Celebrating Alban Arthan: A Liturgy for the Winter Solstice

December 22, 2022

Preparation

Find a quiet place where you can be alone without distractions. Light candles (or a small fire). Take a few moments to center yourself.

Approach

Make the Sign of the Cross while saying:

In the name of God, the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three,
One holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever. AMEN.

Druid Call for Peace

Deep within the still center of my being
May I find peace.

Silently within the quiet of the grove
May I share peace.

Gently (or powerfully) within the greater circle of humankind
May I radiate peace.

Greeting the Four Directions

From the Center, facing East say:

All praise and honor are yours, O God.
Angels and Archangels sing your praise.
Even at this darkest time of the year,
Winter’s barren trees and evergreens proclaim your glory.
The four corners of the earth honor you
And bring us your radiance and power.

Walk to the East Quarter, light a candle and say:

With the Hawk of Dawn soaring in the clear, pure AIR,
With the ever green pines, cedars, and firs,
We await the return of light in the EAST.
With Mary, Our Mother, 
we pray for wisdom, perception, and vision.

Walk sunwise (clockwise) to the South, light a candle and say:

With the great Stag in the heat of the chase,
With the prickly holly leaf and its blood-red berries,
We look to the SOUTH as we await the coming of the new Sun’s FIRE.
With the prophets of old and those among us now,
We pray for strength, passion, and courage.

Walk sunwise to the West, light a candle and say:

With the Salmon of Wisdom who dwells in the sacred WATERS of the pool,
With the growing green and twisting ivy,
We turn to the restorative darkness of the WEST.
Finding strength in living community of believers and the communion of saints,
We pray for intuition, spiritual understanding, companionship, and love.

Walk sunwise to the North, light a candle and say:

With the great Bear of the Starry Heavens,
With the deep and fruitful EARTH,
With the mistletoe that hangs between heaven and earth,
We turn to the NORTH, seeking stability and strength.
With all of creation that nurtures and sustains us,
We pray that our lives will bear good fruit in the coming year.

Walk to the Center, face East, light the God/Jesus/Sun and the Goddess/Mary/Moon candles.

Bow, make the sign of the cross, and say:

All praise and honor to God, Eternal Spirit, Maker of all that is;
To Jesu, the Christ, Bearer of our humanity;
And to the Holy Spirit, Awen and Breath of life.
As in the Beginning, so now, and for ever.
AMEN.

The Druid’s Prayer

Grant, O God, Thy Protection;
And in protection, strength;
And in strength, understanding;
And in understanding, knowledge;
And in knowledge, the knowledge of justice;
And in the knowledge of justice, the love of it;
And in that love, the love of all existences;
And in the love of all existences, the love of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Life-Giver,
Mary our mother,
all the angels and saints,
All of creation that sustains and nourishes us,
and all goodness.
Adapted from Iolo Morganwg (attributed)

Song

The Word of God

Scripture Reading

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:1-9 (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised)

At the end of the reading say:

For the Word of God in Scripture,
For the Word of God among us,
For the Word of God within us,
Thanks be to God.
Iona Community

Canticle

Arise, shine; for your light has come,*
    and the glory of God is rising upon you.
Though night still covers the earth,*
    and darkness the peoples;
Above you the Holy One arises,*
    and above you God’s glory appears.
The nations will come to your light,*
    and rulers to you dawning brightness.

No more will the sun give you day light,*
nor moonlight shine upon you;
but God will be your everlasting light,*
    your God will be your glory.
Your sun shall no more go down,
    or your moon withdraw itself;*
for God will be your everlasting light.
Isaiah 60:1-3; 19-20, adapted from The Song of the New Jerusalem, from A Way of Living: A Worship, Prayer and Liturgy Resource for the Lindisfarne Community, Jane Hall Fitz-Gibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon. Copyright © 2006, Jane Hall Fitz-Gibbon and Andrew Fitz-Gibbon.

At the end of the Canticle say:

Glory be to God, the Three-in-One, the One-in-Three;*
one holy and blessed Trinity, now and for ever. AMEN.

