Spirituality

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

This weekend we celebrate one of the great leaders of our nation: Martin Luther King, Jr.—one of the greatest orators and leaders of justice this nation has had in modern times.

But why was he so effective? Well, for one thing, he had truth on his side: no person should be treated as a lesser being, especially not for superficial things of birth circumstances, skin color, height, etc., which are beyond anyone’s control. If we do dare judge another, should it not be as MLK expressed—by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin … and we might add height, beauty Read More

Clergy from left, Pastor Mary Ann Hill, Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Assistant Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb
ELCA

What might this new year bring? Resolution makers/breakers see great potential and myriad possibilities. Others are already fearing what November will mean for our national life together. For church folks, a new year begins with the season of Epiphany, when we celebrate the arrival of Christ, the Light of the World.

Looking back about 2,028 years ago, the Epiphany Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord—of the “We Three Kings of Orient Are” Christmastime hymn. But, if you read the account in St. Matthew’s Gospel (chapter 2), you’ll discover that they were not described as kings, but simply “wise men”, or “magi”, from the Greek magoi. They probably got the “king” designation due to the pricey gifts they brought—gold, frankincense and myrrh—to honor the “newborn king of the Jews,” whom they sought.

But apparently before the magi came, St. Luke records (Luke 2:8-20) that an angel host appeared to the Jewish shepherds in the field the Read More

Clergy from left, Pastor Mary Ann Hill, Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Assistant Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By Pastor Nicolé Raddu Ferry
Bethlehem Lutheran Church

Happy New Year, dear community of Los Alamos and beyond. So, have you grown weary with the question: How is that New Year’s resolution going? Have you kept all the resolutions you set out for the year ahead? You know the reality: Every year, millions of people set New Year’s resolutions – and many give up on them within the first week. Did you know the Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Well … 2023 coming to a close. How time flies. So many things still fresh in the ol’ memory—the pandemic (already almost four years ago!), wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, presidents come and gone, space shuttles and their disasters, moon landings. 9/11. We “boomers” seem to be all retiring … or, inevitably, passing. Decades go so quickly. It’s like the country songs “Don’t Blink” and “Remember When”.

But now we come into the new year, which always brings new hope for the future. Fortuitously, the Sunday within the eight days (“octave”) of Christmas—the Catholic Church always Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Ah … ’tis Christmas eve. Such a joyful—if hectic—time of year. Cooking, traveling, decorating. Eating. Christmas must keep all the sugar producers in business. If I eat one more biscochito, I’m just gonna’ pop. Oooo … but there’s some fudge! And peppermint bark!! Oh, don’t watch; this ain’t gonna’ be pretty.

Yep … for a great many, everything is just a bit lighter this time of year. Yes, of course there are many undergoing the rigors of sadness and hardship; those things enter into all of our lives, some having greater burdens than others. Thus the great charity—not to mention Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Wow. Only a week until Christmas eve. That means the New Year is already almost upon us. Man … where did 2022 go? Oh, wait …

Yes, I’m behind the times, I suppose. Listening to “classic” Christmas music on Pandora and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” came on. Good ol’ Bing. And then … transported to past decades before all the tech stuff pervaded every moment of our lives—cellphones, computers, internet, video games, etc.—a much simpler, and in many ways, a much happier time.

It’s sad that kids are not just out and about nowadays playing in yards, flying kites, riding bikes; Read More

Clergy from left, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Associate Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Courtesy photo

By Rev. Deb Beloved Church
White Rock Presbyterian Church

“While we are waiting, come; while we are waiting, come.
Jesus, our Lord, Emmanuel, while we are waiting, come.”

“With power and glory, come; with power and glory, come.
Jesus, our Lord, Emmanuel, while we are waiting, come.”

“Come, Savior, quickly come; come, Savior, quickly come.
 Jesus, our Lord, Emmanuel, while we are waiting, come.”

These are the lyrics of an Advent hymn (entitled, appropriately, Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Bummer. Winter cometh. Wind and cold. Snow. Long nights, short days. Little sun, bleak landscape. Bleah.

Even we who live in apartments and houses can feel this way; think of those without adequate housing or sleeping on the streets as they go through the winter. Who knows the circumstances which brought them to such a point—mental illness, misfortune, bad choices in life. One cannot help but think they must feel like they’ve hit rock bottom—the lowest point of their lives. Sadly, many may end up even lower if they don’t either change their ways or find help from another quarter; Read More