Summer Power in the Spirit, 2021
July 13, 2021
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We're glad you're a part of the Power in the Spirit online community this week. Here's what you can expect each day:
- This Morning Devotional, including writings, a recorded message, and at-home arts and crafts
- An Evening Workshop at 6:30 PM, led by presenters from the Virginia Synod and beyond. To see the complete schedule of workshops, click here. We will open the Zoom Room at 6:15 PM each day so that sessions can begin promptly at 6:30 PM.
- An Online Evening Prayer Service, beginning at 7:30 PM. This is also in the Power in the Spirit Zoom room.
Want to catch up on past sessions and devotionals? Visit the Power in the Spirit page at the Virginia Synod website. We'll keep updating this throughout the event, so be sure to check it frequently. Click here to view past sessions and devotionals.
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Click the image above for a closer view. |
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How to join the Zoom Room, and other tips |
Our evening sessions begin at 6:15 PM, Sunday through Thursday. After gathering and announcements, our presentations begin promptly at 6:30 PM. To join the Zoom Room, look for the link that you received in your confirmation email. The confirmation email you received will work all week long.
TONIGHT: BREAKOUT ROOMS! When we gather this evening, you will need to select your breakout session as soon as you enter Zoom. Review the diagram in this box and look for the breakout rooms icon so you'll be ready. Synod staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist you.
If you still need help finding the link to join the live Zoom session, please email Pastor David Drebes at pastordrebes@gmail.com. |
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This Year's Theme:
Advent in July!
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About this year's theme: the season of Advent is a season of waiting. The Church waits to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and the Church waits for his return in the fulfillment of time. The Church spends the season of Advent waiting, even though we know what to expect on Christmas day. The Church spends this season waiting, not knowing “the day or the hour” when Christ will come again.
Over the past year and half, the Church has been called to wait in other ways, aside from our traditional waiting season. The events of the last year have required us to delay or cancel plans, to drastically change the ways we worship, and to look for signs that change is coming.
Power in the Spirit Online, 2021, will be “Advent in July” as we reflect, wait, prepare, and celebrate.
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A Poem for the Third Sunday of Advent: |
Stained Glass
© Edith Blake
Sun rays illuminate your panes
So, illuminate our lives.
Show us your prisms of color
Lighting our ways.
Reds, blues, yellows, greens
Life, death, resurrection
Love flowing
Grace abounding
Peace, Joy, Comfort
Radiate in your panes.
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Design by Vickie Devilbiss |
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Our daily themes are based on the traditional antiphons and readings for each Sunday of Advent, plus Christmas Day. Advent is a season for hope, and these readings, prayers, and reflections can help direct our hopes in the proper direction. Today's theme is rejoice.
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A Reading from Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7 |
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. |
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Devotional Reading: Ephrem the Syrian on the Nativity |
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From Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns, translated and introduced by Kathleen McVey, Classics of Western Spirituality, 1989, pp. 79-80.
There are two things that seem to matter most when we approach Christmas. One is being with kin, being with as many family members as possible. I think the reason most people value holidays is precisely because they are times when families make an effort to get together.
The second thing that makes Christmas so meaningful is that Christmas is the greatest example in history of God bringing Good Tidings to the world. Isn’t that what the Archangel Gabriel himself said to the shepherds: “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).
The question is, what unites the notion of family and the good news of Jesus’ birth at Christmas? Enter Ephrem the Syrian, an important theologian of the early church in Syria in the 4th century. Among the thousands of hymns written by Ephrem are 28 hymns on the Nativity. My favorite Nativity hymn by Ephrem is #2. I love this hymn because of the line “prayer is next of kin to good tidings.” With that one line, Ephrem has united prayer, kin, and good news into the story of Jesus’ birth. But he has done even more than that. Starting from the assumption that Mary was at prayer when Gabriel showed up to announce good news to her, Ephrem realized that good tidings seem to always come when we are prayer. Here’s how Ephrem expresses it in his Second Hymn on the Nativity (verses 17-19):
What indeed was the pure woman doing at the moment when Gabriel was sent down to her? She saw him perhaps at the moment of prayer, for Daniel was also at prayer when he saw Gabriel for prayer is next of kin to good tidings. It is right that they should delight one another
as Mary did Elizabeth, her next of kin. The dove bore good tidings for prayer. By Abraham’s prayer good tidings proliferated.
