Coming
by Pastor Don Ray
Coming…Savior
Here we are in Advent, the first season of the Church year that leads up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day.
As we recall, the word “advent” means “coming,” from the Latin adventus, which itself is a translation of the Greek word parousia, which Scripture uses to describe the second and final coming of our Lord and Savior (e.g. 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 2:19; 2 Pet. 1:16).
So Advent is not only a remembrance of what took place long ago, with the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, it’s also a preparation for what is to come—our Lord’s Second Coming, at which point He will create a new heavens and earth, and claim His Church forever!
Coming…to Worship
This Advent season we have two teaching series—one during our midweek services on Wednesdays at 6:30pm (after our soup suppers at 5:45pm), and the other series on Sunday mornings at 10am.
Our midweek series, “Him and Hymns,” invites us to reflect on Scriptures pointing us to the coming Christ, as seen through the lens of centuries-old hymns based on these same texts. Our Sunday series, “Coming,” draws us into God’s Word to reflect on the Coming Days which usher in our Coming Messenger, Joy, and Peace.
We are especially excited that our preschool children and families will be participating in our 10am “Joy!” service on Sunday, December 16. Our preschool is a very important part of our life together and so we look forward to continuing to unite our church and preschool ever more deeply, in service to our community.
Coming…Schedules
Speaking of important things…in our Core Values statement, we prayerfully discerned the “Word of God” and “Disciple-Making” to be vital aspects of our life together, and indeed they are.
However, our current Sunday schedule allows essentially only 40 minutes of uninterrupted time for Bible studies; this rushes children and teachers in our younger grades and similarly compresses and disrupts our adult sessions, causing a particular challenge for people who also sing in the choir.
For this reason, we will soon begin experimenting indefinitely with a revised Sunday morning schedule. Starting January 6, we will worship at 9am, and invite all ages to study God’s Word at 10:30am.
This modified schedule expands our time for Sunday morning Bible studies and thus better reflects the Core Values we have agreed are important to God and us; said simply, it aligns our walk with our talk.
Coming…Together
Truth be told, this scheduling shift may tempt some to come less often, or may even be seen as a reason to quit coming altogether. However, this is not an opportunity to become less disciplined, but rather, to come together around God’s Word and Sacraments even more fully and intentionally than before.
So brothers and sisters in Christ of all ages—single, engaged, married, widowed, and divorced: come.
Parents especially: come. Husbands and dads: don’t delegate the spiritual leadership of your household to your wife or your children’s grandparents. Bring yourselves and your entire family to worship and Bible study. Every week. It’s your calling and your responsibility before God and one another.
As the writer to the Hebrews says, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (10:24-25).
And indeed, that Coming Day of our Lord is one we remember and celebrate most clearly this Advent season. So, come…and invite your extended family, friends, and neighbors to join us!
Eagerly awaiting our Coming Savior, with you—
Pastor Don Ray