We are deep amidst the church season known as Epiphany. It may seem like a season to pass lightly over, or to limit to the story of the wise men finding the Christ child. 
 
But oh, the gifts and challenges latent in this season, which this year runs all the way to an Ash Wednesday deep in March. 
 
In the Greek, "Epiphany" means "in the light," or, "to appear" or "to manifest." The wise men were asked to ponder what the Christ child might mean. As Dr. Brown's recent blog points out, in these post-Christmas days, we are asked to do the same. 
 
For me, Epiphany goes wide and deep. It is a sacred time that dares us to look at new ways God's light is manifesting in our lives... and at ways we ourselves are asked to reflect that light.

There is a wrinkle on the deeply seasonal Advent topic of waiting that I came across recently.

When "waiting" in my life, either actively or in my usual passive and panicked state, if I am honest, I have an idea, even a wish list, of what I am waiting for. I may think I am waiting with an open stance, but I am actually concrete in my hopes, and specific in the dreads I need avoided, thank you.

There are lots of reasons to be part of a church community, but here are two core ones:

Having a place for tears and authenticity.

I was reminded of both last weekend, when my husband and I led the Marble Committed Couples retreat for the second year in a row. From the beginning, people shared from a place of deep truth—and many tears. This made for a time of palpable Presence, deep reassurance, and no small amount of humor, actually.

Being real will do that to and for you: it generates the full range of emotions that come from being fully alive. I recently heard a quote about retreats, but it also applies to other aspects of church life: “People are not coming for theology on retreats; they are coming for authenticity.”

This week, I am preparing for the first Adult Education Spiritual Growth class of the year, a dialogue with Dr. Brown around basic questions about God: What do we mean when we say this word?

It would be one thing to look at a few books, see what has been said about God (as if that were even possible), and then riff off of words gone by. But, to borrow from the sublime writer Frederick Buechner, talking about God can either be pontification ... or it can be pointing.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to reap..."