Prayers

Prayers of Intercession

Offer prayers for the following:

The members of your local congregation/grove/coven
Those who suffer, those who are sick, and those in trouble
The concerns of your local community
The world, its people, and its leaders
The universal Church, its leaders, its members, and its mission
Those who have died
Any other concerns or thanksgivings

Collect

Great Light, we are very aware of the darkness of this season, but we are also aware that the natural light will increase from here on. Help us walk in your ways so that we can play our part in righteous living, as you work within us to increase the light to its full brightness. We ask this in the name of our Saviour, Jesu, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
adapted from The Celtic Year: A Rhythm of Prayer and Meditation for the Eight Points of the Celtic Year, David Cole, Text Copyright © 2020. The Bible Reading Fellowship

The Prayer that Jesu Taught

Our Father, Who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Leave-Taking

Blessing

May the evergreen trees remind us that, even in the darkest and most desolate of times, the new dawn is just over the horizon.

May the prickly holly with its red berries remind us of the fire of the Sun.

May the curling, twisting ivy remind remind us that we need each other for support and companionship.

May the mistletoe that hangs between heaven and earth, deriving strength from both, remind us to plant good seeds and bear good fruit in the coming year.

With Mary, our Mother, may we be willing to bring God into our world.

+++ In the name of God, Eternal Spirit, our Maker, Jesu, the Christ and bearer of our humanity, and the Holy Spirit, font of wisdom and inspiration. AMEN.

Extinguish candles/fire and leave the space.

Samhain

November 16, 2021

The Wheel turns, Summer ends, Winter begins.
The harvest is gathered as Earth to her rest settles in.
We gather ‘round the hearth with friends and kin,
For warmth and comfort as darkness closes in.
The veil between worlds grows thin,
Even those without sight may glimpse within.

We remember and honor those who’ve gone before
As we welcome them to the table once more.
Slowly fades the light, giving way to dark of night.
Warmth gives way to cold snow and rain
As Winter approaches once again.

Hail and Welcome, Holy Uriel, Greeter of those who cross the veil!
Hail and Welcome, all you Holy Ones!
Hail and Welcome, friends and family, near and far!
Hail and Welcome, all who travel this road together!
Hail and Welcome, Ancestors!
Hail and Welcome, Winter!
Hail and Welcome, Night!

Child of the Light

June 22, 2021

A Reflection on Alban Hefin, the Summer Solstice

At 11:32 pm EDT on Sunday, June 20, Earth reached the point in its orbit of the Sun where the Sun appears at its northernmost point. In the northern hemisphere this is the longest day of the year, the time when there is the most light. Because of orbital mechanics and other science-y stuff, the Sun appears to stand still for a couple of days before apparently reversing course and heading back south. From this time on, the days will start getting shorter, although here in East Tennessee, we won’t reach the height of summer until August.

The longest day is a time of great mystery and power. It has long been known that without the Sun there would be no life on Earth, prompting veneration and worship of the Sun, or at least a deity who represents the Sun or controls its track across our skies. For agrarian communities, this has profound practical significance as the summer sees fields start to grow and produce a hopefully bountiful harvest in the coming weeks. The light has ample symbolism for us: life, sight, power, warmth. For some of us, the June solstice means that the hottest and most unpleasant part of the summer is about to hit us hard, sending us either running for air conditioning or to the lakes and beaches for relief from the heat. Then, of course there are those hardy souls who crave the sun and spend as much time outside as possible during the summer. (I am not one of those; give me snow and ice any day.)

Today we see earth-lovers, Druids, neo-Pagans, and others gather at Stonehenge and other sacred sites to welcome the Sun as it rises on the longest day. Christians also welcome the coming of the light by celebrating the birth of John the Baptist on June 24. The Gospel of John describes John the Baptist’s role in this way:

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:6-9 (NRSV)

Malachi 4:2 refers to the Sun of Righteousness who rises “with healing in his wings,” a figure many see as Jesus.

During the week leading up to the solstice, I have turned once again to David Cole’s The Celtic Year during my morning prayers. This is a nifty little book of devotional readings and prayers built around the eight-fold cycle of the Celtic year. For the week of readings around the Summer Solstice, the focus is mainly on light. Beginning with the creation of light in Genesis, David Cole leads the reader in a reflective journey on light, beginning with the creation of light in Genesis and ending with the saints who have gone before us to light the way. Here’s a summary of what I’m taking away at this point.

