Heaven and Nature Sing

This year for Advent our theme echoes with the melodies of the familiar Isaac Watts hymn “Joy to the World! The Lord is Come.” In this tune, heaven and nature, fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains all shout to praise God. What if we took this as our posture for advent? What if in this season of waiting and preparation we challenged ourselves to offer praise. In the weeks to come, we will hear the mountains, the animals, the wilderness, the earth, and the darkness sing. And each week we will share the Lord’s Supper. So, what will be your song of waiting? Maybe it’s one you hold dear, like “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” or maybe it’s a new tune to you like, “View the Present Through the Promise.” This advent, I challenge each of us to sing a song of expectation, to whistle a tune of praise, or to hum a melody of God’s faithfulness from age to age. 

In addition to our traditionally celebrated worship services, we are trying something new. We will feature an early Christmas Eve Service at 4:00 pm. This service will be led by our children and youth. It will consist of nativity readings, Christmas carols, and communion. The service will last less than an hour, so it will be accessible to folks who do not drive after dark. If you know of someone who could benefit from such an early service, please invite them to join us in worship. Our 11:00pm service continues to be a centerpiece of worship for our congregation. We will hear the testimony of the scriptures welcoming the incarnation of the Christ-child, share bread and cup at the table, and greet each other with joy as we exit on Christmas morn.

 

In the season of preparation, I pray that you may find your song. Take time this advent to rest and to pray. May we each devote ourselves to the study of scriptures as we anticipate, once again, the coming of our savior. Joy to the world indeed!

-Courtney Stamey