Christmas Approaches
The air has become decidedly cooler over the last week. Ice has formed in buckets left behind from the summer. A light skiff of frost and/or snow greets us each morning. The ground is hardening under our feet as the frost settles into the soil. The days are very short as the lights are needed earlier and earlier every day.
Winter is coming. Bleh.
But each night more and more houses are lit up with Christmas lights. More and more Christmas songs fill the air. Carollers, hats, bells, Christmas cards, all are showing up with increasing regularity. The excitement is beginning to build.
It really is a wonderful time of year.
Excitement is filling the air all around us. The children are counting down the days, getting louder and louder as they move through the Christmas countdown crafts. Churches are gearing up for the last few Advent services and for Christmas Eve.
For me, it all builds to the evening of 24th. That is the special night. When we remember the birth of our Saviour and do it in such a peaceful service, where the love and grace of God just feels like it fills the church.
This is a special time of year. A time where we bring ourselves into the presence of God and let his love and grace be shown through the special gift of the Christ child.
Merry Christmas to you and your’s.
May I Have Your Attention Please?
“May I Have Your Attention Please?”
Luke 1:39-80
About 10 years ago I was sent to San Jose, CA for some training. As it happened, the Montreal Expos were playing the San Francisco Giants while I was there. My co-worker I was traveling with was a huge Montreal Expos fan. So we decided we would go to a game. So we hopped on the train from San Jose to San Francisco, just hoping and praying we would find our way to the stadium and, more importantly, our way back to San Jose, our car, and our hotel.
We did make it, without incident! But it sure didn’t feel overly easy at times. Have you ever been on a public transit system where they announce the next stop? Occasionally some voice will come over the intercom and say some words. Usually it sounded like, “Ksshhhgarblegarble…snorklibble…gorbleflunt.” Then some people would stand up and start to make their way to the exits.
For someone who had traveled across the continent and riding on a public express train system for the first time, I began to get worried. Would I be able to decipher this secret code in time for my own stop, or would I be doomed to ride the train for the rest of eternity?
In the end we did make our stop. Although I remember it being more about recognizing the station than understanding the secret code of the telecom.
This is the season of mixed messages. It’s a time where the songs, the stories, they all tell us of a peaceful time. A time of rest and listening to the peaceful bells and choruses, the softly falling snow. Yet companies and commercials are telling us of shoppingshoppingshopping! The rush and the chaos of busy stores and sales and making sure our trees are well hidden by all the gifts that will fill our homes!
How is one to know exactly what to do? read more…
A Christmas Message to all
As you may or may not know, I am involved with an emerging group within the United Church of Canada called Cruxifusion. On their website earlier today they published an Advent and Christmas greeting for all.
Look it over, it really is a nice message from leaders within the church (you may even recognize a face or two)
You may also check out their website (which will be relaunched with new content in the new year) at http://cruxifusion.ca
Be blessed this Advent season.
Expecting the Expected
“Expecting the Expected”
Isaiah 40:1-11
All the questions…
“Are you excited for Christmas?” “What are getting for Christmas?” “What are you doing for Christmas?” “Are you going anywhere for Christmas?” “Are you ready for Christmas?” “Did you finish your Christmas shopping?” “Have any special Christmas plans?”
So many questions. It’s a time of year where people feel the need to connect with one another and spend time with family and friends. It’s what we do. We try and see everyone we can over the holidays, it makes for a mad rush as times as we run from here to there dropping in for visits, dinners, parties, gifts.
It’s expected.
We expect to be busy at this time of year. We expect that people will be traveling, visiting, sharing with others. It’s part of the expectation of the season.
But what else do we expect?
Are there things that happen we don’t expect? Sometimes. Sometimes things happen outside of our control and will make us change our plans. Maybe a pleasant surprise perhaps?
It’s sometimes wise to be expecting the unexpected this time of year. You never know who might drop in for a surprise!
Sometimes things happen that we aren’t looking for, and we miss them completely. We realize later that we were there when it happened, but were so occupied with whatever else it was we were doing we missed it completely.
The birth of Jesus Christ is almost read more…
Thither Will I Go
“Thither Will I Go”
Isaiah 60:1-6; Luke 2:1-5
I want to start tonight by sharing a poem. It’s called, “And the Word was Made Flesh” by Laurence Housman.
“Light looked down and beheld Darkness.
‘Thither will I go’, said Light.
Peace looked down and beheld War.
‘Thither will I go’, said Peace.
Love looked down and beheld Hatred.
‘Thither will I go’, said Love.
So came Light and shone.
So came Peace and gave rest.
So came Love and brought Life.”
Tonight, a journey begins. Tonight we gather here in this church to officially begin our own season of waiting and anticipation. Our own season that leads us to Christmas, the birth of the Christ child, Emmanuel, “God with us”.
We call this season Advent. Advent meaning “coming into place” or “arrival”. It is a time of some reflection. A time to remember the many promises from God, the one’s he has made to His people. read more…