Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption is a novella by Stephen King that was made into a popular movie in 1994. The movie, “The Shawshank Redemption,” was filmed near my hometown in Ohio, and I remember people signing up to be extras in various scenes. If you haven’t seen the movie, I recommend it. Not only is it a great movie, but it is a movie about hope. In one scene, one of the lead actors, Red (played by Morgan Freeman) says to Andy (Tim Robbins), “Let me tell you something, my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. It can drive a man insane. And it has no use on the inside. You better get used to that.” Red gives Andy a practical warning to not have hope, that there is no reason to hope. But at the end of the movie, Andy responds to Red in a letter, “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” I won’t spoil the movie if you haven’t seen it, but hope is the prevailing theme moving the plot forward. Isn’t hope a strange theme for a movie set in the prison? Maybe it is. Or maybe it isn’t. Hope is dangerous and risky. Hope is also a good thing, perhaps the best thing. This week we explore hope, its risks and rewards through the story of Joseph – Joseph of Mary and Joseph fame. He has few appearances in the gospels, but his message is one that echoes through the ages. I HOPE to see you at worship this Sunday. And don’t forget our Blue Christmas service on Saturday, Dec. 21st, at 6:00, for an informal time of hope and healing. May you be grounded in the hope of Christ, surrounded by the love of God, and assured with the grace of the Holy Spirit.