“Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King!”
Last month, we discussed Advent and how it is a time of anticipation of both the first and second comings of Christ. We continue that waiting and preparation, lighting one more Advent candle each Sunday. But December bring us from Advent to Christmas and the birth of Jesus, the Christ Child, the promised Messiah. We celebrate the Incarnation – God has come to earth. Advent is a time of anticipation, of waiting, until December 25. We know the familiar hymns, the scripture in Luke 2 that tells of that wondrous night filled with angels, and the inn, the stable, the manger, the Holy Family. There is comfort in all this. I invite you to look closely at the words of the carols. Some have great theology and majestic music such as “O Come, all ye faithful” and “ Hark, the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn King!” Some are quiet lullabies such as “Away in a Manger”, the all time favorite “Silent Night” and all the others that help us learn about Christmas and take us back in time through word and song.
This year, December 25 is on Sunday which gives us a wonderful opportunity for true worship and celebration on Christmas Day. We invite everyone to the Church on December 24, Christmas Eve, for a simple open house at 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm, to come and go as you want, to stay as long as you want. There will not be a service, but a quiet opportunity to see the church with the tree, the candles in the windows lighted, hear quiet live music, and to remember that night so long ago and think on what it all means to us today as followers of the Christ that child was born to be.
Then on Christmas morning, please join us for a celebration of the birth of the King. We will light the Christ Candle along with all the other candles of the Advent wreath, and begin the true celebration of Christmas.
“O Come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord !”
