In this warm-hearted holiday episode of To Be snd Do, Philip Amerson invites listeners into his home, settling in for a reflective discussion on meaningful holiday symbols and the deeper messages they carry. Centered around the theme of staying grounded and hopeful during challenging times, Philip Amerson shares personal stories and traditions that illuminate how objects and rituals can foster a sense of belonging, resilience, and joy.

The episode opens with Philip Amerson introducing his “family” of handmade snowmen—a congregation member’s gift that turns into an annual tradition. These snowmen, dressed even as clergy, bring smiles and serve as reminders of the season’s spirit, especially poignant in the snowy setting of his Indiana home. Beyond decoration, they embody warmth, connection, and the joys found in simple traditions.

As the conversation unfolds, Philip Amerson reveals another powerful ritual: reading Luke’s Gospel and examining Christmas cards reflecting the Nativity scene. He draws attention to the importance of including all characters—wise men, shepherds, angels—even joking that every card needs to portray the full tableau, regardless of scriptural source. Through these practices, his family keeps rooted in both faith and humor, blending scripture with the realities of modern life.

The heart of the episode lies in reflecting on the message of “Fear not”—the angelic proclamation at the Nativity, as detailed in Luke’s Gospel. Philip Amerson lingers on the urgency of this message in today’s turbulent world. He reminds listeners that “despair is a luxury” and “hope is a necessity,” underscoring hope as a discipline that must be actively practiced. Through symbols and traditions, we are called to return to this message and live it out in community.

Closing with gentle advice, Philip Amerson encourages loving connections, even with those who disagree, and extending kindness to neighbors. Wearing a smile even in difficult moments becomes an act of practicing hope and belonging—summed up in the teaching: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Takeaway Points:

1. Symbols and traditions—not just objects, but keepers of hope—help anchor us in difficult times.
2. The message of “Fear not!” remains deeply relevant, especially in moments of stress and uncertainty.
3. Hope is a discipline that demands regular practice, not just an emotion to be felt.
4. Acts of kindness, inclusion, and love—towards family, neighbors, and even those we disagree with—carry forward the lessons of the holiday season.
5. Sharing rituals and stories sustains a sense of belonging and growth, offering grounding in both faith and community.

Tune in for thoughtful reflections, gentle humor, and a timeless call to nurture hope.

Greetings everyone. This is Phil Amersonwith Because Episode. I often ask my guests if they have some symbol or some memento, even a poem or a picture that helps them stay grounded. It's the holiday season 2025, and we have in my household lots of things that get put out to remind us of the season. And this is one of the snowmen. We've got a whole family of them, a congregation member made. And you can see this is a snowman who is also a clergy person. He's got on his robe and let's see, here's another one from the family.

Good looking bunch they are. And even, even the children are here. We pull these out every year. Well, it worked this year, especially because we had snow in Indiana, in Bloomington, and so it felt right to have snowman in our condominium. We don't have a big condominium, but we've got enough space to pull out things like this and be reminded of the joy of this time. In my family, we regularly read Luke's Gospel, the story of the Nativity. And the joke used to be that we would hold up Christmas cards from various places that depicted the, the scenes from that story. And even if they weren't in Luke's Gospel, we had to be sure that the wise men and the shepherds and the angels were there.

The main message I think I hear today and that these symbols remind me of is the message that came to those at the Nativity as recorded in Luke's Gospel. And that's the message. Fear not. Fear not. Our nation and our world is under great stress. Despair is a luxury, as one has said, and hope is a necessity. Hope is a discipline. So I encourage you as you gather with others to know that the message from that early, early Christmas day of be not afraid is one that we need to practice.

Love your children, Love your grandchildren, your uncles, your aunts, your nieces, even those that don't agree with you. Greet the neighbor, Wear a smile, even if your heart sometimes feels a little down and droopy. Give your best to help share a message of belonging, of fear not, of interdependence, of, well, what Jesus taught. Love your neighbor as yourself. God bless. Happy Christmas and may the new year be one of remarkable growth and hope for you.