It’s hard to believe Advent is here already! (Snow is currently all over the tree branches and that adds credibility for me.) And yet, it also feels like this year is taking FOREVER to get itself out the door. Too fast and too slow, all at the same time. Then there is us, waiting right in the middle of it all.
This year in particular, Advent as the strange waiting time seems particularly appropriate. We are all waiting for a vaccine to be distributed so we can get back to semi-normal ways of interacting, especially at church. But for now, we are waiting. We are waiting for our political news to stop being full of negative firsts and challenges. But for now, we are waiting. We are praying for good news somewhere in the economy that supports all people we know. But for now, we are waiting
As we wait this year, we’re turning our attention to some things that are PROS at waiting through seasons of change. They can change with the seasons, wait out times of dryness or too much water. They can adjust to changing light, changing temperatures and even some degrees of changing climate. While looking right at them, we don’t see them do too much. Yet to judge them on how much they do in a short period of time would be to miss the trees for the forest. In fact, it would be missing the trees altogether.
That’s right. I really do mean trees. This year for Advent, we will be looking at trees and specifically exploring trees found in the Bible. We’ll look at several trees, their use and meaning in scripture, and also then in our lives as we count down the weeks to the celebration of the coming of Christ in our midst! Even though Advent is different this year, we can especially rejoice God chose to enter our lives through all Creation, and still, we are reminded of new life in so many ways, even the celebration of the child so long ago.
Though our services will be different, I am still excited to be pre-recording some special services that I hope will help you know God’s presence with you in this season. And in keeping with God’s call for each of us to be involved in the realization of God’s kingdom, I need your help with several things.
First of all, in recognition of loss and grief during this season, we are having our Longest Night service online on December 21 at 7:00 pm. During the service we usually write down our griefs, sorrows, things that are heavy and weighing us down. Then at the end we gather around a fire outside and drop these cares and concerns into the flames. Though we cannot gather to collectively burn our worries, I would like for you to send them to me over email or a phone call, and I will then read out the cares (anonymously) and burn them for our pre-recorded service. SO, if you would like to share a care, grief, concern or worry that will be read aloud and then burned, please call me or email me.
The next opportunity is for our Christmas Eve service which will also be pre-recorded. We again will be sharing the Christmas story through the lessons and carols that we love. There are two places for your involvement. The first is if you would be willing to read one of the scripture lessons. If you would like to participate in this manner, please call me and we’ll figure out how to get it recorded. The second opportunity will be on December 20 at 5:00 pm. If we are able (pending COVID restrictions), I would like for those who would like to gather in the Asbury parking lot to light candles and sing Silent Night. We would remain physically distant with masks on, and we would stay outside (so bundle up). Again, look for an email and a Sunday morning announcement closer to the time to see if we are able do this.
Thank you for your continued involvement and care for one another. I know many of us have Christmas trees up for the season. I pray and hope they also serve as a reminder of God’s evergreen love for us, the opportunity we have to learn resilience from them as part of God’s creation, and that we can wait through Advent with our church family to see the New Life God still promises for all of us.
Blessings and Peace,
Katherine