Thoughts on Advent

For: The Institute Of Contemporary And Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen’s University, Essentials Red Fall ‘08 Online Worship Theology Course with Dan Wilt.

I have been a member of one church for 20 years.  In all that time, I have heard the word “Advent” uttered once in the church service.  I mentioned it last year.  This year we are about to do something that has not been done in the Sunday service since I have been a part of this congregation.  

Each Sunday we open with a call to worship or a familiar hymn followed by a devotional given by one of the elders, or myself (worship pastor), or the associate pastor, or the head pastor.  For the four Sundays of Advent, I will give the devotional with scripture to help us as a congregation prepare for the Christmas season. The pastor will then base his sermons on the same scriptures looking at people from the Christmas story and how they anticipated the coming Messiah.  The children’s Sunday school program will also be about how the church has historically celebrated Advent.

In preparing for this time, I was challenged by the thought of Advent being the beginning of the church year.  How often do we begin new things, adding them to our already busy lives, without ever laying something down; allowing something to come to an end?  ”Prepare ye the way of the Lord!” I am personally challenged in this and will offer several moments during each devotional, where time of quiet reflection is given for us to ask God what should come to an ending so He can begin something anew.   I believe the new year will be a most exciting year for the church.

We are bombarded with holiday frenzy; hoping that this holiday will “save the economy.”  And then we hear news of a Wal-Mart employee being trampled to death in this feeding frenzy. Has this celebration of Immanuel (God with us) been diminished to nothing more than an economic celebration?  I feel part of my responsibility as a leader in our congregation is to help refocus our attention on the One we celebrate. And even if this 50 year old, Pentecostal rooted congregation has not formally used the period of Advent to prepare in the past, I think we need it now more than ever.  Imagine how Mary’s life changed.  Imagine how Joseph’s life changed.  How does my life change because He came?  PREPARE YE THE WAY during Advent.