O Holy Night

December 11, 2023
Devotional by: John Moore

 O holy night!
The stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.

It's the first line in this beautiful hymn.  It took on a greater meaning just a couple of decades ago as Hoyt Jackson sang this at every Christmas Eve night at church. 
One year he suffered a stroke and was unable to sing that year. But he recovered and it seemed miraculous when Hoyt was able to start singing again.

About two years later, my mother also suffered a stroke. She was struggling with her recovery. I brought my parents here at Christmas about a year later to enjoy the holidays, and I convinced my mother to come to our Christmas Eve service. I told her about Hoyt and all of the circumstances surrounding his difficulties. And as he began to sing, it was a light bulb moment. It seemed to spur her on.  She also sang very well in her younger years. At first, it was just humming, but as the days and weeks went by, she experienced a new light in her life.  

 We too can experience that light if we allow Him to shine into our lives.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

December 10, 2023
Devotional by: Lorene Malanowski

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Lyrics by Joseph Scriven, c. 1855, for his mother who lived in Ireland and he in Canada

There are so many hymns that speak to me. Most recently, Meghan and the strings played “What a friend we have in Jesus” as the opening voluntary in church. It struck me that I had not heard this hymn for a while and I remembered how it had touched me as a little child. At that time, I cherished the idea that Jesus was my friend who loved me and on whom I could always depend. Now what strikes me is the line, “We should never be discouraged.” In the last few years, I believe I have forgotten that phrase and have been discouraged many times. The rest of that phrase, “Take it to the Lord in prayer”, is what we all need to remember when the state of our lives, our communities, our country, and/or the world, tend to leave us discouraged and not very hopeful. Isaiah 43:19 demonstrates that we should never count GOD out in bringing beauty out of brokenness or miraculous paths through wildernesses. In the meantime, as we wait, let us all “take it to the Lord in prayer.” 

 Prayer – My friend, Jesus, fill our hearts with hope, knowing you are always there for us. Amen

Silent Night

December 9, 2023
Devotional by: Ann Leighton Jackson

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

As you can imagine, our house is anything but calm or silent. There is lots of noise and chaos, but the busyness of life with four young children also brings lots of joy. Our children’s excitement steadily builds with all the Christmas activities and traditions in December. Decorating the Christmas tree, adding to our advent calendar, Christmas caroling, and seeing Santa are just a few activities they look forward to. Our children’s anticipation reminds me of the season of Advent. Advent calls us to wait with hopeful hearts. In the waiting, we learn to surrender our impatience and embrace the grace of God’s plan unfolding.

 The hymn “Silent Night” is one that I always sang to our newborn children when they awakened in the middle of the night. I would sing the first verse over and over, hoping they would quickly fall back to sleep. If you know my singing abilities, you know my lullaby didn’t always work. As I sang that first verse, I would have a sense of peace, knowing my baby would eventually sleep again. I was also reminded of the overwhelming love Mary must have felt for her newborn child. I bet that night in Bethlehem was far from calm or quiet. I’d like to believe that on the night of our Savior’s birth, there was immense joy and excitement that brought noise and maybe a little chaos, too.

This Advent season, let us welcome the meaning of “Silent Night” in our lives. May we find solace in the quiet moments (even if they are far and few between), seeking God’s presence and sharing his love with others. Let us remember that waiting is also a gift, as it lets us trust in God’s plan. May the hymn “Silent Night” remind us of the boundless love of a mother, the miraculous birth of our Savior, and the everlasting peace that dwells within us all. 

Rise Up Shepherd, and Follow

December 8, 2023
Devotional by: Ashley Hawk

Follow, follow
Rise up, shepherd, and follow
Follow the star to Bethlehem
Rise up, shepherd, and follow

I remember, very fondly, this hymn being sung during an advent service, or perhaps a Lessons and Carols, and it stuck. I sang it out loud (sorry to those who had to hear) and in my head for weeks. Before long, my entire family, both immediate and extended, knew my affinity for the song. Hence, my 2007 Christmas present (see photo). 

