First Congregational Church of Stoughton Pastor's Message

First Congregational Church of Stoughton
United Church of Christ

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I traveled home from my Thanksgiving dinner celebration last week, Christmas songs played on the radio station and brightly colored lights decorated many homes. People — and, of course, retailers — seem to begin the “Christmas Season” earlier and earlier each year. In fact, I began seeing houses decked out for the holidays in mid-November and hearing Christmas songs over the PA in department stores even earlier!

Everything in our culture is saying that it’s the Christmas season, and in response, we react with feelings of anxiety. There is so much to do — cards to write, presents to buy, trees to decorate, cookies to bake...

But the Church gives us a completely different message and a completely different timetable.

Before we get to Christmas, there is first the season of Advent, which began on Sunday, November 27, and runs through Christmas Eve. The four weeks of Advent is the Christian Church’s New Year’s — our new beginning during which we celebrate the hope, peace, joy, and love of the season.

In contrast to the anxious doing of Christmas, Advent is a time of hopeful waiting. Although waiting and hoping seem at odds with the rhythm of activity that swirls around us this season, hopeful waiting is exactly what we are called to do these weeks of Advent — to slow down, to quiet ourselves, and to wait with joy and anticipation for God to come into our lives. Waiting for God is what Advent all about.

“Advent” means “to come,” and the season celebrates Jesus’ first coming as a baby in Bethlehem, his final coming at the end of the age, and his present coming in the hearts of people. Advent is the time to remember that God can and will break in to our lives sometime, somewhere, somehow.

The Celtic saints called this a “thin space” — a sacred place of encounter with God where the veil separating heaven and earth is almost transparent. During Advent, we dwell in this “thin space,” waiting hopefully for God to come — to “advent” — into our lives.

How can we do that? One way is to let go of the stuff which clutters and complicates our lives, which distracts us from God and keeps us from living in that “thin space.”

Maybe it’s letting go of your need for material things or for approval or for keeping everything the way it has been. Maybe it’s letting go of an addiction or someone you are holding on to too tightly, or something that is holding on to you. What in your life do you need to clear away so that you can be ready and fully present for God’s adventing into your life?

During the seasons of Advent and Christmas (which runs “the twelve days of Christmas” from Christmas Day through Epiphany on January 6), in addition to Sunday morning worship, we will be offering special services and events to help you focus on God and the coming of Christ.

On December 1, World AIDS Day, Donna Connor and I will lead a Healing Service, which will include music, prayers, and the opportunity to be anointed with holy oil and experience the laying on of hands. Do you need healing this season — physically, emotionally, or spiritually? Come and let us pray with and for you. Does someone you know need healing? Come and be a conduit for God’s healing. (See page 2 for more information.)

On December 21, the longest night of the year, we will hold a “Blue Christmas” service. Although the song tells us that this is the “most wonderful time of year,” Christmas can be painful and lonely for those who have suffered a death, a loss, an illness, or have experienced some other event or circumstance which makes the season filled more with sorrow than joy. At this service, we will acknowledge these feelings which are so at odds with how we are “supposed” to be feeling, and we will hear the words of hope we receive through Jesus Christ. (For more information, see page 3).

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on Sunday this year, which gives us twice the opportunity to worship together! On Saturday, Christmas Eve, we will offer our traditional candlelight service, and the next morning, we will celebrate Christmas Day at Sunday morning worship. On New Year’s Eve, we will say good-bye to 2005 with a Watch Night supper and service (see page 6), and then welcome the New Year the next day at Sunday morning worship.

To conclude the season of Christmas, on January 6 we will be holding an inter- generational celebration of Epiphany, when the three kings visited the Christ Child.

In the midst of all your activities during this busy season, we invite you to take time out to be with God and your church family.

May hope, peace, joy and love be yours this Advent, and may the coming of Christ find in your heart both a welcome and a home. Celebrate with joy!

Faithfully,

Rev. Jean Niven Lenk