s love for every one of us….a love and light too wonderful to keep quiet or hidden…

It was the angel of the Lord…who was calming the fears of the shepherds in the fields…as she announced the Birth of the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord.

It was the glory of God shining through the angel and the multitude of the heavenly host, who gave the shepherds the courage perhaps…to set off on their journey to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to them… They went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them.

The shepherds were now the ones passing on the glorious good news of God’s love to the others…there was no way to contain the joy any longer….the joy and the love, and the light and the hope and the peace that they were witness to, when the angels proclaimed the good news to them! The good news that led them to the manger…that led them to reclaim the light of God, in their own hearts…

Mary treasured all that was unfolding that night, and was pondering all of what was happening around her…so much to take in… I think of Mary in this moment…as the one who somehow captured the essence of the confusing, and wonderful and joyful night…and held the space for us, held it up for us to see, as a sacred, delightful moment that it was…

And then we turn our attention to the shepherds again…as they returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

In such a simple and profound way…the light of God’s love born anew in us…cannot be contained…it grows larger and brighter with every moment we share it with one another…

That’s how God’s kingdom will come on earth, as in heaven… some day…when each one of us…opens our hearts to receive the love and light of God, who came down to dwell among us and walk with us….

And then proclaim it in the glorious and joyful songs of praise to God…and in the quiet moments with one another….

As we continue in these days of the pandemic…we could all use a little love and light, hope and peace, and surely some joy… to come into our hearts, and into our world…

Here’s the thing…It’s already here…It’s already here for us to re-claim and renew in our own hearts…and then it’s up to us to go out into our communities to share the light and love that the angels proclaimed, the shepherds shared, and that Mary holds up for us as a treasure…

Let us continue now, on this Christmas morning…by singing our praises to God in song… verses 3 & 4 of Angels we have heard on high…

 Come to Bethlehem and see

him whose birth the angels sing;

come, adore on bended knee

Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. (x2)

See him in a manger laid

whom the angels praise above;

Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,

while we raise our hearts in love.

Gloria in excelsis Deo. (x2)

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the se Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Christmas Eve Sermon - The Light of Christmas: Inside of us

Christmas Eve – Dec 24, 2021

6pm (on zoom)

Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 2:1-14

 The Light of Christmas: Inside of us

Instrumental of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” played immediately before the sermon

Yes!

Go tell it on the mountain,

over the hills and everywhere;

go tell it on the mountain,

that Jesus Christ is born!

I couldn’t help but feel the joy as that hymn was ringing out!

Yet, as we continue with the 1st verse of that hymn… the lyrics settle us down into a quiet moment of reflection…before moving us back to the joyful refrain….

The 1st verse in that hymn begins in this way:

While shepherds kept their watching

o’er silent flocks by night,

behold, throughout the heavens

there shone a holy light.

Aaahhh….the silent flocks by night…a holy light…

A moment of rest for our weary hearts and bodies…a moment for us to “behold”…to just sit in the quiet presence of the light that pierces the dark night skies, with a moment of quiet wonder and peace…

Yet…what we heard in the scripture reading tonight…is that the shepherds weren’t exactly feeling peaceful or restful at that moment…they were terrified…

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.

I get a sense that the angel somewhat quieted their fears for a moment with this bewildering good news of great joy for all the people…the angel even assures them that there will be a sign for them…so they know for sure that what the angels were proclaiming was true about the birth of a Savior…. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.”

Aaahhh….OK…all is well now…the shepherd’s fears are put to rest…

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God is pleased.”

What, what, what? What is all of this? What is happening? What is this joyful, glorious sound we hear? Where is all this light coming from? What does it all mean? Now what?

I imagine the shepherds are a bit terrified and joyful all at once right now, AGAIN……and at tomorrow’s Christmas Day service, we will hear a continuation of this gospel story…to find out what they do next….

For tonight, as we listen to this beloved Christmas gospel, in the midst of a pandemic that we thought would be all over by now… this is what I’m wrestling with and wondering aloud with all of you….

I’m wondering if you, too can relate to the fluctuation and flurry of the shepherd’s emotions in tonight’s gospel reflection….the ups and downs, the fears and wonderment, the joy and the hope and the unknowing…and the how can this be…what is all this that is happening…the good news that rings out in joyful song that prompt us to Go tell it on the mountain…yet at other times…the good news that allows for us a moment of rest in quiet awe and wonder of the light that has always been there, waiting to be born anew in our hearts, and in our lives….

