The Season of Advent

Season of Advent

We have many meaningful ways to mark this season of waiting and preparation together. The Season of Advent begins December 1st and goes to December 25 (Christmas Day). 

We will take a break from regular faith formation for Intergenerational Advent Brunch and Activities following worship. Pastor Tari will lead the devotion, but we will need volunteers to provide the main brunch dish and others to help with crafts. We’re thinking meals like pancakes, egg casserole, French toast and fruit. If you are interested in helping organize, please talk with Pastor Tari or Lisa Wallace.

Our Advent theme this year is The Jesse Tree and we will craft our own tree ornaments. The Jesse tree represents Jesus' family tree. The name is taken from Isaiah 11:1, in which Jesus is referred to as a shoot coming up from the stump of Jesse, the father of David. The ornaments on the Jesse tree tell of Jesus' ancestors, and of the events leading to Jesus' birth.

Advent is also the beginning of the new year in the church. We will move from Mark’s gospel into Luke’s. Many of people’s favorite sayings and stories come from Luke’s Gospel. A couple of unique things:

Luke is the first part of two books. Acts is the second.  They both are dedicated to a Theophilus, though no one is sure who this person is. Nowhere is Luke identified as the author. 

Luke most likely had a copy of Mark’s gospel and another source. He was writing for a Gentile, not a Jewish, community. Luke omits about half of the material in Mark’s Gospel and corrects much of Mark’s sloppy grammar and spelling. Luke’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus’ divinity and one worthy of worship. He also has a strong emphasis on immediate salvation. Jesus the Savior saves people from demons, disease, hunger, poverty, ostracism, attachment to wealth along with other current situations.  There are more mentions of women and eating in Luke’s Gospel than any of the others.