From the Rector
From the Rector
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Advent is a time of joyful reflection and anticipation of the coming of Christ. It is a time when we heed the preaching of John the Baptizer that the kingdom of heaven has come near, and examine our lives as a means of “preparing the way” for Christ to be newly born in them. In the Christian tradition, Advent is filled with a rich array of images and customs that help us in our reflection and preparation. The Advent Wreath has origins in the pre-Christian practice of employing the circular wreath to remind us of the timeless cycles of nature, during the dark days approaching the winter equinox, and adds candles representing our hope for the light of Christ coming into a darkened world. Members of our Church School are assisting with the lighting of the candles of the Advent Wreath each week, and have taken home Advent Calendars for a daily reminder that we are all symbolically gathering at the stable in Bethlehem.
On Sunday, December 5 we celebrate the wonderful example of Nicholas, 4th century Bishop Myra, whose remarkable generosity and compassion provides the real-life model for modern-day Santa Claus traditions. As far as we can tell, it was indeed Nicholas’ custom to practice his gift-giving in secret: he was particularly concerned for the needy in his own time, a habit we can all do well to emulate. We anticipate that our special commemoration of Nicholas of Myra will be enlivened by a visit from the saint himself, and our celebration will be quite festive!
At Christ Church our Advent preparations are not restricted to the practices of the past. Thanks to the efforts of those within the parish and beyond it, many of us are enjoying the gift of daily meditations arriving by email to enhance our reflections on the place of Christ in our lives.
These weeks leading up to Christmas can be a time of high stress, as we worry about getting all of the shopping, wrapping, organizing and baking for the holidays complete. I pray that you will make time for your inner spirit and for appreciation of God’s graceful presence all around us, ready to be born anew. We hope you will be able to join us for worship, both during the Sundays of Advent and for our Christmas services. If you are unable to get out and would like to have us come to you with home communion or simply for a pastoral visit, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
In Advent hope,
Molly