Hezekiah’s prayer hastened and proclaimed good tidings to him. The centurion’s good tidings caused his prayers to be joyful,
and on the roof terrace Simon was made joyful, and Zechariah at the reward of his incense;
his good tidings came because of his incense. All good tidings came to the harbor of petition;
this greatest of all good tidings, the cause of all rejoicing, found Mary at prayer and eagerly desired her.
Has there ever been a more beautifully written hymn about Mary, or about prayer or about the good tidings of Christmas? This Christmas as we get together with our families and cherish that time together, let’s not forget that when we think of family, prayer is next of kin to good tidings.
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A Word from Pastor Leslie Weber |
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Each morning we hear from a leader in our Virginia Synod who speaks about today's theme. Today, we give thanks for this message from the Rev. Leslie Weber. Click the video to hear her reflection. |
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Do you need closed captions? YouTube will generate them for you! Once you're on the video page, just look for the "cc" symbol and click it. |
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Tonight's Live Workshops on Zoom, 6:30 PM |
Join us on Zoom at 6:15 PM tonight! Our presentations will begin promptly at 6:30 PM! Look for the email you received on Sunday with your special link!
Stay for worship at 7:30 PM!
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Mending a Nation's Broken Faith |
America is at a crossroads, dealing with a great political divide
and racial injustice. How have we strayed so far from, and more importantly, how can we return to, God’s intended vision of beloved community? In this workshop, Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse draws from the insights of his new book The World is About to Turn: Mending a
Nation’s Broken Faith, reminding us of what we have in common as people of faith. We will explore concrete ideas for moving forward into a new future with love, respect, and mutual understanding.
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The Rev. Dr. Rick Rouse, ELCA Parish Consultant
(Rick Rouse will be Bible Study leader next year at Power in the Spirit 2022—on campus at Roanoke College!)
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Explore this new ministry for all who are interested in learning more about what goes into a sermon, and how lay people may have opportunities to preach in the years ahead. We’ll even include some preaching exercises of our own! |
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The Rev. Kelly Bayer Derrick, Assistant to the Bishop of the Virginia Synod |
The Rev. Colleen Montgomery, Director for Digital Ministries of the Virginia Synod & All Places Together
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“Mary, Did You Know?” is the repeated question asked of Mary the Mother of Jesus every Advent and Christmas season in song. This July, let's change the question around to "Do you know Mary?" Join Pastor Anne Jones Martin to explore the ways Mary has been remembered throughout history and explore a Lutheran understanding of her. |
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The Rev. Anne Jones Martin, Christ Lutheran, Fredericksburg |
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Worship Tonight at 7:30 PM! |
Worship will begin after our evening presentations. When your workshop concludes, you will be sent to the "big room." There, George Donovan and musicians from Bethel Lutheran Church, Winchester, will once again lead us in worship.
Our bulletin for tonight, Tuesday, is available here.
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Take a break--and break out those crayons, colored pencils, and markers! Coloring is for all ages! Consider sharing your work to pastordrebes@gmail.com so it can be posted on the Power in the Spirit Facebook page.
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Click the picture to view in detail! |
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Give to Support the New Guinea Islands District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Papua New Guinea! |
There is no fee to attend Power in the Spirit Online, but we do suggest a donation. All funds received by Power in the Spirit this summer will be used to benefit our global companion synod: the Islands District of the Evangelical Church in Papua New Guinea.
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Power in the Spirit
A Ministry of the Virginia Synod, ELCA
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