Topic

Dan Nighswander (Executive Director of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, about 250 congregations) introduced the First Sunday of Advent by encouraging us to try being less impatient, less hurried, to delay singing Christmas carols until Christmas Day. The argument made by some is that Jesus obviously has already been born, so why wait, why pretend? Dan suggests that the very act of waiting may be good for us. After all, we are supposedly waiting for the Second Coming. Some preachers make a livelihood by attempting to interpret the ‘signs of the times’, much as in Christ’s time, but Jesus essentially said that we should not ‘read tea leaves’, we should just look at ordinary tree leaves. They grow, get old, and eventually fall to the ground. Even so, the Second Coming is that inevitable. The signs? Wars, environmental anxieties, terrorism, refugees fleeing, genocide, fear of diseases, fear of failure, depression. Jesus says, “Stand up, raise your heads, for redemption is near.” We believe that God is about to enter this world and take care of these things. Meanwhile, we await The Coming (Advent), watchfully preparing . . . . or do we mainly go shopping? [JEK]

Service Details

Passage: Luke 21:25-36

Communion: Yes

Ecumenical or Event: First Advent

Potluck Lunch: No

Congregational Meeting: No

Worship Team

Speaker: Dan Nighswander

Worship Leader: Karl Brown

Song Leader: Rosie Perera

Pianist: Heather Pauls

Usher:

Childrens Feature Leader:

Hospitality

Bring Flowers:

Coffee Helper:

Sound Helper:

Sunday School Team

Child Care Volunteer: Nadine Neudorf