All writing, including sermon writing, involves “killing one’s darlings” which means excising sections that the writer loves but has come to understand do not fit the larger piece. So it is with this text, which was written to be the preface to tomorrow evening’s Christmas Eve sermon. So instead of making the final cut, it will live here…

This past summer, I moved to the Burlington area after this wonderful congregation called me as their Senior Minister. It was – and is – a dream come true. I have experienced many delightful discoveries, including in the au currant weekly, Seven Days, that they publish what had once been my favorite cartoon: This Modern World!  Any Tom Tomorrow fans in the house?

And what an unexpected gift when I opened this week’s issue and read this week’s cartoon to discover my whole Christmas Eve sermon in the frames of that graphic.  So, in gratitude to Dan Perkins and his alter ego, I present to you, the 2023 Christmas Eve sermon (or, at least its preface): 

Imagine if you will, that rascal, Sparky the Penguin, is responding to Santa’s question of what he wants for Christmas.  Sparky says, and I quote:

I’D REALLY LIKE A RESOLUTION TO THE ISRAEL-GAZA WAR THAT RESPECTS THE HUMANITY OF The CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE CURRENT SLAUGHTER AND PROVIDES A VIABLE PATH TO PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE.

Sparky goes on

I’D LIKE AMERICAN VOTERS TO RECOGNIZE THE EXISTENTIAL DANGER TO DEMOCRACY POSED BY DONALD TRUMP AND TO UNAMBIGUOUSLY CONSIGN THE ENTIRE MAGA MOVEMENT TO THE DUSTBIN OF HISTORY.

And then Sparky concludes

AND I’D LIKE THE IMMINENT and UNDENIABLE THREAT oF CLIMATE CHANGE TO BE ADDRESSED WITH REAL AND SUBSTANTIVE POLICIES BEFORE IT IS LITERALLY TOO LATE FOR LIFE ON THIS AS WE KNOW IT.

Amen. Amen? Amen.