November 25, 2022
Dear Peace members and friends,
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I like everything about it; the gathering of family and friends, the traditions of the day, the quiet. I like the fact that Thanksgiving is a joyful and simple day. I like the fact that it is much like it was when I was a boy; when we played touch football on the frozen ground and came home to a big meal. Yesterday was like that for me (not football, though!) and I hope you had a blessed day, too.
And I love Thanksgiving because it is a prelude to a great season of the church year: Advent. Advent begins on Sunday. And we’ll begin worship with the hymn, “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” The hymn has a deep, full melody that goes all the way back to the chants of the 4th century. It’s the kind of hymn that bothers those who wonder why we can’t sing Christmas carols all month long!
The hymn also reminds us of something important: that the story of Christmas we are about to retell and the event we are about to celebrate again did not happen last week. The hymn reminds us that it is a story of waiting, waiting thousands of years before the event, and waiting now for its completion. “Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand…” the hymn begins. We stop and begin to ponder again the coming of God in the flesh: Jesus Christ.
From that opening hymn, we’ll light the first candle on the Advent wreath, hear a children’s message from Pastor Joe, sing some more wonderful Advent hymns, and share in the Lord’s Supper around the altar.
We’ll also begin our Advent sermon series: “As Those Who Dream.” All those in the stories leading up to the birth of Jesus—the prophets, John the Baptist, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the magi—were dreamers. They received, discovered, and responded to God’s dreams for the world. It’s a good time to dream for us, too. And we’ll begin with a message entitled, “Those Who Dream….Are Watchful.”
This Sunday, we’ll also distribute the Lutheran churches annual Christmas giving catalogue, Good Gifts, and say more about it. It is a way for us and for members across the church to show their support of the ministries we share. There are more than 50 charitable gifts to choose from, and each makes a real impact in the world, sharing the love of Christ — one goat, water well or school uniform at a time. I look forward to telling you about it.
Following worship in Adult Education, on this first Sunday of Advent, we’ll take a look at the first Christmas in ancient Palestine. What kind of world did God in Jesus Christ enter into? We’ll take a look at the place and people and what Mary and Joseph and others in the story of the Nativity encountered that first Christmas.
My thanks to each of you who, last Sunday, made your financial pledge to God for the ministry of the church for the coming year. I am, and as a church we are, so grateful for each of you who had returned your pledge card. If you weren’t able to do this last Sunday and you are a member of Peace, you will receive a pledge card in the mail. Please prayerfully consider a pledge. Thank you ahead of time for making a financial commitment to God to support the church’s ministry in the coming year.
Join me for Advent this year, beginning on Sunday. Advent celebrates and anticipates God’s ultimate victory over all that denies or destroys life. “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” continues: “King of Kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords in human vesture, in the body and the blood, he will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.”
See you Sunday!
Mark