Living Advent: Happy New Year!

Living Advent: Happy New Year!

This Sunday, November 27^th is the first day of Advent.   The question that I have for you is:  How might our world be different if we lived in sacred rhythm of the Advent Season? How might we avoid getting swept into holiday frenzy? How might our eagerness for instant gratification change if we practiced living Advent every day?

Could living in the sacred rhythm of the Advent season change our lives, our church – and the world – for the good?

Using this daily “Living Advent Calendar” is designed to help us be in right relationship with ourselves, with family and friends and neighbors, with creation, and most importantly with God.   If you didn’t get a copy of it last Sunday at church, you can download it from our church website here:   Living Advent Calendar

You can choose to use this calendar on your own, but perhaps you will have a richer experience if you “live it” with your family, friends, and/or church community.  Perhaps you could find a partner or group of people with whom to discuss and reflect on the daily invitations.  Perhaps you could meet once a week with your partner or group and talk about your experiences as well as pray for one another.  Instead of Sunday morning adult education classes, find someone during the “coffee time” to ask, “What daily practice was hard for you this week?”  Or, “what practice did you like the most?”  Or, “which practice refreshed or challenged you?”

As a church there is no greater time to bear witness to our culture about the peace and joy that Jesus gives us than in the midst of the hustle and business of the Christmas season.  Let’s join together and practice Advent. 

MSCF #8- Stand By Me

Liturgically speaking, this is a really cool couple of weeks of the Christian year.   The reason is because they are the last 2 weeks of the Christian year.  (The first day of Advent, Sunday, November 27^th begins the new Christian year.)  And in church in these couple of weeks we get to talk what we don’t often talk about:  the end times.

But the reason I like these last 2 weeks of the year is because that even when the Bible is talking about the end of the world, the message of the gospel is pretty simple:  Those who follow Christ don’t have to worry.  I don’t mean this in a “left behind” sort of way, as in we to celebrate our escape while everybody else gets punished.   Rather, I mean this in the I-am-a-huge-worrier sort of way.  Will my family be ok?  Will God judge me worthy of heaven?   But in the midst of the worry the simple and powerful message of the gospel comes in:  just be faithful.  In other words, just trust the one who keeps his promises and keep doing the work that He calls us into no matter what day it is. 

The interesting about this whole thing is that as I was turning on my computer to write this blog entry, the song “Stand by Me” came on in Starbucks and I heard the words:   

“If the sky that we look upon


Should tumble and fall

And the mountains should crumble to the sea


I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear


Just as long as you stand, stand by me.”

The writer of this song, Ben E. King, must know his Bible and that great promise Jesus gives us in it:

Matthew 28:20:  “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”