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"Let every heart, prepare him room." This line from the Christmas hymn "Joy to the World" sums up the theme of Advent: preparation of the heart. However, you won't hear that hymn until December 24 when we welcome the season of Christmas and the Christ child. In The Episcopal Church, Advent is its own holy season. Here are a few notes to help you prepare to celebrate Advent. The Advent wreath. The symbol of the Advent season is the Advent wreath. Each Sunday in Advent (there are 4) we light one more candle until all 4 are lit before Christmas. This symbolizes the Light coming into the world. We fully celebrate this Light at Christmas Eve with each of us holding candles in the service. (You can mark the days of Advent with your own Advent wreath in your home, too. We will be making them together on the First Sunday of Advent following services, in the Parish Hall.) Advent hymns. If you come from a Protestant background, you may be surprised at the lack of Christmas songs in our services in December. Now, let me assure you, my family and I enjoy our share of Christmas music during December, but we try to do so in the spirit of Advent - as a joyful expectation and preparation for Christ's coming among us. But when it comes to our Sunday services, we really dig in to the spirit of preparation by singing beautiful and unique Advent hymns. (You can search "Advent hymns" or "folk Advent" or "rock Advent" on your favorite music streaming apps to help keep you in that spirit throughout the week.) Saint Nicholas. Yep, jolly ol' St. Nick is actually a saint, and his feast day is December 6. Nicholas of Myra was a bishop in the 300s in what is now Turkey, and there are many wonderful legends of all the good he did. We honor his feast day with a potluck, bringing cookies to pack for care packages, and for learning a little about him (as well as other fun activities like pictures with Santa). We will celebrate his feast together following the 1030am service on December 8. Special giving projects. Keep your eyes out for special ways to show generosity this season. This year we will have opportunities to donate to Episcopal Relief and Development and a special Giving Tree for a local school. If you have extra income to share, please consider donating to one or both of these. However you mark this holy season, let us all undertake to have the spirit of Advent with us each day, preparing our hearts for Christ's coming among us. So that at Christmas, and at his second coming, we may greet him without fear but with confidence and joy. 
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The elections are over, and newly elected officials will take office soon. I have talked with some of you who are reeling from the elections, and are experiencing a mix of negative emotions, and I know there are many in our congregation and church who are experiencing gratitude and a sense of peace at the outcomes of the elections. The first thing we must do as Christians, is to recognize that both the fear and grief, and also the hope and gratitude are valid. If my Christian brother, sister, sibling is in pain, she is in pain for a reason that is real and not imagined. And if my Christian brother, sister, sibling is rejoicing, she is rejoicing for a reason that is real and not imagined. When we do this we take the first step in fulfilling what Paul wrote about us as the Body of Christ. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26) and Love does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) The second thing to say, taking a step back (because we can all get caught up in the righteousness of our cause over against others), it is truly a beautiful thing that our Episcopal Church is 1/2 Democrat and 1/2 Republican, because it is a witness to the world that human beings can disagree without violence or hate. Human beings can disagree and still say, "At the end of the day, I will stand with my neighbor and with love." It is a witness to the world that what unites us as Christians, isn't a cult-like group-think, but rather what unites us is the life-changing, free love of Christ, given and poured out each week in the Holy Eucharist. If we stick with love, even when we disagree with or don't understand our neighbor, then the world has hope. The final thing to say before we pray is what love looks like. In the days following an election, love looks like solidarity. Solidarity with my neighbor, even (and especially) with the neighbor I disagree with. It means putting our arm around our neighbor's shoulders (metaphorically) and saying, "I'll be with you, no matter what. I voted the way I did because I think it will benefit all of us. But if it turns out that an outcome of this election is going to hurt you, I will stand with you and protect you." That's solidarity. None of us can foresee or control all the outcomes of elections. Only God can do that. What we are called to is solidarity with our real, flesh and blood neighbors. We are not called to allegiance to ideas or political parties, but to solidarity with our neighbors. Now, let us pray. This prayer is adapted from a prayer by St. Clement of Rome: Lord, we pray for our nation following the election. Grant to all our elected officials and judges, especially president-elect Donald Trump and vice-president-elect J.D. Vance, health, peace, harmony, and stability, so that they may blamelessly administer the government that you have given them. For you, heavenly Master, the King of the ages, give to human beings glory and honor and authority, so that by devoutly administering, in peace and gentleness, the authority that you have given them, all creation may experience your mercy. We pray that this might be so. Dear friends in Christ, below is a video from our bishop, Michael Hunn, urging us to the observance of Veterans Day. We give thanks for all who have honorably served our country and honor the many sacrifices they have made. |
St Francis Episcopal ChurchJesus's vision for the kingdom of God is that every person belongs, every person is valued, and every person has something unique to contribute. Through baptism we become the family of God, and this family can bless the whole world, by demonstrating the Love of God and inviting all into that Love. This page is here to show the many ways that we are living out the Way of Love. Come and be a part of something bigger and more beautiful than any one of us could imagine. Archives
January 2025
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