Unbeknownst to me, mom (Kathy Moorhead), Gramps (Paul Shumake), Mimi (Connie Shumake), Christie, Colleen, and Bryson planned a thrilling rendition of Rise Up Shepherd and Follow for me on Christmas Eve 2006. Mom on the tambourine and stunning vocals from the Shumake/Burke crew. It brought both the biggest smile to my face and greatest joy to my heart. In many ways, it was the embodiment of what church meant to me growing up. 

As a lifelong member of the church, a majority of my core memories belong to this institution. MPC gave me the confidence to move forward in life. All thanks to the many mentors who guided me along the way. MPC taught me to respect my neighbors and myself. To love others unconditionally. To show up when in doubt, and most importantly to love our God above all others. Serving on the PNC these last few years afforded me the opportunity to experience these lessons 10-fold. I’m so fortunate to belong to a church family that embodies the basics of human nature and what it means to be a Christian.

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly

December 7, 2023
Devotional by: Becky Thompson

Infant holy, infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing Christ, the babe, is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the babe is Lord of all!
Christ the babe is Lord of all!

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of the gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the babe was born for you;
Christ the babe was born for you.

I’m spending Thanksgiving at the renovated 1950s brick story and a half that sheltered and housed my husband, Joe’s, family through seasons of feast and famine. My grandchildren, children, and husband are all here with me.

We gathered early this Thanksgiving to celebrate the life of Joe’s sister, Billie, who restored the 1930s family home next door and enjoyed life there like her ancestors, modified with indoor plumbing.

Unlike a lot of others, this family is still centered around their inherited land, a mostly, working farm. The air is thick with memories, both joyful and wistful. Stories and images of Billie’s 1967 Volkswagen Bug remind us of Billie’s youth and work.

I walk to the barn where the hay is stacked to the ceiling. The cattle munch in the field. Their menu of pasture grass hasn’t been supplemented yet this year. Even though the nights are cool in North Carolina tonight, I can picture making a little nest like the chickens do and curling up for the evening. Sleeping under the stars, smelling the sweet hay might offer a good night’s rest.

Walking to the barn always stirs the memories of that first Christmas. My instincts are telling me that in this ancient story, God’s nurturing Spirit still whispers to us, “I am with you. Never forget”.

Silent Night

December 6, 2023
Devotional by: Jim Malanowski

Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy Infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace

My dad wasn't what I would call a 'devout' Catholic. That night, Christmas Eve, he relaxed in his easy chair, ironically leaning into his birthday the next day.

In the meantime, my mom, my older sister, and I dutifully went to midnight mass. While we were in the church, unbeknownst to us, napkin-sized snowflakes started to fall outside.

After church, as we trudged the short distance down the street to our home, with the huge snowflakes continuing to waft down around us, the streetlight seemed to illuminate each flake.

The only sound was the fresh snow crunching under our feet and the cars quietly whirring by as they struggled to move through the wet, new snow.

Moved by the mass that we'd just attended, the beautiful scene around us, and the Christmas warmth we shared, my mom spontaneously broke into a quiet, then as we joined her, a louder, rendition of "Silent Night".

As we sang, a sense of peace fell over us. It was palpable. That was truly one of the most memorable Christmas moments of my life; and one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. It was a moment that will always make "Silent Night" my favorite Christmas carol.

Prayer: Lord, Grant us Peace...Your Peace...not just at Christmas, but every day of our lives.

Mary Did You Know?

December 5, 2023
Devotional by: Tripp & Townes Pittman (and Mom)

Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven's perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the great, I Am

We listen to this song on repeat during the Christmas season—the Pentatonix version, of course. At this point, the boys know that every time I turn it on, I will inevitably cry my eyes out. As a momma, it gets me every single time. As a pastor, it’s a reminder of Who I serve. That being said, it has become a favorite and here is what Tripp and Townes had to say about it….