That is the good news I’m hearing tonight as we celebrate the birth of Jesus …that in all the ups and downs, the joys and the sorrows, the knowing and unknowing…The light of God’s love has always been here…waiting to be born anew in our hearts, and in our lives…not just tonight on Christmas Eve….but a light that burns in us throughout the whole year…a light that swells within each one of us, when we reach out to one another, to love one another, encourage one another, and support one another…in all the ways that we can….

Most especially….as we continue in these times of the pandemic…

Throughout our lives, there will always be a new baby being born, and another life that is ending, there will be someone who is celebrating, someone who is grieving, someone who is feeling joyful and someone who is feeling sorrowful….But, in the midst of all these human emotions and the messiness and chaos of our intertwined lives…is the fulfillment of the promise of hope, peace, and joy being born for us this night and anew every day…God is with us … God has always been with us….God will be with us for all of our days to come….

That is what we celebrate on this special night: God is with us … The light of God’s love, the Love of Christmas that is inside each one of us….

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

Music Offering: The Light of Christmas (an original piece by Kevin Keating – Dec 19, 2021)

 This year

I'm alone in the wintertime

And the snow isn't falling

And the world doesn't smell of pine

This year

All the carols are sung silently

And the candles are all snuffed out

But a fire starts inside of me

It's the light of Christmas burning

The flames of joy and peace

The warmth of knowing no matter how cold

The love of Christmas is inside of me

This year

We might not be all together

And the churches might be empty

And the distance feels like forever

This year

Might be harder than any other year

And the night sky might be cloudy

But a single star shines clear

It's the light of Christmas burning

The flames of joy and peace

The comfort of always feeling like I'm home

The love of Christmas is inside of me

And I can feel it swelling up

And reaching through the void

It's Christmas as no matter what

I am with you

You are with me

We are with everyone

The light of Christmas is burning

With flames of joy and peace

And life everlasting and world harmony

The love of Christmas is inside of me

And inside of you

God's love...the greatest gift of all

4 Advent/Year C

Dec 19, 2021

Micah 5:2-5a; Canticle 15; Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

How can it be, that today is already the 4th Sunday of Advent…

How can it be, that Christmas is less than a week away now…

It seems like it was just last Sunday that I was shouting out Happy New Year to all of you, as we began the new church year on Nov 28th!

It seems like we just started lighting the candles on the advent wreath…beginning with Hope on week 1…but today, seemingly in the blink of an eye, here we are lighting the 4th candle for Love…along with the other candles for Hope, Peace, and Joy…

It seems like I was just getting started with singing the praises of the Advent season and its’ abundance of gifts that it has to offer us when we take the time to slow down, to be here now, and take the time to meditate and reflect more deeply on the scriptures, the stories and the songs of Advent…

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was encouraging you and reminding you, in this season of Advent, in this season of waiting and preparation… to set aside time each week to read and re-read the scriptures, the canticles, and the music appointed for each Sunday that sings out joyfully with the good news of what God is about to do…and is already doing in our lives today;  and to be on the look-out for the opportunities that are plentiful to share the gifts of this advent season with others… the gifts of hope, of peace, of joy and of course, Love…God’s love…the greatest gift of all…

Yes, I do believe that with all of my heart, my soul, and my mind that this Love, God’s Love…is truly the greatest gift of all…

It is this Love, the gift given and meant for all of us of God’s own self, who came among us, as the One we have come to know as Jesus…whose birth we celebrate each year on Christmas Day and whose coming again we anticipate with joy and wait with hopeful expectation….   

In today’s gospel reading, we are witness to an incredible moment of joyful anticipation and hopeful expectation between Elizabeth and Mary…Both pregnant…and in humble awe and wonder of it all…

Elizabeth is bubbling over with joy at the visitation of Mary and the news she has shared with her…

Mary is full of hope and breaks out into her own song of praise…proclaiming the greatness of God’s love…

A love that her spirit rejoices in, a love that has pronounced a blessing upon her, a love that has done great things for her, a love that is merciful, a love that is about to turn the world upside down and therefore right side up…

A love that is about to change everything and everyone it touches….

A love that has the power to transform lives for those who believe….

I believe with all of my heart, my soul, and my mind that Love, God’s Love…is truly the greatest gift of all…

I hope this Advent season has affirmed this belief in your own hearts, in your own souls and in your own minds too.

And as we journey together throughout this last week of Advent, pondering all the gifts this season has to offer us, and as we draw near to Christmas Day….I wonder if you too believe, that in addition to sharing the gifts of hope and peace and joy with one another,  the greatest gift we can give and receive in this Holy season and in all the seasons of our lives…is the Gift of God’s love….

