Welcome Advent

 Do you recall this refrain; "To everything - turn, turn, turn. There is a season - turn, turn, turn. And a time to every purpose under heaven. "

In 1965 the band The Byrds took this scripture set to music to the top of the Billboard charts. This Advent season we will turn to ‘a time to dream.’ There are several ways to think of dreaming, I want to offer to you the idea that dreaming is to imagine a future filled with hope, peace, joy and love.

We know that the next few weeks will slip past us quicker than a blink. There is so much to do as we prepare ourselves for this upcoming holiday season. Advent will begin on November 30 and that will give us four weeks to prepare ourselves for the arrival of the Christ. We can help ourselves by doing a bit of pre-preparation by considering what we find in the world around us and what we can dream about as we look to the future. We have been called to be present in each moment of our lives and that takes practice. Use the month of November to practice being present. Once we notice that we are in a moment, perhaps speaking to someone or making a decision about what we need from the store, then we can start to be present in that moment. It takes hard work and we must be intentional about observing the world around and within us.

Look for opportunities this next month to share the love of God in your communities. When you focus on who you are with and what is happening you will discover that God is at work right there and can use your help. Maybe you will start dreaming dreams or seeing visions like in the Old Testament. God is always speaking to us. Do you hear what I hear?


Yours in Christ,

Bruce

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

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