Category Archives: Holidays

A Candlemas liturgy

Posted on February 1, 2023 by admin

Some years ago, we settled upon February 2 as the date we would celebrate the end of the Christmas season. Not because it is Groundhog Day in the United States (!), but because it marks the feast day of Candlemas … Continue reading →

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Ring out, wild bells

Posted on January 1, 2023 by admin

For Advent and Christmas this year, Candace and I again are reading aloud together through Malcolm Guite, Waiting on the Word, a collection of poems and essay reflections. On New Years Day, Malcolm Guite calls our attention to the “ring … Continue reading →

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Winter’s Moon

Posted on November 4, 2022 by admin

From Loreena McKennitt’s forthcoming new live album Under A Winter’s Moon. Loreena has released a single of the oldest-known Canadian Christmas hymn, “Huron Carol.” It’s the first time she has ever recorded the song, written in 1642 by a Jesuit … Continue reading →

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Death has lost already

Posted on June 14, 2022 by admin

The Arcadian Wild: website | YouTube Dear Lincoln, Isaac, and Bailey, My wife Candace and I watched Andrew Peterson’s virtual Easter Monday show. It was so moving in that Andrew’s music and reflections always seem suffused with hope in the … Continue reading →

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Feast of the Annunciation

Posted on April 9, 2022 by admin

In the church calendar March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation, the annual remembrance of Gabriel’s message to Mary according to the gospel of Luke 1:26-38. Here’s a carol that tells the story from Moya Brennan’s wonderful Christmas album, … Continue reading →

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St. Patrick’s prayer

Posted on March 16, 2022 by admin

St. Patrick’s prayer – the “breastplate” or “lorica” Andrew Wright, “St. Patrick’s Breastplate” (Journeysongs) 1 I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation. I arise … Continue reading →

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George MacDonald Christmas Reading

Posted on December 12, 2021 by admin

So great to see the George MacDonald Society flourishing with activities like this. Hopefully this is the first of what may become an annual gathering this time of year. Thanks to those who organized it, to Malcolm Guite for welcoming … Continue reading →

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Brightest and Best

Posted on December 3, 2021 by admin

Since we first encountered this song on John McCutcheon’s Winter Solstice album (1984; Apple Music), this has been one of our favorite Christmas songs. Here’s the Magruder Lassies version 😃. In the above music video by Ricky Skaggs, Keith Getty, … Continue reading →

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Star in the Night

Posted on November 28, 2021 by admin

In the post Favorite family Christmas movies, one of the video shorts we mention there is this classic from 1945. We first discovered it as an extra on the DVD for Christmas in Connecticut (1945), a more familiar Christmas classic … Continue reading →

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Celebrating Advent in the Pilgrim Year

Posted on November 28, 2021 by admin

In this season of Advent, Candace and I are continuing to read aloud together the Pilgrim Year booklets by Steve Bell. Steve’s Introduction to the Advent booklet is nicely complemented this year by three 20-minute devotionals Steve recorded last year … Continue reading →

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