by Rev. Dr. Jim Warnock
As I’m writing this, we’re in the season of Hanukkah. It’s a Jewish feast, an eight-day celebration that memorializes the Maccabeean Revolt of the Jewish people against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. The underdog Maccabees successfully recovered Jerusalem and the Second Temple. This allowed for the restoration of the traditional sacrifices at various times in the Jewish calendar.
A miracle is attached to the service. The Maccabeean leadership was told that there was only enough oil in the Temple to burn for one day. Miraculously it lasted for eight days, enough time for more oil to be obtained. All was well. Jewish people celebrate this by lighting the menorah, a nine-branched candelabra allowing for eight candles and a separate candle used to light the others. Kresha and I attended the Menorah lighting in Tacoma on the second night of Hanukkah. It was a particularly intense evening. Only two nights before at Sydney, Australia, 15 Jews had been murdered at a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach. The Tacoma Police provided security with two cars sitting with lights flashing. I think about 50 people attended on a rainy evening, including lots of kids (who got tours of the police cars). I wondered how the service would go, given the Australian attack. Would this be a time to talk revenge? The Chabad rabbi who led the service took another tack. He said we were bringing light to the world, light as opposed to hate. That’s the message. The light overcomes the hatred of those who would kill Jews. We can learn from that message.
For us it will be Christmas season by the time you get this. We also remember light coming into the world, as we’ll hear again from John’s Gospel on the First Sunday After Christmas.
At All Saints’ we’ve lost some members. We’re not greening the church this year as we don’t have people to climb the ladders and do the hangings. Our budget anticipates a deficit for the first time in my tenure. We can make do with savings for a time, and ministry here will continue.
Still, we maintain a strong, small congregation determined to hold up God’s light. We will do so as long as ministry continues. Jesus offers love to the world, a rejection of the hatreds that so often divide us. Let it be our calling to speak of love to our neighbors, to reject antisemitism in particular, but other animosities as well. We’re a small group but let nothing stop us from loving God and our neighbors.
Our annual parish meeting is scheduled for January 11th after the service. We’ll elect members of the Bishop’s Committee and our Diocesan Convention delegation. If you’re interested in serving, contact me or any member of the B.C.