Starting over again - Rector's Rambling for November 27, 2016

Happy Church New Year!  We begin again the church calendar, being reminded of the cycle of our Lord’s promised coming, His birth, His making manifest of God’s revelation to Jew and Gentile (Epiphany), teaching about sin and repentance, His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the descent of the Holy Ghost, and then back to the long ordinary time of teaching about the nature of God.

Advent is a season that has us looking both forward (Jesus’ return) as well as backward (His birth in Bethlehem), and although not as strict or methodical as Lent, it is a penitential season none the less.

Borrowing from our Lenten discipline, can I suggest to you a few things to keep a Holy Advent?  I know that it is not usually on the forefront of our mind, but I promise that if you make an effort to make Advent more advent and penitential, Christmas will be sweeter.

My suggestion is to take on a special devotion for Advent.  A good discipline could include praying Morning and/or Evening Prayer every day for the season.  Instructions are found on page 4 of this Chronicle.  Or you could find an Advent Devotional Web site or booklet, and spend a few minute each day reading and mediating on the item presented to you for the day.  Take an opportunity to pray for someone in your life every single day – for God’s blessing on them this holiday season.  These are just a sampling of what you can do.

I do want to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in the Town Hall meeting last week.  It is exciting – all that is going to be happening around here, both at St. John’s and around us in the neighborhood.

And I also want to thank the many people who came to the Thanksgiving Day parade and helped with greeting guests, serving breakfast, and selling donuts and hot chocolate out the front door of the Church.  Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity for us to both celebrate with the community and welcome its members into our building!