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Advent
is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition.
It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas day, which is the Sunday nearest
November 30 (St. Andrew's Day), and ends on Christmas Eve (December 24).
The
word Advent means "coming" or "arrival." The focus of the entire
season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First
Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in his
Second Advent. Thus, Advent is far more than simply marking a 2,000 year
old event in history. It is celebrating a truth about God, the
revelation of God in Christ whereby all of creation might be reconciled
to God. That is a process in which we now participate, and the
consummation of which we anticipate. Scripture readings and sermons
during Advent reflect this dual emphasis in both the First and Second
Advent, including themes of accountability for the faithfulness in His
coming, judgment on sin, and the hope of eternal life.
In
this double focus on past and future, Advent also symbolizes the
spiritual journeys of both individuals and the congregation, as they
affirm that Christ has come, that He is present in the world today, and
that He will come again in power. This acknowledgement provides a basis
for Kingdom ethics, for holy living arising from a profound sense that
we live "between the times" and are called to be faithful stewards of
what is entrusted to us as God's people. So, as the Church celebrates
God's inbreaking into history in the Incarnation, and anticipates a
future consummation of that history for which "all creation is groaning
awaiting its redemption," it also confesses its own responsibility as a
people commissioned to "love the Lord your God with all your heart" and
to "love your neighbor as yourself."
I hope
that you will take advantage of all your church's worship and
fellowship opportunities during this meaningful and magnificent season.
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