Shared during Sunday Worship on December 21, 2025. Lord, Your joyful radiance shall be born into our world sooner than we can imagine. It is good news of a great joy for all people.  Good news that came first to a young girl named Mary, who shouted with joy at Your love and justice for all people.  It came to Peter and Paul when You called them by name and forgave them for their weakness and sin. This joy could not be contained into one time and place and so it spilled over the world and down through history, though there have been many dark times which threatened to dispel it.     The depth of human sin has sought to quiet it, greed, lust and war have tried to pervert it.  Others try and hold onto it so that it is all their own and no one else’s.  But thanks be to You O God that it cannot be quenched because the songs of angels reach through the clouds into many surprising places. When we see this joy on the faces who have so little; we realize that our own joy, peace, and love could be so much more. It will come not through more things but through greater justice, and deeper sharing— sharing not just what we have but who we are. We pray that this good news of great joy might work to heal the wounds which so trouble our lives and our world.   We pray that reconciliation might come to our world. We pray that Your forgiveness and the gift of the Christ child might serve to heal the breach of politics in our land.  Make us one people again and help us to work as one for the betterment of the whole planet. Be with those who dive into places that are most bereft of this joy. Our military, keep them safe. Give those serving overseas and away from family a special measure of your Spirit’s presence that they may not feel alone though they are an ocean away.  We pray for all of those who work deep into the night when others are at home, warm in their beds: utility workers, emergency room nurses, doctors and technicians; janitors who clean our building buildings until late at night, and truck drivers who travel on dangerous roads to bring our goods. Keep all of them safe and help them feel a measure of our thankfulness.   We pray that each one of us might know the fullness of the good news in the depths of our hearts that our own joy might infect all with Your grace and love, the name of the one whose life gives us life. Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Christ, the one who was, who is, and who is to come, world without end, amen.

The All-Church Nominating Committee (ACNC) is seeking your suggestions for Brick Church officers. Your involvement is crucial to identify the best possible candidates whom God is calling to take positions of responsibility at The Brick Church. The ACNC is identifying candidates for Deacons, Ruling Elders, Trustees, and 2027 ACNC members . Please prayerfully consider recommending members of The Brick Church as candidates for these positions. Important criteria to consider include a commitment to the Church, regular attendance at Worship, time, and willingness to serve, and personal characteristics of dedication, good judgment, and the ability to work well with others. Self-nominations are also accepted. The deadline for recommendation submissions is January 18.

Dearest God who promises peace, love, joy, and hope- We reflect upon the unknown and how you come to your people in the midst of disorientation and uncertainty.  Though we may not be able to make sense of it all, the best we can hope for is to be like Mary, grounding ourselves in our identities as your servants. We lift up prayers to you that emanate from what we have experienced in the world.  For all peoples who experience war, we pray for peace.  For those who experience instability and fear, we pray for peace.  For those who are forced to leave their homes, we pray for peace.  For those who lack their daily bread, we pray for peace. For those whose hearts grieve, we pray for peace. We also pray for our community and our city.  Even as the city lights up with holiday lights and laughter, we pray for those who suffer, for those who lack their daily bread, who experience homelessness, who experience violence, who are in prison. We thank you, dear God, in the face of brokenness and material need, for the ways in which this church continues to be a beacon of hope in the community.  We pray for Brick’s leaders, and also for the members who form this community.  We also thank you for the partnerships we have in the community, who promote peace by addressing community needs in such significant ways, especially, Grassroots Grocery, Interfaith Prison Partnership, and the host site of the youth-group mission trip, the First Baptist Church of Reading, Massachusetts.  Continue to bless their outreach into our communities. Finally, we bring to you our own personal petitions for ourselves and those we hold dear.  Please hear our personal requests in the space of this silence (space for silent petitions). We thank you, God, because even in the darkness, you come to us with signs of peace with promises of the most wonderful gift, Immanuel, God-with-us, today, and always.  In the name of the coming Christ child we pray, Amen.

