Holy SnowDay!!
Anyone else still in their pj's drinking coffee?
Well, since we've chosen to cancel Thirdway's Sunday meeting today, I thought I'd share with you the advent reading we would have done this morning. I've gotta tell you, folks, it's a total bummer to have to miss lighting the candle of Peace with you all. But I want to encourage you to get together with your family members, your snowball fight mates, your small group, or whoever is nearest and dearest to you this week, and celebrate the advent - the anticipation and celebration of Christ's coming birth.
One easy way to do this is to get nice and cozy with each other, grab two candles, some matches, and get a volunteer to lead the readings. Heck, you could even have 3 readers - one for the narrator, one for the angel, and one for Zechariah. Got a guitar? Lead your fellow advent-celebratees in our response prayer - it's a total cinch! Just listen to the Eustace link on the right side of this page for a reminder of the easy peasy notes. Or make up your own melody! Of course, you're welcome to simply read the response prayer together, but I challenge you to SING. And smile and laugh. Then when all of this is done, go grab another snowball or that second cup of eggnog.
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Luke 1
This is the story of Zechariah the priest and his wife Elizabeth, who was barren.
Zechariah was burning incense in the temple when an angel of the Lord appeared before him,
"Do not be afraid, Zechariah.. God has heard your prayer.
Your wife will bear you a son. And many will rejoice because of his birth."
The peace of God through the birth of Christ.
Zechariah the priest was burning incense in the temple,
and an angel of the Lord said to him.
"God has heard your prayer.
You will have a son and he will be named John.
He'll be a delight to you and many will rejoice because of his birth.
He will prepare the way for the Lord."
But Zechariah said, "How can I be sure of this??
I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years."
The angel answered,
"I stand in the presence of God,
and I have been sent to tell you this good news.
And now because you didn't believe my words,
you will not be able to speak until this promise has been fulfilled."
And so it was, that when Elizabeth gave birth to her child,
they went to Zechariah, to find out what his name should be,
and because he could not speak, he wrote for them, "His name is John."
Immediately, his tongue was loosed,
and he began to speak aloud again, praising God.
The peace of God through the birth of Christ.
Elizabeth the barren.. gave birth to a son, by the mercy of God,
and all of her neighbors and relatives shared her joy.
And Zechariah named him John, because of the good news given to him,
by an angel of the Lord.
He praised God, and he prophesied,
"Blessed be the God of Israel, who has come to set us free!
My child will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins!
It is by the tender mercy of our God,
that the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the path of peace."
The peace of God through the birth of Christ.
"It is by the tender mercy of God,
that the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the path of peace."
(have a buddy light the candles of hope and peace as you read this part!)
And so today, we light the candle of hope, and the candle of peace,
because we, alongside all of creation, wait for the wholeness and rest that come through the birth of Christ.
The peace of God through the birth of Christ.
The peace of God through the birth of Christ.
(take a moment of silence to pray and contemplate
the value of lighting the candle of hope and the candle of peace
with the family that God has placed around you)
(Closing prayer)
This is the week for us to remember the coming
of God's true peace through the birth of Christ,
To be inspired by his faithfulness..
to be refreshed in our wait for wholeness.
May we join all of creation,
as it looks to the promise of the rising sun,
which will surely come to us from heaven,
and cast away the shadow of death and brokenness.
All the earth is waiting, Lord.
And we look expectantly for your kingdom,
as it comes in fullness.
as it comes in fullness.
Amen.
"There's no such thing as canceling church," is what I can hear my friend, Bryan Ward, saying.
So true, true, true. Have a lovely, restful day.
And may God's peace restore your soul, your hope, your everything.
so wonderful!
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