James Derkits

At the beginning of this Advent,  the season leading to Christmas, I sat alone in my living room after everyone else in my family was in bed. In the dark and in silence, I lit the first candle on our Advent wreath. Since I can remember, the way to Christmas each year has been through Advent--the season of preparing and waiting. This year as I lit the candle, I asked God, and I asked myself on God's behalf: "What is being born in me this year?" If, with the Psalmist, we believe that God puts a new song in our hearts, and that Christmas is God's own incarnation in the world, then the experience of Christmas isn't a simply historical recounting of something that God did long ago, it is also, and perhaps most importantly, what new thing God is doing right now. This Christmas this year is about how God is becoming incarnate in the rag-tag manger of our hearts once again. I pray that what will be born in my heart this year is Christ's loving compassion for all...

In October, the Bishop of Costa Rica joined our clergy conference at Camp Capers. He was inspiring, and the story of transformation he shared of their journey from maintaining an established (struggling) church to becoming a healthy church living as a missional community was inspiring. Photos from Marine Dream One of the metaphors he used for participating in the work of the Holy Spirit was surfing--a symbol they certainly have in abundance in Costa Rica. The Holy Spirit is like a wave, and is as abundant as waves on the ocean, and is as accessible. They are present to us if we but paddle out and catch them--as the Holy Spirit is accessible to us, if we would only rely on it to guide us. In recent months, my wife, Laura has been bitten by the surf bug. She surfs as often as possible, and if there are no waves, she is likely to go paddle around our local pier for practice. I've witnessed changes in her; in her attitude toward life, and even a reorientation around what is mos...

In a little less than a month there will be middle eastern refugees looking for a place to stay. You will be asked if you have room for them. As usual, many will close their doors to them, until finally this runaway family will end up living with animals, and there a child conceived out of wedlock will be born. At least that's how two of the Gospel writers tell the story. Two of them don't even bother with the birth story, in those Gospels we just jump right to the ministry. I have my favorite family stories of the Christmas experience that I carry in my memory, and we are building happy memories for our son as he grows and finds the surprising gifts under our Christmas tree on December 25. We're also being careful that the American-Santa theology is not the only thing our son learns this time of year; he is also learning about God's Incarnation in Jesus Christ. American-Santa stories and songs teach that if you're good you are rewarded, and if you are bad yo...