Advent: Love as Our Beginning

Advent is a season of thresholds—a sacred space where endings and beginnings meet. As the calendar year winds down, a new church year begins, inviting us into the story of Christ’s birth. It’s a story that calls us to new ways of living and loving, even as we carry the weight of what has ended. This time of year can feel heavy, with the challenges of our world still spinning madly on, but Advent whispers a deeper truth: new beginnings are always possible.

This year, Advent arrives on the heels of an election season. Many of us feel the tension of this moment—a mixture of uncertainty, exhaustion, and the hope that somehow things can be different. As we stand at this threshold, we need words to ground us. Words to remind us who we are and what we are called to do in the midst of it all.

For this Advent, we’ve crafted a series centered on blessings—words we need to hear again and again as we begin something new. We imagined Mary, cradling her newborn son, whispering words of hope and lessons for the life ahead. What would she say to him? What stories would she tell? What truths would she pass on?

The themes of this series may feel familiar, like lessons we teach children or words we speak at sacred moments—weddings, baptisms, ordinations. But they are reminders we all need, especially as we navigate uncertain times. Advent invites us to hold these words close, to let them guide us as we step into a sacred new chapter.

Mary, carrying the weight of personal and political endings, still proclaimed hope in a God who makes all things new. As we move through our own new chapters, may we remember the ways we are called to live out our faith. Whatever you are facing, whatever this season holds for you, let love be your beginning.

First Sunday of Advent: You Are a Blessing

Scripture for this Sunday - Luke 1:26-38 | Isaiah 43:1-7

This Advent season begins with a powerful truth: You are a blessing.

Mary’s story reminds us of the kind of people God calls blessed. She wasn’t wealthy, influential, or powerful. She was an ordinary young woman, chosen to do something extraordinary—to carry God’s promise into the world. When the angel greets her, he declares, “You are blessed among women.” But Mary’s blessedness wasn’t about her circumstances. It was about her belonging—to God, to God’s plan, to God’s vision for a world transformed by love.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this truth. Speaking to a people longing for hope, he reminds them of a God who calls us by name and claims us as beloved. “You are precious in my sight,” God says. “You are honored, and I love you.” This is where our story begins too—not with scarcity, fear, or striving, but with the abundance of being called blessed because we belong to God.

When blessedness is our beginning, it transforms the way we see the world. It opens our eyes to see others as God sees them—precious, loved, and chosen.

A Special Invitation

This Sunday, as we light the first candle of Advent, we invite you into this sacred season with a simple but profound reminder: You are a blessing. Come and hear the words of hope that Mary and Isaiah proclaim. Join us as we reflect on what it means to live as those who are called precious in God’s sight.

We’ll gather together to celebrate the blessedness that is our beginning, and we’ll carry that light forward as we step into this season of endings and beginnings. No matter what this season holds for you, you are welcome here—and you are a blessing.

Mark your calendars for our next Abundant Grace Free Winter Market on December 7th! This event is a wonderful opportunity to share the spirit of the season with our community.

Here are a few ways you can participate:

• Donate: Please bring in your donations by December 1st. Items such as winter clothing, household goods, and non-perishable food are greatly appreciated.

• Volunteer: Help make the event a success by signing up to volunteer at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Place.

In this season of giving, we also encourage you to support our church’s Food Pantry. Your donations of non-perishable food items go directly to families in need in our community. This is an ongoing effort to ensure that no one goes hungry during the holidays or any time of the year. Donations can be brought to the church and left in the marked bins in the Gathering Place.

Thank you for being a part of this community of faith. May we continue to walk together in gratitude and hope, reflecting the light of Christ to those around us.

And as we look forward to 2025, please remember to turn in your generosity cards. Your generosity makes everything we do together possible, supporting the ministries that help us to be a beacon of love, hope, and respect in our community.

Click here to fill out your pledge card

Whether you join us in person or online, we look forward to worshiping with you this weekend.

In grace and peace,

Pastor DJ