Luke 1:26-38 “ If they would rather die ,” said Scrooge, “ they had better do it and decrease the surplus population. ” Dickens wrote these words in 1843 during the height of the Industrial Revolution. London was a world-class city with dazzling shops… dark alleyways. The rapid urbanization made cities like London, Manchester, and Birmingham vastly overcrowded, with unsafe working conditions—hunger was rampant. People of means rode in fine carriages, while the poor slept under bridges. In 1834, the Poor Law Amendment Act made it even harder for them to obtain assistance, forcing people into destitute workhouses which separated families and were intentionally designed to be worse than any conditions outside. The society of Victorian England was deeply Christian, but all too often, they neglected compassionate love after the way of Christ. Dickens’ goal was to stir the conscience of a nation. In the preface to  A Christmas Carol , he wrote, “ I have endeavored in this ghostly little book to raise the ghost of an idea. ” Having worked in a factory himself as a boy due to his family’s straitened circumstances, Dickens always felt a kinship with people who were struggling, particularly children… In 1843, Dickens visited schools for the poor in the slums (called ‘ragged schools’ in reference to the worn clothes of many attendees), where he encountered children who lived as thieves and prostitutes to survive. ( Biography.com ) His intent as he wrote was “ to strike a hammer blow on behalf of the poor man’s child .” The idea was to expose the hypocrisy of a nation that was deeply Christian yethad replaced the compassionate love of Jesus with duty and obligation. For Mary, her present context was no better—and perhaps worse. The common person suffered under the weight of high taxes to Rome and the temple, living on a subsistence level. Meanwhile, their ruler Herod the Great, rather than defending the people, looked to his own interests, and served as a lapdog to Rome. He was a powerful, paranoid, and cruel sycophant who wantonly massacred infants as described in Matthew 2. This is why Mary responds to the Angel’s announcement that she will bear the Messiah, “ Let it be done to me as you have said. ” All she needed to feel the power of hope was a promise from God that in her time, the Messiah was coming. Knowing the context—the present in which she found herself—she was rejoicing because she knew the Messiah would meet the moment, the same kind of moment Dickens was hoping England would rise up to: to bind up the brokenhearted and to bring good news to the poor. She rejoiced because she would have known the scriptures of Zechariah 9:9—“ Your king comes to you, humble and riding on a donkey .” She would have known Isaiah 11—that the  Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, and with righteousness he shall judge; with equity he shall decide for the meek . She would have known Isaiah 53:9—that  he would do no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth . He would be nothing like Herod! And indeed, we saw throughout His life that Jesus Himself saw this as His mission, for He tells others that He is gentle and lowly of heart, and that He was anointed, as Mary said, to bring good news to the poor. When the Ghost of Christmas Present took hold of Ebenezer, he was taken to various places around London. In one scene: Dickens incorporated a glimpse of the devastation He witnessed in real life. Scrooge discovers a feral boy, Ignorance, and a girl, Want. The two children are described as “ wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. ” When Scrooge asks if they can be helped, the spirit throws the miser’s earlier words back at him, asking, “ Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? ” ( Biography.com ) He then visited the humble abode where his clerk, Bob Cratchit, lived. He was struck as he looked into that home, for he saw not despair in the midst of poverty; he saw not anger in the midst of isolation, but instead he saw a loving family for whom the spirit of Christmas shone beyond their present circumstances—even as it did with Mother Mary. And in this scene, we begin to see his cold, stony heart melt when he gazes upon Tiny Tim and hears that without some kind of help, Tiny Tim’s future would not exist. It was the power of seeing real people not only suffer in devastating circumstances but also having within them a spark of light and life. And Ebenezer begins to change. Our present Christmas here on the Upper East Side is glorious. It is my favorite time of year. First of all, the thousands of people singing Christmas carols in front of our church; the Lessons and Carols Service; Christmas Eve and candlelight. We have so many incredible blessings. And for this, I am truly thankful. But indeed, sadly, there are numerous parallels between our time and Victorian England when Dickens wrote his ghostly tale. Wealth inequality is at perhaps its greatest height it has ever been. People—hard-working people—cannot afford a roof and medicine and childcare and good food. At least they can't afford all of those put together. Which one of those is optional? If I had to choose—for you—what would you cross off your list if there wasn’t enough money in the bank? Now, we are not nearly as cruel as Ebenezer. But we are not too far off—roundingpeople up, treating people who have lived here all their lives since they were children as criminals, throwing them into cages as they are torn from their families. I don’t pretend to have the answer to the immigration challenge for our nation. But I believe deep in my heart that Jesus would