On Sunday morning, Susanna shared with us this blessing by John Terpstra, reminding us how Jesus, the Christ child, was born for all, all across our global community. Susanna personalized the blessing by adding many of the locations where Gathering folks were born. Thank you Susanna for this meaningful blessing.
The Little Towns of Bethlehem, by John Terpstra (with added geographies)
For unto us
in Exeter
is born a child, in
Manhattan, Montana
Baden
Courantyne, Guyana.
And a son is given, in
Chatham
New Hamburg
Hanover.
And the future of the whole earth
is placed upon the shoulders of the daughter of
Punkydoodle’s Corners
Chichibu
St. Catharines.
And the place of their birth is called
Sudbury
Stratford
Tokyo.
Niagara Falls.
An angel of the Lord appears in the night sky
over Tavistock, over
Keswick Ridge, saying
This shall be the sign: you will find the babe
wrapped in cast-off flannel, lying
on a bed of straw, in
Leduc, Alberta
in a winter feeding stall
an open boxcar, outside
Asmera, Eritrea.
And sure, several hours north
from Hogg's Hollow, just this side
Englehart
you see a one, sleeping in its mother's arms
on the soft shoulder, where their car broke down.
And the dark highway shines
imperishable life
while helping them
beneath these northern lights
and driving on, through
Ottawa
Kapuskasing
Hearst
past Nipigon, and on
to the little town of Emo
Rainy River Region,
and least among the little dots
that lie scattered as stars
and litter the map
of Northwest Ontario,
where they're expecting you,
as in so many other
of these least likely dots
this expectation
also is; in
Elmira
Milverton
Ary
Woodstock.
For unto us.
For into all
this night
is born a child, this night
bearing each,
and the places of their birth,
and nativity is given
every name.
