2nd Sunday of Christmas

Sermon Notes

As you sit in the pew, imagine babies, one on either side of you, newborns – just like the baby in the manger- one on the right and one on the left. Hold that thought.
The murder of children, infanticide, is found in every human culture worldwide, and throughout all the history to which we have access.
Child-Sacrifice as a religious ritual, and Child-Murder as population control are both widely documented. To some extent the distinction itself is a modern mind-set imposed on an ancient world that would never have recognized any difference.
If the corn crop failed, starvation loomed. If the local idol demanded sacrifice, or the local king ordered decimation, the outcome was the same. When all we have to examine are the bones, we may never know the context.
Of course we have to remember that many times the god and the king were the same man. Take Pharaoh for example: Exodus 1:22 (NRSV)
²² Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, "Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live."
This is at once both a political and religious act. The conflict in Exodus is a God-War between YHWH & Pharaoh. This is also an example of Gendercide, which here targets the males, but is much more often aimed at females.
It is no accident that The Christ, who liberates us from slavery to sin and death, experiences again the great thematic motifs of the Exodus, when God liberated me when I was a slave in Egypt. Dut 26:8
Demographic speculation tells us that Herod may have found as little as 2 or as many as 12 children under age 2 in Bethlehem. The atrocity left no record other than the Gospel, and Herod slew as many or more of his own family in dynastic disputes. Provoking Cesar to remark “It is better to Herod’s pig, than to be Herod’s Son”
What does the Slaughter of the Innocents have to do with us today?
We are past all that barbarism, aren’t we?
In Modern times, the only thing that has changed is that technology has magnified our abilities, for both good and evil. Preindustrial Europe had the Pogrom, post industrial Europe had the Holocaust. We make a terrible mistake if we look on the horrors of the past, or those across an ocean, and say “We aren’t like them. We are (modern/American/enlightened/Christian/white – pick your bigotry of choice).”
In 2006, 846,181 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC 
82,056 in Texas.
55 in Matagorda County. That is about twice the average Sunday Attendance at Christ Church. Remember the babies, one on either side of you? That’s who they are.
We are in the midst of a debate on National Health Care in this country which will turn in large part on the funding of abortion. This is still both a political and religious act.
The issue of a Woman’s Right to Choose is as powerful and compelling as the issue of a Child’s Right to Life.
There are also some less-mentioned issues: Poverty, Race, Gender and Eugenics still drive reproductive choice, and public policy, today as much as they ever did.
But the silent scandal in the Church today is the number of Christians who are Pro-Life and neither support programs for children born into poverty, nor open their homes to foster or adopt the children born into situations incompatible with survival.
Is abortion different from infanticide?
If our public policies make the Clinic more attractive than the Cradle, are our rulers any different from Herod or Pharaoh? Well, they are more subtle, at least.
And if we are a government of, by, and for the people, aren’t we those rulers?
You see, it is not just poor, pregnant, women who have a right to choose.
You do too.


Choose Wisely.

Kids In Distress (K.I.D.S.)
P.J. Prather - President - EMAIL: teresah@nol.net
PO Box 1242, Bay City, TX 77404-1242
FAX: 979-245-1618
Susan Maxwell - Local COntact - PHONE: 979-244-7567 or 979-245-7405
Sharyl McDonald - Treasurer - EMAIL: natemcs@msn.com
Charlotte Brown - Secretary PHONE: 979-245-7405
EMAIL: cbrown@co.matagorda.tx.us

KIDS provides certified therapy for sexually, physically, and mentally abused children in Matagorda County. KIDS provide information dealing with child abuse in order to prevent abuse of potential victims. KIDS educates the community on the issues of child abuse. NO FEE.

Women's Crisis Center
Rachel Stone—Director  
3010 6th Street P.O. Box 1820 Bay City, Tx 77404-1820
PHONE: 979-245-9109 FAX: 979-245-3426
EMAIL: mcwcc@crisiscnt.com
HOTLINE: 1-800-451-9235 Wharton Phone: 979-531-1300 

The Crisis Center is a community based non-profit organization. Provides safe refuge for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. Crisis hotline designed to help people in a crisis situation; those needing help or information for family violence, sexual assault, suicide, or other crisis.

Matagorda Episcopal Hospital Outreach Program (MEHOP)
Celeste Harrison - Director
101 Ave. F., Bay City, TX 77414
PHONE: 979-245-2008, Fax 979-245-0744
EMAIL: charrison@mehop.org

MEHOP MOBILE UNIT: Not in operation at this time

MEHOP MEDICAL CLINIC HOURS: 101 Avenue F, Bay City, TX
Mon - Tues: 8am - 5pm
Wed - Thurs: 8am - 6pm

MEHOP DENTAL CLINIC HOURS: 101 Avenue F, Bay City, TX
Mon - Tues: 10am - 5pm (closes for lunch 12pm - 1pm)
MEHOP Dental accepts Medicaid and most private insurance and self-pay at low cost.

MEHOP is a non-profit mobile medical clinic. Co-pay is $20.00 to $50.00 based on income if eligible for sliding fee discount scale. MEHOP accepts Medicare and Medicaid. MEHOP provides acute care on a minor emergency basis, chronic care, community screening, wellness, and health education activities. There is a Vision Program which screens patients for eye glasses, prescriptions for glasses for as little as $50.00. Dental services available: initial evaluations including x-rays for $25.00, also will do cleanings, extractions, fillings, and sealants. Free vitamins for children & adults. There are books for children. Also, diabetic self management classes are available.


Matagorda County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
Joyce Richmond - Director of Matagorda and Wharton County
2200 7th St. - 2nd Floor, Bay City, TX 77414
PHONE: 979-245-4958, FAX 979-245-6453
EMAIL: matcocasa@sbcglobal.net 

Sandra (Sandy) Hochman - Volunteer Supervisor of Wharton County
526 N. Fulton, Wharton, TX 77488
PHONE: 979-282-9223, FAX: 979-282-9653
EMAIL: whartoncasa@sbcglobal.net


Provides trained volunteers to act as advocates to speak on behalf of abused and neglected children involved in the court system. The volunteer makes recommendations to the court as to the child’s best interest and placement.