not approve of what happened to Ms. Belloca. A few weeks ago, Lucia Lopez Belloca was flying home for Thanksgiving to surprise her family. Instead, she was seized at the airport and swiftly deported to Honduras—a country she had not been to since she was nine years old. In some ways, it does feel that we have become like Scrooge. “ He carried his own low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in the dog days, and didn’t thaw it one degree at Christmas. ” And in some ways, like Scrooge, it seems there is a spiritual emptiness while Cratchit’s is filled. Dickens paints so well the striking dictum of Jesus, “ Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ” Bob Cratchit and his family had a wealth of spiritual love that made their home a little piece of the kingdom here on earth. Since Christmas is about Christ—and it is; it’s right in the name—we have a responsibility. Years ago, I was standing at the airport counter when the agent started dancing a jig; I was completely flummoxed. He said, “ I am getting busy! ” and he pointed at me. I had forgotten my shirt said, “ Jesus is coming! Get busy! ” Forgotten what it represented. I thought it was a fun T-shirt, but at that moment I realized I was a witness. I had a responsibility—as the young people say—to “represent.” This is the essence of Advent: getting busy right now to prepare for His arrival, to be sure when He comes, He will be proud and be able to see that we love Him, not by our words but our actions, by caring for those whom He treasured. We have the foundation well established at Brick. And as a congregation we work through: Summer Steps , which gives children from economically diverse homes a start on the path for the best education on the planet. The Angel Tree , which brings your donated presents to children whose parents are incarcerated. The Tuesday Night Dinner Party , which creates a feast for those from the Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter. Our incredible Grants Committee and Women’s Association work so diligently to offer His love on all our behalf: Trinity Place Shelter , which “creates a safe, affirming shelter where LGBTQ youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in New York City can access the skills and resources needed to exit the cycle of homelessness.” Health Advocates for Older People , which “[provides] tools, techniques, and support to age with vitality and independence.” And there are many more. The list goes on. We do so much—but we could do more. With rising fixed costs, our grants budget has shrunk. That is our stewardship challenge: to be sure our budget reflects His priorities. These programs change lives. I have seen it. In 2017, I had the amazing experience of attending a Women’s Leadership Luncheon when I lived in South Carolina. Four women were recognized, each very professional and accomplished, but the last woman, Wilma Moore, had a story. As she came to the podium, she was bent over in tears, overwhelmed by the moment. She had suffered self-hatred, devastating addiction, and years and years of heartache and pain, including extreme violence and poverty as a child and later the murder of her son. She freely told not only what happened to her but the many times she had failed herself and others. But before those hundreds gathered, she shared how our Lord magnified her true self, revealed her inner beauty, strength, and worth. This happened through community programs just like the ones we support. So now when she looks in the mirror, she sees someone of worth, of power, of love, and of hope. Jesus showed her her true self, and it sent all our hearts soaring. Incredible. We stood up and cheered—cheering not only her courage but the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave her this gift. Let’s get busy—right now, in the present. Each act can change a life…especially yours. Amen.

High School Students are invited to join us June 14–20 for an unforgettable and life-changing experience in Boston, Massachusetts . The Mission Trip is an incredible opportunity for us to come together as a community, united in our shared purpose of service, learning, and personal growth.  Register by March 1. Space is limited to 20 participants.   Register here

Isaiah 9:1-7   One of my absolute favorite things every December was to watch  A Christmas Carol.  I was absolutely enthralled by the three ghosts. And the character Ebenezer Scrooge, that miserly, skin-flinted sort, was on the one hand pathetic and sad, and yet somehow endearing. When he finally transformed, he represented something joyful—triumphant even. This year, during Advent, we’re going to look at Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future. For the people in Jesus’ time, they were looking to—not Christmas past—but the ages past, especially the passages written by the prophet Isaiah: a hoped-for Messiah. And it’s because, as Isaiah tells us, the people walked in darkness. In fact, it was a land of deep darkness. Their primary foe, the Assyrian Empire, ruled by Tiglath-Pileser III, was seeking to make vassal states of any neighboring countries. He had already conquered parts of Israel and eventually destroyed them. King Ahaz was asked to join a coalition to stand against this threat, but he feared a diminution of his power and did not trust his neighbors. In the midst of this horrible socio-political context, Isaiah offers a resounding sense of hope while calling people to trust in God not political alliances. This was the hope that Mary and Joseph and all the Jewish people looked to—a time of endless peace brought by the Messiah. When