We need light to see; what we see and how we see it are largely determined by the source of light. The world looks a lot different when we see it by the Divine Light of God. What light do we see by?
Jesus is the Divine Light in human form. Following Jesus means that we try to be like him. How does the Divine Light of Christ guide us in our journey? Do we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us to make us better reflections of the Light?
Jesus said that we are the light of the world. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we not are not just Light Bearers; we are Light Projectors.
Sometimes the Light shows us things we don’t want to see. For Saul, the Light was blinding and revealed an entirely new path for him that was radically different from the one he had been following. Are we willing to let the Light show us new paths, or do we block it out so we can carry on with our plans?
Not only do we have a community of believers to accompany us on our journey, we have the example, the light, of all those who have gone before us, especially those whom we revere as saints. Their lives and work are a light that inspires us to this very day. This is an immense community and when we take our place within it, we shine brightly for all to see.

I want to walk as a child of the light,
I want to follow Jesus,
God set the stars to give light to the world,
The star of my life is Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the City of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
--Kathleen Thomerson

Child of the Light: A Reflection on Alban Hefin, the Summer Solstice

June 22, 2021

Child of the Light

A Reflection on Alban Hefin, the Summer Solstice

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
John 1:6-9 (NRSV)

Malachi 4:2 refers to the Sun of Righteousness who rises “with healing in his wings,” a figure many see as Jesus.

We need light to see; what we see and how we see it are largely determined by the source of light. The world looks a lot different when we see it by the Divine Light of God. What light do we see by?
Jesus is the Divine Light in human form. Following Jesus means that we try to be like him. How does the Divine Light of Christ guide us in our journey? Do we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us to make us better reflections of the Light?
Jesus said that we are the light of the world. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, we not are not just Light Bearers; we are Light Projectors.
Sometimes the Light shows us things we don’t want to see. For Saul, the Light was blinding and revealed an entirely new path for him that was radically different from the one he had been following. Are we willing to let the Light show us new paths, or do we block it out so we can carry on with our plans?
Not only do we have a community of believers to accompany us on our journey, we have the example, the light, of all those who have gone before us, especially those whom we revere as saints. Their lives and work are a light that inspires us to this very day. This is an immense community and when we take our place within it, we shine brightly for all to see.

I want to walk as a child of the light,
I want to follow Jesus,
God set the stars to give light to the world,
The star of my life is Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the City of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
--Kathleen Thomerson

John Barleycorn Must Die!

August 1, 2020

A Lughnasadh Reflection

There were three men came out of the West, 
Their fortunes for to try,
And these three men made a solemn vow 
John Barleycorn must die.
They've ploughed, they've sewn, they've harrowed him in, 
Threw clods at Barley's head,
And these three men made a solemn vow 
John Barleycorn was dead.

They've let him lie for a very long time, 
Till the rains from heaven did fall,
And little Sir John sprung up his head, 
And so amazed them all.
They've let him stand till midsummer's day, 
Till he looked both pale and worn,
And little Sir John's grown a long, long beard, 
And so become a man.

They've hired men with the scythes so sharp, 
To cut him off at the knee,
They've rolled him and tied him by the waist, 
Servin' him most barbarously.
They've hired men with the sharp pitchforks, 
Who pricked him to the heart,
And the loader he has served him worse than that, 
For he's bound him to the cart.

They've wheeled him around and around the field, 
Till they came unto a barn,
And there they made a solemn oath, 
On poor John Barleycorn.
They've hired men with the crab-tree sticks, 
To cut him skin from bone,
And the miller he has served him worse than that, 
For he's ground him between two stones.

And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl, 
And he's brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut-brown bowl, 
Proved the strongest man at last.
The huntsman, he can't hunt the fox, 
Nor so loudly to blow his horn,
And the tinker he can't mend kettle nor pots, 
Without a little Barleycorn.
(The Ballad of John Barleycorn, as performed by Traffic)