2018 Worship Guide

2018 Worship Guide LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Wednesday, December 5, 2018 Page 11 Bringing Christ’s light of love and peace into this world I n Austria in 1818, a young man named Father Joseph Mohr (a Roman Catholic priest) wrote the lyrics to a Christmas hymn sung by almost all Christian congregations throughout the world at their Christmas Eve services as they light candles in dim lighted sanctuaries. This year is the 200th anniversary of those lyrics that have found a way into our hearts. The music was composed initially for guitar by Frances Xaver Gruber. Gruber was an accomplished organist, but the organ was broken that year, so he composed it on the guitar and he and Father Mohr sang it at their Christmas worship service. One man wrote the lyrics, and one man wrote the music which would effect the hearts of Christians for centuries. Baby Jesus was born into the Bethlehem of their hearts. Baby Jesus is born into each of our hearts to change the world. Each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made” to shine Christ’s light of love and peace into this world. Those of us who call ourselves Christian have that same creative, loving, peaceful heart where the baby Jesus is born. This Christmas, as we sing “Silent Night” and the light of Christ shines in our sanctuaries and is reborn yet again in our hearts, ponder how is it that you can make this world a place of peace and love. In this broken world filled with strife and divisions, Christ calls each of us to bring calm, brightness, tenderness and peace to help heal and love this world God created and is creating through the gifts God gives us. May your Christmas be filled with the light of the newborn Christ in your hearts! Rev. Laurie Hill St. John United Church of Christ in Lincoln