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Fellow Boomers, we’ve been through a lot since we graduated from high school. Are you wondering what it all means? if faith and reason are compatible? Justice vs. mercy?  Faith vs. action? What do contemporary Christian thinkers and doers have to say? What might God want of our generation politically, now that we are in the peak working years or closing in on retirement? What would it be like to have faith friends to seek answers with? An organizing meeting will be held Sunday, Jan. 13, 9 am at Burns Memorial United Methodist Church, 1095 Newark St, Aurora. Enter through the lower level door on Newark. The group is being organized by Douglas King and Michele Zuniga and current plan is to include video, speakers, discussion, prayer and action arising from our studies. For more information Contact  303-886-9175. Newcomers encouraged. 

After the carols and prayers and lighting of the Advent candles, a uniformed UPS guy ran down the aisle with a special delivery for the pastor, who was just settling down among a flock of children. With much ado the package was opened, and the children were delighted to identify the pieces of a nativity set, telling the Christmas story. "We need to tell each other the story," the Pastor said. "We need to tell each other every year, so we remember: The baby Jesus’ name is "God-With-Us." 

Pastor Peter’s sermon this morning the fourth Sunday of Advent related the family drama of this human part of the Christian story, an engaged couple with their own plans suddenly turned upside down by the plans of the Divine. "Bring up the boy as your own," the Angel told Joseph. "Marry the girl." And so, despite his upset, dismay and doubt, Joseph did marry the girl, which set them on the path to a nice settled life. No. Hardly. On the path of a delivery, if such a passive word as delivery could describe the fear, pain and risk of childbirth in a stable, disrupted by appearance of shepherds with wild tales, foreigners, government agents, and a warning to get out of Dodge because they were about to be arrested, sending them on a fast trip into exile across the border with a newborn. Homeless, fleeing violence. Hardly their own sweet dreams by the fire about their life together. Not their plans. And yet and yet, where does this story leave me today? One, with a conce

  A memorable Christmas memory is when my second brother, Simione was born. We were born and raised in American Samoa a territory of the United States of America. This is where my humble beginnings started prior to moving to Hawai’i. Simione was born on Christmas Eve in 1986 at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Tropical Medical Center. A baby who had a head full of black hair and bright brown eyes was brought home on the 26th of December. When he was brought home, he came with Mom, Ilaise, bio- logical father, Lopaki and gifts for my brother, Taniela, sister Jean and myself. My family was given three more gifts in the years to follow, brothers Vikilani, Pingi Jr., and stepdad, Pingi Tavake, Sr. (Dad who’s been there through the years), three sisters in-law, 14 nieces, nephews. Simione coming home with gifts from the hospital meant so much to me. This is the beginning of knowing about Christmas gifts aside from religious beliefs and activities. God has gifted me with so much, my husband Ngalumo

Yesterday the grandkids were over to bake sugar cookies and paint ornaments. What a joyful afternoon! Sean, the 7-year old asked me if we were celebrating Hanukkah. He was studying the Advent wreath and could tell some candles had been lit.  So we got in a huddle and lit the three candles. I told them about the Prophets and the candle of Hope, the Shepherds and the candle of Faith, and Mary's candle of Joy. We sang, "Away in a a Manger" and that was enough. Except for the 4-year-old, Beeboo, who, clearly anticipating the fourth candle, asked, "What about the Fairies?" "Angels," I said. Pastor Peter mentioned this morning that amid all the hubbub of Secular Christmas, this was our chance to be quiet and listen for the voice of God in the stillness. And in the prayers and Scripture and sermon, in the image of the shepherds in the field keeping watch over their flocks by night, there was a moment when I did have that sense of stillness.  I'm glad for