Advent is here.
This Sunday begins a season of quiet waiting – waiting for the Christ child; waiting for the message God has for us during this season. However, the quiet call of Advent goes against so many things that surround us during this time of year. We are bombarded with commercials, parties, school programs, Christmas cards, shopping – and the list could go on and on. Yet, Advent calls us to slow down, to ponder, to wait, to spend time with God. I encourage you to be intentional about these upcoming weeks and each day set aside time to listen for God’s voice. There are many ways to do this.
You and your family could assemble a small Advent wreath to use at home throughout the season. We have provided a family resource for you to use this year from Illustrated Children’s Ministry. Make sure and pick one up at church. It contains delightful family activities, as well as devotions to do together.
There is a wonderful FREE online daily devotion that is produced by Passport, called Following the Star. You may remember that our youth and children attended Passport camps a few years ago. This takes just a few minutes each day, but is an ideal way to slow down, and focus on what God might have for you each day of Advent. You can find information about it here: www.365.org. For those of you who use Facebook, there is also a group called 365.org that you can join.
Another possibility is an online Advent retreat led by Jan Richardson. I often use her poetry and words during worship. The cost for this online retreat is $90. You can find information about it here: https://janrichardson.com/adventretreat.
Whatever you chose to do, I pray that God will richly bless you during these four weeks. This Sunday, we light the candle of Hope. From Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
-Pastor Jane