Today marks the beginning of Advent, the beginning of the Christian year as we prepare ourselves for the arrival of Jesus. We lit the first candle this morning, the Candle of Hope. It is also a time for us to look deeply at ourselves and at the world around us, and wait for the hope of Christmas. Our theme this year is "Those Who Dream,"
The Bible passage today comes from Mark 13. In this passage, Jesus made a prophesy of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. He spoke only to Peter, James, John, and Andrew as they sat on the mount of Olives. From where they sat, there was a view of the beautiful temple. When asked if he saw the marvel of the stones and structure of the temple, Jesus responded, "See thou these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
The disciples asked, "When will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things will be fulfilled?"
Jesus responded: “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’”
Pastor Sarah's message is a reminder that Advent is not only a time to look forward to the birth of Jesus, but to prepare for his return.
We can grow tired of watching and waiting. COVID has disrupted our lives and politics have divided our country. We are not able to come together to worship in the church building or join friends and family members at the table. We have entered a new reality and we must not grow weary or we will miss signs.
With courage and determination, Pastor Sarah has learned how to keep us together in ways that she never dreamed possible. She told us that she predicted that this Pandemic would last a long time and along with her colleagues in the ministry, she developed a "Virtual Choir." She learned that other churches were experiencing sadness that choirs could not sing in church. So...with her gift of technology, she offered to put together a Virtual Choir for anyone who would like to join in singing our favorite Christmas Carols. Today we watched and listened to the beautiful music created by friends who never expected to meet. Out of the darkness and chaos grew love.
Our theme for Advent, "Those Who Dream," is a theme for the dreamer in all of us. Let us dream of healing and a peaceful world.
“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” -John Lennon.