the Ghost of Christmas Past transported Scrooge, he encountered some very fond and painful memories. He saw his sister, who came to him at school to take him back home and said, “Father is so much better now.” We are given a clear sense that Scrooge’s was not a happy childhood and that the death of his sister scarred him deeply. There was Fezziwig, his old boss, who brought a tremendous sense of joy to all those around him. Even Scrooge admitted that his was a talent that money couldn’t replace. And then, of course, we are enchanted by his fiancée, Belle, who was all sweetness and light. We are treated to scenes of great happiness between the two. But as his career ambitions grow, his love of money replaces his love for Belle. And she tells him the hard truth:“You fear the world too much,” she answered gently. “All your other hopes have merged into the hope of being beyond the chance of its sordid reproach. I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, engrosses you.” There are dozens of fond memories many of us have of Christmases past—of Clement C. Moore’s  The Night Before Christmas ,  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , and candlelight services singing  Silent Night. But do you remember what you hoped for? What you ached for? For me, as a teenager, it was a world without a nuclear arms race. That’s what was pressing upon my mind—the threat of annihilation—and a wish in my heart that such technology had never been discovered. And following on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement, it was a hope that our world could find a way to take hold of the joy and light of Christmas that perhaps might spill over into the whole year. That sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that made every encounter something holy and hopeful. It is easy to take hold of nostalgia, admittedly, when we look at the past. Even the authors of the Bible did it. They yearned for the days of old, when God spoke to people like Moses face-to-face and when God’s miracles were as common as the dew on the morning grass. They felt robbed of God’s presence, of God’s wisdom and God’s guidance. Of course it was there all along; they simply ignored it. The role of the prophet in ancient Israel was not truly about telling the future; rather it was to offer warnings. If the people failed to heed God’s word disaster would come. The fifth chapter of Isaiah is a lament which gives us a wonderful glimpse of how deep God’s love for Israel was, and the broken heart that ensues from the lack of faithfulness. God had planted this wonderful vineyard of Israel, and it begins,  I will sing for my beloved, my love song concerning his vineyard: For God blessed them with so much: The law. The Ten Commandments. Instructions on how to worship God properly. Guidance to care for and love their neighbor. How to be a host of refugees in their land—the list goes on and on. And instead, they were filled with moral corruption and idol worship and kings who drew them even further away. And so, the people are warned  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes  (Isa. 5:20). This is the sense we have of Scrooge. Without his beloved Belle, there was nobody to serve as his conscience, nobody to check his greed, nobody to calm his anger. And his wretched character festered with duplicitous degenerated depravity. Thus, Dickens described him as “a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone; a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner.” And as a result, Scrooge was alone in the world. As Dickens wrote, “Even the blind men’s dogs appeared to know him; and when they saw him coming on, would tug their owners into doorways and up courts.” This is what the people in Isaiah’s time lacked—a benevolent presence to guide and direct. King Ahaz, instead of trusting in the Lord, looking for support and guidance, direction and strength and courage looked to the Assyrian Empire of all places (like being in league with Darth Vader)! He formed an alliance with their greatest enemy! And it not only doomed Ahaz but doomed the people as well. There are things about our past, as a country, that we might do well to return to: A slower pace that lacked rampant commercialism A greater sense of safety Community that cooperated and cared Those mom-and-pop stores that made shopping a time to meet friends The absence of social media which gives a megaphone to cynicism and vitriol Dinner at the table as a family! A greater devotion to God. But we should not be too trapped in returning to the past. For we know that there were many people left out in the cold literally and figuratively. Isaiah too lived in such a time; he tells us the leaders “grind the face of the poor” and that widows and orphans were neglected and unjust laws crushed the needy. The failure to care for the poor and the outcast always goes hand in hand with the failure to properly worship God. It was true in Mary’s time as well. And I believe it is true in ours as well. Our land has too many resources to have so many people struggling. Isaiah reminded the people that their hope would not spring from political alliances but from godly devotion and trust. This would lead to a flourishing not only for Israel but for all people. He showed us that trust in God expands the circle of compassion beyond our borders and tribes. The greatest lesson perhaps we can draw from Isaiah is that there is always hope when we have the courage to look to God. So let us be guided not by our own devices but by a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father and a Prince of Peace. Amen.

