The KOK Christmas Program is TODAY, December 14th at 5:30. You are encouraged to come see this neat time for our KOK family.
Sanctuary Boiler Down For Inspection
Because of a tight schedule, our sanctuary boiler is down for its annual inspection longer than usual. The weather has gotten a bit cooler than we thought, and while it is not uncomfortable in the sanctuary, there might be a bit of a chill. We do have the small furnace that heats the side closest to the Centrum, but it is not the main heater. Wearing a light jacket should be enough. The inspection and some small repairs will be complete on Monday and we will be back in business.
This banner was made during our Sharing Together Faith Growth time and represents the Gospel from each of the Sundays in Advent. It will hang in the Sanctuary for the season.
Advent Theme: Awaiting Dawn, Hope in Darkness
As a new experiment, First Lutheran will have a seasonal theme that runs through our ministry, from worship and Faith Growth time, to other areas as well. Some will be for a season of the church year, other times the theme will go for a month at a time. Each one will be introduced with a short reflection article / devotional. The reflection article on the theme will have a short intro here each month, and then a link to the full piece. I will be looking for other ways to connect these themes to our life together and when we are away from here. Our first theme for this Advent is “Awaiting Dawn: Hope in Darkness.”
Much of the time, Advent is usually spoken of with words like “waiting” or “preparing for Christmas”. Those work well, but they also look back to a different time when Advent was approached much more like Lent. One of the old traditions was actually a 6-week Advent that was called “St. Martin’s Lent” because it went from the Feast of St. Martin of Tours on November 11th until Christmas. The color was purple and in many places still is. The theme was very focused on repentance, and fasting was an expected part of the observation, just as it was in Lent.
Today, advent has become more than a “preparation for Christmas” and has a focus on hope. Hence the change in Lutheran churches (and others) to using blue as our color for the season. The themes for Hope in our readings are not just focused on the coming of the Christ Child. We begin this week with Jesus words that begin with frightening signs of distress, but then tell us “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Those words aren’t about some future hope. They are a hope that we can see already happening.
As part of that theme, each week we will open worship with “As The Dark Awaits The Dawn”, a beautiful hymn that expresses our longing for hope and yet points to faith that God is present in our lives even when we cannot see that in reality.
This season, we will not only look for hope in the coming of Christmas, but in our own reality. Where is darkness? Where do we desperately need light? Where is hopelessness?
Peace to you, and in the midst of the chaos of the secular “preparation for Christmas” that is indeed an important part of our life, may this December give you moments of peace to look for light and hope.
All the gingerbread ornaments have been taken! Thank you for your generosity! Please remember to bring your wrapped gift with the ornament as a tag by WEDNESDAY, 12/19. This will give us time to distribute them to parents before school is out. Thank you again for your generosity to our KOK family!