Let us pray now, as we begin this final week of Advent with joyful anticipation and hopeful expectation…in the words and music of Hymn 66 – Come, thou long-expected Jesus…

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

The Hymnal 1982 - #66 Come, thou long-expected Jesus

1        Come, thou long-expected Jesus,

          born to set thy people free;

          from our fears and sins release us,

          let us find our rest in thee.

2        Israel’s strength and consolation,

          hope of all the earth thou art:

          dear desire of every nation,

          joy of every longing heart.

3        Born thy people to deliver,

          born a child, and yet a king,

          born to reign in us for ever,

          now thy gracious kingdom bring.

4        By thine own eternal Spirit

          rule in all our hearts alone;

          by thine all-sufficient merit

          raise us to thy glorious throne.

The Questions on the 3rd Sunday of Advent

3 Advent/Year C

Dec 12, 2021

Canticle 9; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:7-18

What then shall we do? Teacher, what should we do? And we, what should we do?

Those questions are what stood out for me this week as I was preparing my Advent reflection to share with you today.

Of course, John’s words at the beginning of the gospel always stop me in my tracks…But this year…the questions of those gathered at the Jordan River to be baptized and to hear what John had to say…kept pulling me in…

What then shall we do? Teacher, what should we do? And we, what should we do?

I don’t know…maybe I’m drawn to these questions because of living in these pandemic times the past couple of years…With all the uncertainties and ever-changing flow of information associated with this time of the pandemic…lots of new questions have come up on a daily basis…

At first these questions really frustrated me and has made me inpatient at times…and they still do every once in a while…

But, living in these uncertain times has also broken open a spirit of longing and hunger in me to ask the “Where are you, God?” questions and the “God, what should I do?” questions…This time of questioning and wondering aloud has awakened in me a strong desire to seek and recognize the signs of God’s hope, peace, joy and love present in our collective lives now, and as we wait for what is still yet to come… I’ve experienced a yearning, like no other time in my life before, to see and hear the good news about God’s saving grace and mercy in this moment of time…And, my prayers have been unceasing in asking God to ease the worrying and the anxieties of the human family in this time of the pandemic, and in this time of social unrest and political division. With thanksgiving and gratitude, I’ve let my requests be known to God, often…trusting and believing that it is the love of God, the Hope of God, the Peace of God, that will be the beacon of light and joy that will guide us through these pandemic times…

All these questions and wonderings…can inspire us to be on the lookout for signs of new life and new beginnings waiting to be born anew in our own lives, and of course, in the lives of all we share this sacred earth with…

In the season of Advent, we hear a lot about endings…but we also hear the good news proclaimed about new beginnings, as John balances it out for us in today’s gospel reading…He points others to the One yet to come…and gives his questioners some simple suggestions to help re-orient their lives to the creation of new beginnings, rooted in loving actions that will help prepare the way for a new kingdom that will come…here on earth….as in heaven….

What then shall we do? Teacher, what should we do? And we, what should we do?

I invite you to spend some time with those questions this week… Go back and read and re-read the scriptures, the canticles, and the hymns appointed for today…they sing out joyfully with the good news of what God is about to do…and is already doing in our lives today…  And then, look all around you, for the opportunities that are plentiful to bring about some hope, some peace, some love and some joy into each other’s lives….

When we ask these questions together, when we keep awake to the ways God is showing up in each other’s lives now…we slowly, but surely usher in a new way of living in this world together…a way of love that will bring us all through these pandemic times together….with a renewed hope, a renewed peace, a renewed joy in the Lord and a renewed love and respect for the dignity of every human being…

What then shall we do? Teacher, what should we do? And we, what should we do?

Right now, we should pray…with these joyful and hope-filled words of this advent hymn …Hark! The glad sound!…

Rev Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, AK

The Hymnal 1982 - #72 Hark! The glad sound!

1        Hark! the glad sound! the Savior comes,

          the Savior promised long:

          let every heart prepare a throne,

          and every voice a song.

2        He comes, the prisoners to release

          in Satan’s bondage held;

          the gates of brass before him burst,

          the iron fetters yield.

3        He comes, the broken heart to bind,

          the bleeding soul to cure;

          and with the treasures of his grace

          to enrich the humble poor.

4        Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace,

          thy welcome shall proclaim;

          and heaven’s eternal arches ring

          with thy beloved Name.