Advent
As the calendar turns to December, our hearts turn to Advent. Advent is about waiting, hoping, longing for a deliverer. Here is how we wrote it up for our coming series in Hebrews: Who will deliver us from this darkness? Throughout the centuries, God’s people have always felt the darkness of the world, both corporately as well as personally, and have longed for deliverance. This is the heart of Advent, longing, waiting. Waiting for the light to pierce the darkness. Waiting for release from imprisonment. Waiting for rest. But who can deliver on such promises? The opening chapters of Hebrews give us a vision of who the incarnate Son actually is and what he came to do.
Advent is about Jesus. It was at his first coming and it is now, even as we await his second coming.
Advent is also about coming together in special ways as a church family. Many of us are looking forward to Advent Adventure tonight at the church. Wednesday the 6th is our annual congregational meeting. Sunday evening, December 10 is our children's Christmas program, while the evening of 17th is a time for caroling to the neighborhoods. This is all in addition to regular worship times and our Christmas Eve service. We come together to celebrate with one another, to revel in the love that came down from heaven to earth, and to extend our earthly love to each other.
Advent is also a time for giving and receiving. As we have received the greatest gift ever given, so we give extraordinarily to display our gratitude. This week starts our Advent offerings. You can note the four causes chosen as recipients. As in years past, we will make these collections over the four Sundays in Advent and divide the total in four equal parts and distribute accordingly to each cause. May our gifts of Advent reflect the joy in our hearts.
Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash