Dear Peace members and friends,
It was terrific to see so many of you at Advent worship on Wednesday. To gather this time of year in the evening; to share a meal and conversation; to worship quietly—well, it was wonderful, thank you! Advent evening worship (6:30pm) and a light meal (5:30-6:15pm) continue this coming Wednesday, December 13th. Join in!
Coming up this weekend is the Third Sunday of Advent. In the Gospels, there are two main Advent characters: John the Baptist and Mary, the mother of Jesus. Last Sunday, John the Baptist was a witness, a voice, proclaiming, that the light was coming into the world. This Sunday, we will hear that promised news becoming real in the life of Mary. It is the story of the Annunciation to Mary; that she will bear a son who, “will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32). God didn’t wait for the perfect time or come to perfect people but came when the times were out of joint and our need was great. God came to Mary….and God comes to us! I’ll say more on Sunday in a message, “Heaven to Earth: Rejoice!”
If you’re like me, your heart is breaking over the violence and death in the Israel-Palestine conflict. We wonder: how did we get here? What are the historical and biblical contexts that play a role in this conflict? In the Adult Education Hour (10:45am), I’ll get at some of those questions. Join in on this important conversation.
Last of all, in the tradition of the Magi bringing gifts to the baby Jesus, Advent and Christmas is a time for special giving. We continue, not only our congregational gifts but also our individual gifts through ELCA Good Gifts. If you haven’t received a catalog in the mail, take a moment at church on Sunday to stop at the Narthex desk, where Service and Mission Committee members will help you check out the catalog and give life-giving gifts in the name of Christ.
See you Sunday!
Mark