Shared during Sunday Worship on November 16, 2025. Almighty and all vulnerable God, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer We come to you in prayer today, turning towards you to learn how we might become stewards of your mysteries.  In this stewardship season, we have reflected upon your calling upon all of our lives, to commit not just a portion of our wealth, but instead our entire lives to you.   As we contemplate how we may recommit ourselves to you, we pray for this church’s ministries.  We give you thanks for the opportunities to enjoy and contribute to the music and worship ministries, the children’s and youth ministries, adult faith formation ministries, our student ministries, our outreach to the underserved here in the city of New York and in the world, and for the way that we also pray and provide congregational care for those who suffer within this community. We also thank you for all the opportunities for fellowship and growing as a community.  We thank you that you have called each one of us to join in the work.  We pray for the leadership of this congregation, who continue to shape the ways in which we become a beacon of light and hope for the city and the world. As stewards of your mysteries, we are called to turn towards the pain of the world.   We lift up to you in this time all those who are suffering.  We pray for those who lack their daily bread, for those who experience violence, for those who live in fear and uncertainty, for those who are sick, for those who are grieving, both here in our city and in our world.  Help us to respond with open hearts to those in need. Finally, we lift up our own personal petitions, for ourselves and for those we hold most dear, we lift up the material, emotional and spiritual needs that we carry in our hearts and we name them before you in this silence. We thank you, God, because you are the ultimate steward of your mysteries, and the most profound mystery is that you promise that you will never leave or forsake us.  We lift all these things to you, in your Son’s powerful name, Amen.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:10-11 This year during Advent, we will look together at  Christmas past, Christmas present, and Christmas future . Many of you will remember the beloved tale by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, in which the main character, Ebenezer Scrooge, is a miserly and bitter man. He has pushed everyone out of his life and becomes a profoundly broken person. Through the story, three ghosts visit him - from Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, - and his heart is transformed.   For this Advent, we will explore Dickens’s story and the timeless Biblical themes he wove throughout it: our human brokenness, the power of God’s redemption, and the hope and joy we find in the birth of our Lord.   Christmas Past   Christmas past points us to the very first Christmas when Jesus was born. The world then was marked by poverty, isolation, and judgment. Those same realities shaped Dickens’s own time, and they remain painfully visible in ours, where a vast divide in wealth means that those living on the margins continue to suffer deeply.   With the  Ghost of Christmas Past , we remember that Mary rejoiced at the coming of the Messiah because she believed with all her heart that Jesus would transform the world, especially for the neglected and forgotten.  Dickens sought to make the same point. You may recall Scrooge's cold response when he is asked to support the poor, suggesting that if they were to die, they should do so “and decrease the surplus population.” His spirit is frozen by a worldview that rejects compassion.   Christmas Present   Then we look at  Christmas Present . Scrooge sees the humble home of Bob Cratchit, his wife, and of course Tiny Tim. Though they live with very little, they discover joy in what they have: love, family, and gratitude. Their poverty does not diminish their hope.   Christmas present invites us to recognize the gifts God has placed in our lives today - family, church, community, and the presence of Christ among us. It also calls us to be mindful of those in need right now, to bring hope through feeding the hungry, clothing the cold, and living as Jesus lived in honor of his birth.   Christmas Future   Finally, the spirit of  Christmas future  is the specter Scrooge fears most. He sees that, because of his greed and hardness of heart, his life has become spiritually bankrupt. When he discovers that the un-mourned man whose death others are discussing is himself, he finally sees the truth: he must change.   So we ask: What do we want Christmas future to look like in New York City? Five years from now? Ten years? By the year 2033?   What do we desire for every child who wakes up on Christmas morning? A loving home? A safe place to live? Enough food? Joy? Belonging?   If we want that future, we must begin building it now.   The Joy of Christmas Morning   On Christmas Day, when Ebenezer awakes, he shocks the whole world. He has, indeed, fundamentally changed his character through repentance and redemption. The message is that we too can be changed from the inside out.   Whatever anger lives in our hearts, whatever hatred, brokenness, or cynicism keeps us from being people filled with the joy of Jesus, the hope of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit - whatever has wounded or hardened us - the joy of Christmas morning proclaims that Jesus is born into our lives. It is the joy of redemption through his life and the hope we can all experience as we sing,  “Joy to the world, the Lord has come.”  Amen.   Prayer of Confession:  Lord, You came into the world to bring good news of great joy for all people. But we have held onto the joy of Your grace, and we have failed to extend Your compassionate relief to the hungry, the alone, and the afraid. By Your powerful spirit, change our hearts to bring Christmas joy to the world. Amen.

