What do you need to hear, feel, and sense this Advent?
Dear MRC Family,
Advent blessings of hope to you
In preparation for our meeting on November 16, I asked the Worship Committee what they thought the congregation needed to hear, feel, and sense this year for Advent in order to be encouraged and fed for the season. Replies were given such as: less hatred in our world, a respite from all the “stuff” happening right now; a place for peace and wonder. The Committee ended up picking the SALT project’s: Starry Nights: An Advent Devotional Full of Light and Wonder. The Committee felt this devotional met the needs of our congregation and offered a “back to basics” look at the wonder of Advent and Christmas. It is also family friendly so all may participate. The devotional is offered to you, in print and digitally. I am grateful for MRC member Angela Hank who generously offered to pay for the costs of the devotional, and to the Worship Committee for their leadership.
The devotional begins:
Advent is a season of waiting, watching, and wonder . . . A time of anticipation, expectation, and excitement. A time of renewing our hope, peace, joy, and love, getting ready for the marvel on the way.
Indeed, Advent arrives as the nights grow long and deep and dark (at least in the Northern Hemisphere!). Around December 21st, the winter solstice marks the longest night of the year – and though we sometimes think of “night” as a metaphor for difficulty, this year let’s lean into a different kind of poetry, the poetry of the stars.
Dark skies are perfect for stargazing, for seeking out the Light of the World among the deep indigos, bottomless blues, and inky blacks of God’s night sky. Just as the shepherds and Magi looked up to the heavens and faithfully followed the stars, we’ll spend the next four weeks training our eyes to wait, and to watch, and to wonder at all God has done – and will do – for the love of this broken, beautiful world.
What do you need to hear, feel, and sense this Advent?
I pray whatever it is, you will find it at MRC as we wait, watch, and wonder.
Come to worship this First Sunday of Advent as we begin our journey toward a stable on a starry night full of wonder. Tom is leading us in our hymns (Hopefully, his laryngitis will be cleared up!) and the Joyful Noise Adult Choir will sing the Anthem “An Advent Credo.” The Larson family will be lighting the first candle on our Advent Wreath, the candle of Hope. I am preaching from Daniel 3.1, 8-30 —Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are thrown into a fiery furnace because they stand up to King Nebuchadnezzar. But is that the point of the story? — and my sermon title is But If Not . . .
After coffee hour we will decorate the Church Family Christmas Tree at the Zilinski Memorial. We have lots of ornaments but feel free to bring some more from home! Lastly, I have our Consistory nominating form to give to you, so be thinking of who you would like to nominate to serve on
Consistory next year. We will be electing two Deacons and two Elders for 2026. This is the last Sunday for voting. If you are unable to be in person for worship, we will be streaming live on our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@mrcafabulouschurchoflove1611.
Keep following and bothering Jesus, beloved
With gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,
Pastor Trish