Fermata Dec 3, 2021: Shepherds at the Manger

Fermata is the weekly newsletter describing some of the past week’s highlights from Notes of Rest, which is my spiritual retreat ministry that interweaves text, music, and questions for the sake of cultivating stillness, introspection, and creativity in communities so that all may rest. I'd love to host a Notes of Rest for your church, seminary, or affinity group. Feel free to reply to this email to start the conversation!

Recap: Luke 2:8-20

This week's Fermata comes from a session I held on Wednesday with UMC clergy here in the Northern Illinois Conference. It was a precious time of relating to the shepherds in the fields who kept watch over their flocks by night. We thought about the fact that the shepherds in the room - the pastors of these local congregations - could not manufacture God's grace, but rather had to receive it when it came. With all of the challenges that pastors are under in these complex times, it was a delight to my soul to see these modern-day shepherds of God's flocks take rest from their labors and behold the manger of Christ in their hearts. Because we cannot manufacture God's grace, that can make our church plans harder to pin down, but it can also make God's presence all the more glorious.

How does God's gracious presence feel to you? What unusual instructions did God give you in the past that your obedience bears the fruit of today?

May The Lord of Rest grant us it today, for salvation has come and is coming. Indeed, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, even when the angels tells us that God has come to earth in order to sleep in a farm animal trough.

abundantly,
Julian