BELIEFS; Holiday Sermons Come Wrapped With High Hopes; Crowds at Christmas services present clergy with what can be a formidable task HOME EDITION

"Christ is born to bring the glowing comfort of hope to soldiers in the sands of Iraq and immigrants in the sands of our southern border instead of more fear," said the Rev. Mark K. Smutny, co- pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. "Instead of more false promises, more violence and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Los Angeles times
Main Author Larry B. Stammer and K. Connie Kang
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, Calif Los Angeles Times Communications LLC 24.12.2005
Subjects
Christianity
Christmas
Sermons
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Summary:"Christ is born to bring the glowing comfort of hope to soldiers in the sands of Iraq and immigrants in the sands of our southern border instead of more fear," said the Rev. Mark K. Smutny, co- pastor at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. "Instead of more false promises, more violence and more grief, when we allow Christ to be born into our hearts, we work to bring his light into our darkened world and we become his agents of hope," he said, quoting remarks he will deliver Christmas morning. For the Rev. Canon Michael A. Bamberger, rector of the Church of the Ascension in Sierra Madre, Christmas sermons must resonate with the lives of listeners. But it isn't guesswork. "I live in the community. I work here. I talk to people. Christmas sermons are never sermons in isolation," he said. TRADITIONAL APPROACH: Unlike some clerics, Father [John Bakas], dean at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles, won't talk about politics in his holiday sermon. "I'm not going to get into that on Christmas Day," he said.; PHOTOGRAPHER: Mel Melcon Los Angeles Times
ISSN:0458-3035