Share Your Voice - Anonymously As we continue our search for new Associate Pastors, the APNC wants to hear your perspective. Please take a few moments to share your thoughts, reflections, hopes or questions through our anonymous feedback form. Engage the APNC Directly The APNC is actively listening and we welcome your direct feedback and referrals. If you’d like to suggest a name for consideration or tell us what you believe is essential in our next Associate Pastor(s), please reach out to the committee directly.

The music we are about to hear is an oratorio from Rome in the 1640s. The word “oratorio” really means a sacred opera. There may not be costumes or stage machinery, but the music and emotions are genuinely operatic, and they are uniquely suited to express the operatic qualities of this story from the Old Testament. The story comes from the Book of Judges, Chapter 11. Jephte, or Jephthah, was a judge: a leader of Israel in the years before Saul became Israel’s first king. Now Jephte was of illegitimate birth, the son of a prostitute, and as the story begins, he had been cast out and was living as a kind of outlaw warlord. At that time, Israel was at war with the Ammonites, a nation within the present-day borders of Jordan. The elders of Gilead go to Jephte and beg him to save them. Jephte agrees. He then makes a terrible, rash, and ill-advised vow that if he does defeat the Ammonites in battle, he will sacrifice whoever, or whatever, comes out of his house to meet him on his return. It turns out that he is met by his only daughter, and although she is granted two months reprieve to wander the mountains and lament her fate, after that, she is duly put to death. The Bible never even tells us her name.  Now, there is some debate about what Jephte actually promised. A number of scholars, both Jewish and Christian, insist that his vow was only to  consecrate  or  dedicate  to the Lord the first person to come out of his door, and that he would only have made a sacrifice – that is, kill – if it had been an animal running out to greet him. This is the same sense in which Samson was consecrated – in other words, that person would lead a life set apart, a sort of monastic existence,and would never marry or have children. However, the early Christian fathers taught that Jephte really did kill his daughter as a human sacrifice. That is certainly Carissimi’s interpretation too, and it makes for a genuinely operatic spectacle. The ill-considered vow is exactly the same as in Gluck’s Iphigenia and Mozart’s Idomeneo, and in fact all those stories may have had a common origin in the ancient world. Jepthe’s daughter stands at the beginning of a long line of sacrificial heroines in opera – from Handel’s Theodora, to Bellini’s Norma, Verdi’s Aïda, and even Wagner’s Brunnhilde. So why did Carissimi decide to compose music for this seemingly horrible story, and what does this story have to tell us today? ​First, Jepthe is larger-than-life, a man of excess, living outside the bounds of civilized society, and behaving in outrageous ways. Yes, he achieves victory, but at a frightful cost. He offers us a cautionary tale about the perils of putting one’s trust in military strength. It is hardly necessary to add that this is  not  a story meant to glorifying the military triumphs of ancient Israel, and it is  absolutely  not about the modern-day state of Israel. Jephte’s war is a terrible thing, and both the winners and the losers are left with grief and loss. Second, Jephte’s vow is a way of putting God to the test. This is a concept that occurs many times in the Old Testament, in stories that teach us different things. Jephte puts God to the test by treating his relationship with God as transactional: if I promise God something really big, God will have to give me something equally big in return. This is what’s sometimes called the divine vending machine – shrinking the all-powerful God of the universe to the limits of our own vision. Of course God doesn’t work this way, and it’s a sin of pride to think that God owes us anything in return for what we offer. God’s salvation is freely given, not earned by our own merits. On another level, Jephte’s vow puts God to the test by deliberately taking an extreme risk. He tries to force God into a corner, thinking he’s guaranteed that nothing truly bad could result – or else God would have to intervene to stop it. Unlike in the story of Abraham and Isaac, though, there is no divine intervention, and Israel is forced to deal with the awful consequences of his actions. This brings us back to our reading from Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus responds, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”. Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness goes to the heart of what we mean when we say Jesus is a king. He refuses fame and political authority over kingdoms, and unlike Jephte, he refuses to put God to the test by jumping off a building and trying to forceGod to save him. That is not true faith, quiet confidence, trust in God’s purpose. That is a public spectacle that arrogantly demands something of God. Like Jephte, if we try making demands of God, we may find that God does not play by human rules, and will not magically save us.  The grandiose, over-the-top, operatic gesture is not the way. Instead, humility and quiet faith are the hallmarks of the reign of Christ. This is how Paul described Jesus’ kingship:  “… being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.” Amen.

