Advent is here. The word Advent is from the Latin
When the church celebrates Advent, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the preparation for
To prepare for Christ’s coming, we need to prepare ourselves in heart, soul, strength, and mind. To do that, I invite you to participate in the devotional “Living Well through Advent 2018.” It can be found in the narthex (no that is not a part of an insect; it’s the fancy word for where we enter the church.)
During Advent, we will be slowly transforming the sanctuary in preparation. The first week we will add the Advent Wreath to give us a visual marker to remind us that Christ coming is near. The second week we will see the crèche (nativity scene) in the church to remind us of Mary and Joseph’s preparing for his birth. The third Sunday, we will see our church adorned with boughs
to make a festive preparation for Christ’s coming. On December 24, we will decorate the Christmas tree after church for the wonderful Candle light service on Christmas Eve.
In Luke, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is. The answer is taken from Deuteronomy. 6:4-5, which any faithful person of that time would have known from their daily morning prayer, the Shema. However, he adds a twist, he adds a second commandment from Leviticus 19:18 to love our neighbor.
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
And Love your neighbor as yourself.
During each service in Advent, we will be reciting the Jesus Creed to remind us of what Jesus thought was the most important rule for our lives. Please join with me in reflecting how we can better love God and love others, as we prepare for Christ’s coming.