Advent
By Pat Lee | July 20, 2011
Advent is a season of four weeks of preparation before Christmas. The word Advent means “coming” and refers to the coming of Jesus Christ.
During Advent we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ coming in history at Bethlehem — the First Advent. We celebrate, as well, the Second Advent. Jesus comes to us now as we gather in his name to hear God’s Word and share in the blessed bread and wine of the Eucharist and since Jesus will come to us in the future, we anticipate and prepare for his coming in majesty at the end of time.
Like many other churches we, at St. John’s, use an Advent Wreath as a visual way of moving through the four Sundays of Advent. The wreath’s circle shape has no beginning or ending, symbolising God’s love which began before the beginning and never ends. The three blue and one pink candle’s are progressively lit on each Sunday. This increasing light helps us focus on the coming into the world of Jesus, the light of the world. The blue candles of aniticipation symbolise hope, peace, and love. The pink candle symbolises the joy of reconciliation. At the centre of the wreath is the white Christ candle which is lit on Christmas Eve. Just as Jesus is at the centre of our lives, the centre of our church and centre of Advent/Christmas — the Christ candle is at the centre of the Advent wreath.
We have two manger scenes (one outside–one inside). The manger scene (chrèche) was popularised by St. Francis of Assisi around 1200 AD (CE) when he created one in a cave near his village using live animals and people. St. Francis wanted to revitalise devotion to Jesus as Christmas apporached. During Advent, the baby Jesus is not part of the scene. He is added on Christmas Eve.
The Christtmas Tree (a traditional offering from a parish family) appears at St. John’s on or about the third Sunday in Advent. It is an evergreen symbol of everlasting life — the eternal life with God offered us by Jesus.
OF Note:
In December, on the first Sunday of Advent at 6:30 pm at Bethel Pentecostal we join with several other local churches for an evening of carol singing, listening to the Biblical Christmas Story, and enjoying anthems by church choirs to support the work of the Salvation Army’s Christmas Hamper programme. Both our junior and senior choirs offer their time and talent to enrich this important outreach project.
In December, on the third Sunday in Advent our 10:00 am Holy Eucharist will take place in the upper hall as our Sunday School present their Christmas pageant. Refreshments and a time of fellowship follow this service.
It has become a tradition for “Daily Reading / Meditations / Prayers” to be provided as a takhome insert at our weekend services. God willing — this tradition will continue (in some form) this year. We will post these as they become available.
Food Bank — parishioners who wish to donate non-perishable items to the Food Bank are invited to bring their donation(s) to church on Sundays in Advent.
All of this leads us to December 24 — Christmas Eve when there are two services.
At 7:00 pm there will be the more interactive “family” service and at 9:00 pm we will have the more reflective “traditional” service.
Topics: Advent | No Comments »
Good Friday—The Crucifixion of Jesus
By Pat Lee | July 20, 2011
Good Friday—The Crucifixion of Jesus
Reading - John 18:1-19:42
Reflection: The Passion account in John is a narrative of how the Word of God made flesh—Jesus—became immersed in all of human life. To be with Jesus we need to be willing to live life as fully as we can. We need to reach out in trust to others. We need to acknowledge our doubts and fears. We need to accept our hurts and pains. We need to acknowledge our sin and accept God’s forgiveness. We need to accept the good and the bad that come with living life and know ourselves as people who need Jesus.
Prayer: Father, through the passion and death of your Son Jesus you revealed your willingness to be with me in the most critical aspects of human life. Help me to fully accept my humanity so as to be with Jesus in all that is human. I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Topics: Easter | No Comments »
Maundy Thursday
By Pat Lee | April 21, 2011
Maundy Thursday—The Institution of the Lord’s Supper—Jesus’ new commandment that we love one another as he has loved us—Jesus journeys to Gethsemane.
Readings: John 13:1-15 Matthew 26:17-46
Reflection: We see the interdependence that exists between Jesus giving himself to us in the Eucharist and our call as his church to give of ourselves to others. It is in both actions together that Jesus is present with us.
Prayer: Father, through your Son, you have become part of serving others. Help me to lay aside my personal agendas– help me to go beyond an attitude of “what can I get out of this?”– when I gather with others to be nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist. Help me to find Jesus in both the Eucharist and in the acts of care and service done by your Church.
Topics: Easter | No Comments »
The Three Days of Easter—The Paschal Triduum
By Pat Lee | April 21, 2011
The Three Days of Easter—The Paschal Triduum
The Season of Lent has come to an end. During the days of Lent we have tried to “observe a holy Lent” and to be aware of God’s presence with us—by “self-examination, penitence, prayer, fasting, alms-giving and by reading and meditating on the word of God.” (Book of Alternative Services—page 282)
And now, beginning with Maundy Thursday and continuing through Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter we enter into “The Paschal Triduum”—the three days of Easter. It is during this sacred time that the historical event of the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus through whom we have been redeemed is most fully celebrated in the Church. These three days are the culmination of the Church Year. The worship of these three days flows together into one worship experience—a time spent with God… a time like no other. Through what we do in worship beginning on Thursday evening, we give the fullest expression to our basic identity as Christians who worship in the Anglican spiritual tradition.
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
Wednesday in Holy Week
By Pat Lee | April 20, 2011
Reading - Matthew 26: 14-25
Reflection: “If Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, why didn’t he have Judas removed? Why didn’t he turn his back on Judas?”
Jesus, in not turning Judas away from himself, reveals a God who not only desires to be with us when we do the “right” or “holy” thing, but also a God who wants to be with us in all the aspects of our lives.
In Jesus we do not find a God who desires that we reach some state of perfection before he will be with us; rather we find a God who is actually willing to work with us as we journey to the completion of who we are as human beings.
In Jesus we find a God who is not only the goal of our journey through this life, but also a God who desires to be with us as we make that journey. Our journey may at times be challenging. We may stumble and fall. We may even take a wrong turn or two along the way. Today’s reading, however, reveals a God who will not give up on us. Today we are reminded of how determined our God is to be with us and how much he wants us to be with him.
Prayer: Father, through your Son Jesus you are with me in all things. Help me to know that you are with me in my failures and mistakes as well as in my accomplishments and successes. I ask this in Jesus’ name.
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
« Previous Entries Next Entries »