1 Corinthians 4:1   This is Stewardship Sunday, you are deciding what your financial gift to the Church is for the next year. And clearly, this is a part of what Stewardship Sunday is about. But this morning, I hope we will all discover that it's something much more profound, important to your faith, to Brick's mission, and the call of Jesus. Stewardship obviously comes from the word steward. For a moment, let's erase the word stewardship from our minds. And imagine that we have just met the Lord High Steward of the Royal Court in medieval Europe. What role does he play? He's one of the highest-ranking officers in the Royal Court. He manages the assets of the king's realm. If the finances fail and the estate collapses, the Royal High Steward is held culpable.  But there's an even more critical role the steward plays. The king doesn't have time to interact with all of the people in the castle or the realm. And so, the steward is responsible for making sure that the subjects are taken care of, have enough food and sufficient lodging. Furthermore, when the king is away, the Royal High Steward acts as a regent, literally governing the realm in the monarch's absence. The Royal High Steward is also responsible for transacting business deals with the community, and the integrity of the steward directly impacts the reputation of the king. In order to properly execute his job, the steward needs to know the king. He needs to understand how the king treats visitors to the court. He needs to understand the way in which the king wants business deals done.  Let's move this forward in time. A friend from my church in Spartanburg, South Carolina, owned a small family business. It was producing steel ball bearings. And as the owner aged, his second-in-command took on greater and greater responsibility, to the point that all major business decisions were made by this second-in-command. And he performed admirably. Until one day, in order to balance the books, he reduced the workforce beyond that which the owner desired and cut a less than honest deal with a client. The owner was furious, because those employees of the company had given their blood, sweat, and tears over the course of decades and decades. They were a part of the family. He didn't only want the books balanced. He didn't only want a positive spreadsheet. He wanted to treat all of his employees as if they were members of the family. His reputation had been tarnished, and once that happens, it is hard to recover.  The steward has several attributes, as we've seen in these illustrations. First, the resources that they manage are held in trust. They don't belong to them. They do it for another, and therefore, the fiduciary must put others' interests before their own. Next, the steward is meant to treat those within the sphere of responsibility of the owner in themanner that reflects the will of the owner. The steward is meant to treat them as the owner would treat them. Third, the way in which the steward deals with the community at large directly reflects on the integrity and the reputation of the owner. To be a follower of Jesus is, by definition, to be a steward. And it is incumbent upon not just me and not just the officers of the Church, but every member of this congregation to see themselves as a steward, with all that implies. Psalm 24 declares:  “The earth is the Lord's, and all that is therein.”  Everything that you have in your bank account, yes, even your own life, your very existence, belongs to God. And the way in which you manage those resources is meant to be as a steward. Your behavior directly reflects on the reputation of God. Each Sunday when we pray,  “Hallowed be thy name,”  we are praying that God's reputation - that God will be seen as holy by the world - that when the name of God is invoked, people will respond with a sense of thanksgiving, with a sense of awe, and with a sense of joy. And largely, that response is dependent upon God's stewards here on earth. Think about the tragedy of the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. It is near impossible to measure the harm that is done not only, most tragically, directly on its victims, but on all of those who, as a result, concluded that faith is a sham. Or think about, in certain Protestant circles, the ways in which Christians have spoken with evil, resulting in great and lasting harm, upon gays and lesbians, for example. The treatment of them by the Church has done terrible damage to the reputation of God. Suffice it to say that at times, Christian individuals and the Church have failed dramatically at being proper stewards. We must know our history, our failings, so that we can be better, more faithful stewards. And this is why I am so thankful for the direction that Brick Church is headed in. Though we will never fully live up to our responsibility - we are humans, after all - I believe that we are striving for all the right things. We desperately want to love others as the Lord Jesus has loved us, with grace, with mercy, with compassion, with fervent effort, and with generosity. The Finance Committee works untold hours. It's hard to fathom how carefully they pour over every dollar spent. I promise you; it is hundreds of hours. And the reason they pour over every dollar spent is because they don't want a single dollar wasted on administration, on inefficient electricity, or inefficient insulation. They don't want a single one of those dollars wasted so that we have every available dollar to offer the love of God in Jesus Christ. Here at