On one of the ordinary days in between Thanksgiving and Christmas last month, I entered our soup kitchen and was greeted by boxes. A lot of them. There were probably 15 large cardboard containers that had been shipped to us from an unknown source. And around the boxes stood a group of HASK staff, one of whom eventually opened the closest one. Inside were lots and lots of white, lunch sized bags. Each was beautifully decorated with a child’s drawing; brightly colored, some with messages as well. And in each bag were non-perishable snack and beverage items....

In Matthew’s Gospel narrative, it doesn’t take long for the coziness and light of the stable and the heavenly host to give way to fear and darkness. Power lashes out, in a twisted expression of violent self-preservation. Herod, threatened by rumors of a king that could supplant him, orders the murder of every male child in his region under two years of age.....

Poet Georgia Douglas Johnson was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in the late 19th century. She was a member of the Harlem Renaissance and wrote a few volumes of poetry published in the early 20th. Her work above, titled “Let Me Not Lose My Dream,” was originally published in Bronze: A Book of Verse in 1922. This poem might seem a bit dour for consideration five days before Christmas. After all, we have been through apocalyptic prophecies, John’s imprisonment, Mary’s shocking change of circumstances and Joseph’s dream-induced change of heart. Isn’t it time to move from preparation to celebration? From anguish to joy?...

Today, December 6, is the Feast Day of St. Nicholas of Myrna, and as I am writing this ahead of time my email is becoming flooded with requests for Giving Tuesday. We often refer to these December weeks as the “season of giving,” and with good reason: whether we are giving thanks, or our efforts, or a tangible or financial gift, the recommended focus during this time of year is other-centered. We look beyond ourselves for opportunities to connect; always lovingly, often sacrificially....

This is the exact time in the calendar year when we find ourselves poised on the outer edge of the “holiday season,” and ready to jump. Much has been said and written about the complexities inherent in these next six weeks; a time when high interpersonal expectations meet socio-cultural norms meet consumerism meets long, long “to do” lists. By any measure, it’s a lot. We know it’s a lot because we see some of the negative effects of this season in those around us. We might even feel them some ourselves....

When I was a young girl and sulking about having to do something social that I would rather avoid, my grandmother would always quote her own mother to me. When she was young and preparing to attend a gathering—happily or otherwise—my grandmother would get dressed in clothing appropriate to the occasion, comb her hair, and gather her coat and belongings to leave her home. As she got to the door, her mother would stop her. She did a superficial spot check to make sure all was well and then gave my grandmother a hug, adding some version of this statement as she walked out: “make them glad they asked you.”

A pastor in a book about giving recounts the following story: when he was a young boy, his mother used to send him on occasional errands to the local florist to pick up bouquets for the family dining table. He writes of how much he resented this chore. He didn’t care about having cut flowers in his home. He didn’t want to stop what he was doing to walk all the way to the shop to get them. On top of everything else, he really didn’t want to be seen out in his neighborhood carrying his purchase. He feared his friends might mock him, or incorrectly assume he had a romantic partner.....

Halloween came early to my neighborhood last weekend. Charlie and I are renting an apartment not too far from the Javits Center. Often, we have guests from far and near walking our streets from various conventions, getting air or looking for restaurants. Last weekend, New York Comic Con was in residence, so our visitors were more colorful and more noticeable than usual.....

Last Sunday, and for the next six weeks, our Adult Education at 10 am will be focused on The Way of Love. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry has recommended this broad and adaptable Rule of Life to those of us identified with what he calls “the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.” The Way includes seven practices, each meant to help us follow Jesus more intentionally and grow in God’s love: Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest....

What is it about autumn? Whether we are actively engaged with the academic year or not, there is something about Labor Day weekend coming and going; something about those days where the air is just a bit crisper and we notice it getting darker a tad earlier. Maybe it’s because so many of us were students for so long or because we live in the Northeast with its distinct seasons, but it’s hard not to feel the bittersweet combination of summer’s loss and the hope that accompanies new beginnings.