On Sunday, November 30, Advent begins.
Advent is a season in the worship life of a congregation that helps us prepare for Christmas and the surprising story of God coming to us. We are invited to pray, to listen, to serve others, and to make room in our hearts and lives for love incarnate. What is special about this season is that we are encouraged to hold off on some of the Christmas carols and celebration to pay attention to the injustice and suffering of neighbors around us.
This year, especially, Christmas feels different. There are rumors that government will deploy immigration agents to target Spanish-speaking churches and faith communities, a profound violation of religious freedom and the reality that churches are sanctuaries, safe spaces, for people to find meaning, support, and value. We know of families who are afraid to leave their homes for fear of not coming home. People are suffering after being laid off. We are worried about our healthcare and living costs, about war and violence around the world, about division within our families and neighborhoods. LGBTQ friends are being targeted to have their rights stripped away. This is the context of this time.
But, remember this – the ancient stories we share during Advent from scripture were written and told in similar times, when oppression and evil dared to have the final word. Into a fractured world, God came as a child, not to take power and inflict harm, but to love and be love. We can find courage then to sing different songs, songs of justice and love.
You will hear four special words during this season – hope, peace, joy, and love. These words anticipate the gifts that God brings to the world. We ponder them and pray for them to be made real in our lives. We may even sing about them as we make space for the ways of God to come alive and give us voice for our neighbors and our world.
Our Advent series begins on November 30 with the first Sunday of Advent, centered on hope.
Be ready to learn something new, to sing new melodies, to share your voice and compassion with others.
Here are some ways to prepare–
Read ahead for our scripture passages, some of which are unusual for the season.
November 30: Hope – Daniel 3:1, 8-30
December 7: Peace – Ezekiel 37:1-14
December 14: Joy – Isaiah 55:1-13
December 21: Love – John 1:1-18
December 24: Christmas Eve – Luke 2:1-20
Pray for your neighbors, for those who are afraid and in need.
Consider how you might expand your generosity through our Food For Neighbors project through Faith in Action.
Especially, invite a friend or neighbor who needs hope in their lives.
I am so looking forward to this season ahead, prepared for God to birth something anew in us.
Rev. Nathan Hill
