The following is a Christmas sermon in the form of a play, which I wrote for King of Peace with the Narrator and preacher in the pulpit with the others parts said from around the pews. The themes still apply some years later as the sermon connects despite a preachers best efforts to get it right somehow falling short:

 

Narrator:  There are some worship services which, as far as the sermon is concerned, are bulletproof. You can not ruin them even with a bad preacher. A wedding is an example of this. Easter and Christmas are two more. After all, on a Christmas Eve night light this, gathered by candlelight, singing familiar carols, hearing the story from Luke's Gospel and receiving the Eucharist are enough. Nothing much more really needs to be said. Yet, the preacher takes to the pulpit. Preachers often miss the mark, but sometimes God gets through anyway. Tonight we will hear not just the preacher's sermon, but what some in the congregation hear as well: 

Preacher: We gather this evening separated by the centuries from that holy night in Bethlehem. Our wants and needs are so different today. On that silent night long ago, Mary and Joseph entered Bethlehem alone, while tonight we gather with our families gathered round about us in our pew. Even in a hard year like this one, we are still blessed with great wealth compared to most of the world, while they arrived poor and homeless. We have one another. They were so alone. 

Mother:   "Families gathered round us." Family gathered around my neck, on my lap. Does he know how hard it was to get these kids dressed and to church tonight without killing them? Then they gave the boys candles. Lit candles! What were they thinking? I just wanted some peace and quiet for one hour. Now they are squirming all over the place. My husband doesn't even seem to notice. I might have to take them out of the service.   

Wife:       "Families gathered round us." Really? My husband is in a submarine somewhere out under the Atlantic. My parents are in Indiana. There is no one here but me. 

Widower: "Entered Bethlehem alone." Alone I understand. My wife died this past March and the kids are all so busy. They are around, but always on to the next thing. I feel so alone. Even in the middle of this church full of people.  

Father:     "Poor and homeless." That will be us. If my wife and I don't find something more than minimum wage work to make up for the money I was making in real estate, we'll be the next foreclosure. No one really knows how bad it is. I feel so alone. 

Wife:        I feel so alone. 

Widower: I feel so alone. 

Mother:   Why couldn't I have come alone? 

Preacher: With few if any real wants and the companionship of family and friends we have to use our imaginations to understand what Mary and Joseph might have been going through. 

Widower:  Oh brother! 

Wife:       Please! 

The full sermon is found online here: The Christmas Sermon - A Play

-The Rev. Canon Frank Logue, Canon to the Ordinary

A church misionary is someone who helps to bring lives and communities together to be transformed by the power of God. I will be working with Youth World, International Team's branch in Quito, Ecuador. International Team's 2020 goal is to have 100 communities where EVERYONE will have access to food, forgiveness and freedom. Youth World, one of these communities, has five ministries in Quito:

• La Roca is a skate ministry in the barrios of Quito. Many of the youth served here are homeless.
• Casa Gabriel is a home for street boys. The boys are given safe housing, their education, psychological counseling, and learn a trade that allows them to support themselves when they complete the program.
• Casa Adalia is a home for girls rescued from sex trafficking. The girls are also provided safe housing, education and a strong psychological counseling program.
• Quito Quest is an intentional short term mission opportunity that allows participants to work WITH ministry sites. The goal is that both the participant and the sites are blessed and meaningful fruit is produced in both groups.
• El Refugio is a retreat site that allows for leadership building as well as reflection opportunities.As a church missionary sent by the Diocese of Georgia, I will be the nurse for all of these groups as well as for the staff of Youth World. I will also have the opportunity to start a parish nurse program where I will serve Episcopal churches north of Quito once a month as well as Episcopal churches south of Quito monthly.

In order to be a part of this mission opportunity, I must raise all of my own funds for the next two years. Will you WALK with me? Will you help me to be the hands and feet of Christ in Quito, Ecuador? I would love for you to be a part of this ministry opportunity that I hear God calling me to in Quito. Please consider a one time gift or monthly pledge to help make this opportunity a reality! You can go online to www.iteams.us/action/give and place my name in the one time or monthly pledge space. This is a tax deductible donation and International Teams will provide you with all needed paperwork for your taxes. I would also LOVE to come and speak to your congregations about my call to missions. Please feel free to email me at Julia.Domenick@iteams.org. I am SO thankful for you and for your support. Your help will touch MANY lives!