|
Dear friends and members of University UMC:
Our Advent journey continues. Christmas is less than two weeks away. As a mom behind in Christmas shopping, this sends me into a tailspin. As a pastor looking toward Christmas Eve, this also sends me into a mild panic. I see you, too, dear ones. You with lives that are full to the brim. You with multiple plates spinning in the air. All this hurry and scurry with packed schedules seems counter to Advent’s invitation to stillness, silence, and waiting.
I’ve been known to be hard on myself around this time of the year. Feeling bad for not carving out enough time for the stillness and silence. Feeling guilty for not reading every good devotional that lands in my inbox. Feeling impatient and restless in my waiting. Confessing that when it comes to Advent, I’m a failure. Complaining in January, “I need an Advent do-over!”
But more and more, I’m trying to extend as much compassion to myself as I believe God extends to all of us. God knows the hard things in life. God knows the news that keeps us up at night - whether it be war on the other side of the world or conflict in personal relationships. God sees the fullness of our days and is with us—loving us—as we plug along. However you find yourself this Advent, know that you are enough. That somehow Christmas shows up. Like Dr. Seuss’ Whoville, where Christmas comes “without packages and bows”, Christmas will show up even if—even when —we don’t have the picture-perfect Advent we impose on ourselves. I imagine a new rendition of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas—“It came without reading every single devotional. It came without attending every single worship service. It came in spite of our restless spirits.” Indeed, friends, Jesus comes—anyway! Entering into our hurried, plates-spinning kinda’ world.
This day—and this season—I do pray you can embrace the gifts of stillness, silence, and waiting. Even if it’s on occasion and not as much as you’d like. Take the sips of quiet here and there. Enjoy the opportunity to breathe deep and soak up something that reminds you of the joy of living. Maybe even relish in the ability to say “no” to one more commitment. But most of all, I pray you can trust that God is with you and you are more than enough: even if you don’t have your picture-perfect Advent.
One of the traditions I love in the local church is the lighting of the Advent Wreath candles. This ritual centers me. It helps me wait as we light one additional candle week after week, as we look to Christmas morning. As a child, I enjoyed the Advent Wreath lighting in my home as well. My parents were committed to the practice of beginning each weekday with a brief devotional and lighting of the Advent Wreath. My siblings and I would sometimes argue over whose turn it was to light the candles, and we’d listen to Dad read from the Bible and the church’s devotional as we ate breakfast before school. Even (perhaps especially!) on Christmas Day, we would gather around the kitchen table for a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and we’d light the Christ candle before opening presents. To this day, these memories bring me to tears. My mom and dad sometimes guided us through the living room as we walked with our eyes closed so we didn’t see anything under the tree. We’d read the Christmas story - the same one the preacher read the night before at church. We’d sing “Joy to the World.” Only after that could the Christmas present unwrapping begin. I like presents as much as the next person. But I found the real wonder and joy in those moments around the table. Lighting candles while we ate breakfast before hurrying off to school. Reading the stories about Jesus’ coming while living our so-called ordinary lives. Singing the songs of our faith that reminded us there is more to this broken world than meets the eye—there are moments of joy and wonder shining through. I pray this season you have many of these moments. And I pray you and those you love best have a most wonderful Christmas. I’ll share a Friday Note next week on December 19 and will be back here on January 9.
Below, I’m leaving a few resources. First is an article sharing more about the history of the Advent Wreath. I’ve also included below the quotes and prayers from the Advent Wreath lightings used in worship this year at University UMC. And finally, you’ll see a schedule of all the wonderful music planned for this Sunday’s Musical Christmas Market as well as a list of vendors (including some of our Microloan recipients!). Sunday is going to be a special day with our traditional Lessons and Carols service at 11 am, followed by the Musical Christmas Market. I hope to see you there!
What a joy to be your pastor!