Tripp: “I like this song because it surprises you… it’s like ‘Wow.’ It helps me remember that Jesus was someone’s son and that He really did all of those things! I don’t really think of Jesus as being a baby but I guess He really was!”

Townes: “I just really like the song. It makes me think about Jesus and that He and God are always with me, even when I have to do scary things. It also reminds me that Mary was a mom just like you’re a mom.”

O Holy Night

December 4, 2023
Devotional by: Christine Smith

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining;
‘Til He appears and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born
O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

Growing up as a child of Madison Presbyterian Church, one of my most favorite Christmas memories was attending the Christmas Eve service and hearing Hoyt Jackson sing “Oh Holy
Night”. It didn’t truly seem like Christmas until his voice serenaded and washed over the congregation each year. When I got married and began spending Christmas Eve with “those
other people”, aka my in-laws (who I adore), I found I still needed a “fix” of my most favorite Christmas hymn. I found it in the soulful voice of Mariah Carey. If you haven’t listened to her version, do yourself a favor, and do so right away. Talk about hearing the Angel voices!

I have often thought about this hymn and why it resonates so much with me. I think it relates to the excitement, anticipation, and joy I felt each Christmas as a child, which has now transitioned to the excitement, anticipation, and joy I feel watching my own children experience the Christmas and Advent seasons. Now though, the words of this hymn carry a totally different weight. Now, I am aware of the daily mess-ups, the heaviness, the occasional heartbreak, the intermittent guilt, and the everyday burdens that we as humans carry on our hearts. But through all of that, there is a thrill of hope! We, the weary world, have an opportunity to fall to our knees, to focus on the good, and to rejoice in the promise that Christ Jesus is coming!

To me, it’s easier to focus on the good and to choose joy during a season where excitement, love, and hope abound. But what happens when Advent is over? When the baby is no longer in the manger? I’d like to think that the stars still shine brightly, that the weary world still has an opportunity to rejoice, and that each day brings a new and glorious morning. The night that Christ was born was certainly a Holy night, but I think that we can find thrills of hope long after the Advent season has come and gone. That’s my prayer for my little family and for my Madison Presbyterian Church family, anyway. Lord, let our soul feel its worth and see the Holy in the day-to-day. Amen.

My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less

December 3, 2023
Devotional by: Christie Jones

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

This hymn was written by Edward Mote in 1834 with the original title “The Immutable Basis for a Sinner’s Hope”. The refrain refers to the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders and is a metaphor for Christ as a rock with a firm basis in scripture.

Hope is a funny word, used in many familiar phrases – Hope springs eternal . . . I have high hopes for . . . Keep your hopes up . . . Don’t lose hope . . . Hoping against hope. And it changed for me in 1981 when my sister gave birth to her third daughter and had already picked out her name, Hope.

But, Hope didn’t meet expectations - she arrived a few weeks early, weighing less than 5 pounds; one leg was wrapped over a shoulder so it stuck out like a third arm; she was jaundiced and had to wear a mask under lights; and she was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. My sister and her husband had two healthy daughters who were 9 and 7 years old at the time. They had no idea before her birth that Hope would be anything but healthy. She was in and out of the hospital that first year of life and none of us were sure she would live to celebrate her first birthday.

Fast forward to 2023 and Hope is 42 years old, living with her younger sister’s family in Florida. While she’s considered “low functioning”, Hope has lived a very full life. She was included in all of the family activities – being a bridesmaid in one sister’s wedding, going to Disney parks, wading in the ocean, swimming in her sister’s pool. Over Thanksgiving this year, she visited the Georgia Aquarium with two sisters, two nieces, and a nephew.

Having a front-row seat to Hope’s life has taught me so much. Her life is an example of what happens when your expectations aren’t met but the outcome is still really good.

So, this Advent season, I am going to try to make sure my hope is placed in the right place – in the newborn baby born over 2,000 years ago who, by the way, didn’t meet expectations of what a Savior would look like.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.“- Romans 15:13