Our Theme for Advent This Year: "Like Those Who Dream"
The story of God’s people, in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, is the story of dreamers and their dreams. The dreams of the prophets for justice and peace for all the people, for all of creation. The dreams of Joseph and Mary for the ways their little lives would intersect with the life of the whole world. The dreams of Elizabeth and Zechariah, John the Baptizer, Simeon and Anna, even of the magi, foreigners to God’s people but not to God’s larger dream of a gospel good news for all. Our dreams, too, as we envision our role in this transformation and wake to put our dreams to work.
Advent is the church season of reflection and preparation leading up to Christmas, beginning this year on Sunday, November 29. Our theme for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany will be “Those Who Dream,” a line taken from Psalm 126: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” We’ll use our holy imaginations to ruminate on hope, peace, love, and joy, looking for deeper meanings, deeper dreams to guide not just our holiday celebrations, but to help us experience the real reason for the season: the presence and the purpose of Immanuel, “God among us,” which should be “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10).
Advent is the church season of reflection and preparation leading up to Christmas, beginning this year on Sunday, November 29. Our theme for the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany will be “Those Who Dream,” a line taken from Psalm 126: “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.” We’ll use our holy imaginations to ruminate on hope, peace, love, and joy, looking for deeper meanings, deeper dreams to guide not just our holiday celebrations, but to help us experience the real reason for the season: the presence and the purpose of Immanuel, “God among us,” which should be “good news of great joy for all people” (Luke 2:10).
All events are LIVE! via Zoom unless otherwise specified.
WORSHIP
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2nd Sunday in Advent Worship
“Those Who Dream… Prepare the Way" 12/6 @ 10am including holy communion (*BYOE: Bring Your Own Elements, whatever bread and juice (or coffee and donuts or water and crackers) you have on hand.) |
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Longest Night Service
12/21 @ 7pm A quiet worship service for those for whom the holidays are hard due to grief, loss, confusion or pain. Premiering on YouTube and available anytime after |
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Christmas Pageant
12/24 @ 4pm |
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Silent Night
12/24 @ 9pm Masked, socially distant, in-person singing of “Silent Night” on the church lawn, BYOC: Bring your own candle, as the weather and pandemic conditions permit |
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Christmas Day Kitchen Table Worship
12/25 @ 10am A brief worship service LIVE! via Zoom from your kitchen table. Pajamas strongly encouraged! |
FELLOWSHIP
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Special Christmas Concert
12/13 @ 7pm A special Christmas Concert, featuring “greatest hits” from Christmas Concerts past from the Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir. Premiering on YouTube and available anytime after |
Church Family Christmas Party
12/20 @ 4pm:
All-Ages Holiday Zoom Christmas Party, to include a multi-family, in-home holiday-themed scavenger hunt; Zoom-delay Christmas carol sing-off; and prizes for over-the-top “gay apparel”
12/20 @ 4pm:
All-Ages Holiday Zoom Christmas Party, to include a multi-family, in-home holiday-themed scavenger hunt; Zoom-delay Christmas carol sing-off; and prizes for over-the-top “gay apparel”
DEVOTIONAL
12/27 @ 10am: Worship for the 1st Sunday after Christmas, sharing with the wider United Church of Christ
1/3 @ 10am: Epiphany Sunday Worship, including communion and “Star Words”