Teresa |
|
|
| | |
Good Words and Prayers from this year’s Advent Wreath Lighting at UUMC
HOPE“Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.” - Anne Lammot
God of light and shadow, heaven and earth, kindle a new hope in our hearts. Keep us alert to the signs of your coming: how you lift up the lowly, tear open the heavens, and let the daunting mountains of hopelessness, despair, and cynicism quake at your presence. Give us the courage to trust, rejoice, and sing. Come, Jesus, come! Amen. |
|
| | PEACE“But the need of my heart is room for Peace: Peace of mind that inspires singleness of purpose; peace of heart that quiets all fears and uproots all panic; Peace of spirit that filters through all confusion and robs them of their power. These I seek now. I know that here in this quietness my life can be infused with Peace.” - Howard Thurman God of shalom, revive us again. Give us the wisdom and courage to be peacemakers, the strength to make a way in the wilderness accessible to all, the valleys lifted up, the mountains made low, the rough places plain.Fill us with your Spirit and your shalom, for the sake of your vibrant, buzzing, blooming world. Come, Prince of Peace, come! Amen. |
|
| | JOY“Joy is an act of Resistance. We will lean into that joy, knowing that our humanity demands that we fully partake of this magical experience.” - Tarana Burke God of delight, God of celebration, God of good news of great joy for all people – help us to lift our voices in song. Even among the shadows of sorrow and despair, help us rejoice in what you have done and what you will do. With Mary and with Hannah, let us sing of how you lift up the lowly, scatter the proud, and fill the hungry with good things. Come, Jesus, come! Amen. |
|
| | LOVE“What would it mean for Christians to give up that little piece of the American Dream that says, "You are limitless"? Everything is not possible. The mighty kingdom of God is not yet here. What if 'rich' did not have to mean 'wealthy', and 'whole' did not have to mean 'healed'? What if being the people of "the gospel" meant that we are simply people with good news? God is here. We are loved. It is enough.” - Kate Bowler God of love, thank you for walking with us, for shepherding us, caring for us: going where we go, lodging where we lodge, dwelling where we dwell. With Mary and with Ruth, fill us with your Spirit of loving-kindness. Help us to take care of each other. In the shadows of hate, abandonment, and fear, let each of us become a candle, a bearer of light and love. Come, Good Shepherd, come! Amen. |
|
| | THE CHRIST CANDLE“We will light candles this Christmas: Candles of joy despite all sadness, candles of hope where despair keeps watch, candles of courage for fears ever present, candles of peace for temper-tossed days, candles of grace to ease heavy burdens, candles of love to inspire all my living, candles that will burn all the year long.” - Howard Thurman |
|
| |
Musical Christmas Market Sunday, December 14 12 - 7 pm |
|
|
| Shopping (12 pm - 6 pm)Raley Sew & Co (Homemade Bags)
Sarah Cook (Jewelry and Bookmarks)
Air Lush & Co (Hanging Diffusers)
Fab & Glam by Jess (Jewelry, Keychains & Charms)
Hipi Pop (Books & Accessories)
Sisi Art World (Prints, Cards & Totes)
Stitches For Good (Knit & Crochet Goods)
Tati’s Floral Bouquet (Flowers)
Earth & Hand (Soap, Crystals, Oils)
Cindy Reeves (Holiday Serving-ware)
Sharfina Designs (Leather Goods)
Food for Sale (12 pm - 6 pm)Conchita’s (Conchas, Cinnamon Rolls & Tres Leches)
Crumb & Get It (Cookie Cakes & Cookies)
Open Door (Quesadilla & Soup)
Good Egg Society (Vietnamese Coffee Drinks)
Kids Chem Cook (Hot Cocoa & S’mores)
Live Music1 pm - Tom Caven
1:30 pm - Christy Moore
2 pm - Dissenting Harmony Choir
2:30 pm - Lockhart High School Choir
3 pm - Austin Community College Choir
3:30 pm - Andres Ojeda
4:30 pm - Panoramic Voices Choir
5 pm - Pano Youth Choir
6 pm - Festival of Carols Concert & Sing-a-long!
About the Festival of CarolsAt 6 PM, head to our Sanctuary for a Festival of Carols: sing-a-long to your favorite carols and enjoy beautiful choral music by the combined choirs of University UMC, University Christian Church, and Trinity Church of Austin. These affirming churches share missions of love, inclusion, and justice. Join us in song! |
|
| | | |
|
|
|
| |
|
