"Once the star in the sky is gone and the kings are back home, that is when the work of Christmas begins." -Howard Thurman

How would you describe the work of Christmas?

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Luke 2:8-20
Now in that same region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and 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. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 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 he favors!”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So 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, and Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Adriene Thorne, the Senior Minister at The Riverside Church. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Silent Night by Elise Solberg.

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"Every day I show up and every day I overcome my anger and my hopelessness and every day I perform my little toil of love. That, I deem, is large enough for me. "

What is the "little toil of love" that you are called to?

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I had no time for hate.
The grave would hinder me.
For life is not so ample
I could finish enmity.

Nor had I time for love.
But, since some industry must be
My little toil of love, I deem
Is large enough for me.

(Emily Dickinson)

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, the General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Evelyn by Goldmund.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

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"God doesn't seek the palaces of the privileged but God seeks to be in the dust and the dirt, the muck and the mire, the realness of humanity. God is not found in the holy and the sacred places but among the ordinary people and the ordinary moments of our lives."

Where have you found God lately?

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Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Brandan Robertson. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Release Me by Corrina Repp.

• Visit www.brandanrobertson.com to learn more about Rev. Brandan Robertson.

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"You never get a second chance to make a first impression." -Will Rogers

What is the first impression you hope to give to others?

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Romans 1:1-7
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles for the sake of his name, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

//

This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Reflection by Moments.

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"There is a wonder and beauty in hearing our voices rise, the diversity of harmonies, the unity of lyrics."

What songs do you always find particularly moving and powerful?

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Benjamin Perry. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence played by Carl Stronach.

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"After all the meditating is done, not forever, but for the moment—we are called to act—to follow Jesus into the world—doing the gospel."

As you follow Jesus into the world, where is he leading you?

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Luke 3:15-18
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

//

This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Michael Livingston. This episode was originally published on December 21, 2018, as part of Season 2. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include RelinquishDowntown, We Make a Good Team, and Rain On Glass by Podington Bear.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

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"We need God-with-us to fight off systems of injustice, to learn how to love our neighbors, and to enjoy this beautiful world that God has given us."

How does 'Immanuel' inspire and empower you to work for justice in this world?

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Isaiah 7:10-16
Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” Then Isaiah said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Dr. Nyle Fort, the Minister of Justice, Advocacy, and Change at The Riverside Church. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, O Come O Come Emmanuel by Andy Ellison, and Golden Light by Reveille.

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"If the Lord is calling you to play a particular role, whether it is to birth a dream of your own or to support the birth of another person's dream, fear not."

What dream is God inviting you to support or give birth to?

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Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

“Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”

which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife but had no marital relations with her until she had given birth to a son, and he named him Jesus.

//

This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Dr. Debra Northern. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Canon in D as played by Amanda Welch.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

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"Hope is more than a birthday wish we make with our eyes closed. It is a declaration that we believe and embody and bring to life in the world around us."

What's your definition of hope?

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This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat, the Digital Minister at The Riverside Church. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, The Afterlife by Yacht, and The Tide by Alex Fitch.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.chat.openai.com to try out ChatGPT for yourself.

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"Dear God, please enlarge our hearts to love each other, to love our neighbor, and to love our enemy as our friend."

What would it look like for God to enlarge your heart?

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Matthew 11:2-11
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What, then, did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What, then, did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Cameron Trimble, the CEO and Founder of Convergence. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, A Certain Silence by Holiday on the Moon, and Glasgow by Falls.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.CameronTrimble.com to find out more about Rev. Cameron Trimble and her books. Visit www.convergenceus.org to find out more about Convergence.

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"Patience like a farmer recognizes that we aren’t the only force working on whatever it is we are currently tending to."

How would you describe your relationship with patience?

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James 5:7-10
Be patient, therefore, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Brothers and sisters, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

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This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Bethany Peerbolte, a Digital Minister and TikTok Pastor in the Denver, Colorado area. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Living For the Dead by Corrina Repp.

• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go.

• Visit www.rev-bethany.com to find out more about Rev. Bethany Peerbolte. Visit www.tiktok.com/@revbethany to follow her on TikTok.

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