Brick, we want people to know, outside of these walls, the gift of world-class music - not only the pleasure of the notes, but the power of compositions like Mozart's  Requiem  to speak into our souls of loss and pain, but even more, hope in the midst of that. We had a few hundred people in this sanctuary last Sunday night, about half of whom were not members of the Church, who came and received that gift thanks to Dr. Ray Nagem and thanks to this choir. We all know that service to others is one of the most meaningful experiences that we can have. It gives us a sense of purpose, of doing something beyond ourselves, and we know it's important not only for ourselves but for young people. And so, a week ago Tuesday, there were several dozen young people from local high schools here on Tuesday night to help prepare a meal for people without homes. We have been stewards of these resources here - this building - by welcoming in people who didn't have space to sufficiently mourn and celebrate the life of a loved one, and so we opened Watson Hall. I can go on and on and on, and I think I will. The prayer shawls, knitted lovingly and caringly, find their way into teachers of the school, into the hands of administrators from a local ongoing school, and into the hands of members of Brick Church who have lost a loved one. And the warmth of that prayer shawl helps people feel the warmth of God's love. Jesus has told us to welcome the little children, and our children's ministry is growing through a more connected, faith-filled, and meaningful experience. In Sunday School a year ago, the Children's Ministry Committee worked feverishly to improve the curriculum, and the results have been dramatic. But we have also expanded places for children to thrive with their natural talents and gifts through after-school theater classes and through the spring musical. The care with which we baptize children is noticed by visitors time and time again. This is clearly not something that Brick does as a mere ritual, but it is a sacrament of holy love for the ways in which we treasure each child that comes before that font. But we also know that that is just the beginning, because as we care for them throughout the years in Sunday School, eventually they make their way to confirmation. That's the place where these young people consider the vows that their parents made for them at that font when they were too young to even know their own name. And, through pastors like Caroline, and Beth, they are learning what it is to be Jesus' disciple.  But it's not mere indoctrination. This is done through a dynamic series of lessons in which each one of those youths has a chance to look inside their own heart and their own mind and forge and affirm their particular understanding of God and the ways that God has planted it in their soul. Then, of course, there is the Tree Lighting. And I'm not sure about you, but Park Avenue, on the first Sunday evening in December, is the only place in this country that I know of in which thousands of people - Christians, many of them, but Jews, Muslims, atheists, nature worshipers - all come together to sing with reckless joy of all things - Christmas carols. Truly, in all of these incredible ways, we are living into being faithful stewards of God's resources, of God's reputation. We are acting as God's hands and feet, and I believe also heart and soul. But we also know that at Brick Church, with the vast resources we have - financial, facilities, and most importantly, people - there is more for us to do. There are more hungry mouths to feed. There are more people on the street to house. There are more sick people to heal. And now, whatever your opinion on the government stepping back somewhat from this role, there is a vacuum, and we need to fill that void, because the need is there. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians, wrote a fantastic verse that encompasses everything we have been talking about:  “We are stewards of the mysteries of God.” And what is that mystery? Part of our faith that is confusing and confounding to the world is that God would humble himself to the point of death, even death on a cross. The mystery is that in a world which counts and keeps track of people's debts and their enemies, Jesus tells us that there really is no such thing as an enemy, for we are to love them, and there are no debts that we should hold on to from others.  “Forgive us our debts, God, as we forgive our debtors.”  That in a world of vengeance, we are part of the mystery to repay no one evil for evil. In a world in which tries to tell us it's all about ourselves and it's all about our success, the mystery of God is that the greatest is not the one who has the most honor and privilege and power, but the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is a humble servant who gets down on their knees and washes other people's feet. And we believe what is so powerfully reflected in what has come to be known as the Prayer of St. Francis, which is my prayer, and I imagine your prayer as well. It sums up the call of the steward, and it sums up the incredible mysteries of God. Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  Amen.

Help make Christmas merry and bright for families who could use a little lift this year! Select an angel ornament from the tree, shop from the wish list, and tape the ornament to your wrapped gift. Please return gifts to the Garden Room by December 12 . You can also make an online donation via the link here , and we will do the heavy lifting!