ADVENT WEEK TWO

Today is the Second Sunday in Advent! Advent is the weeks before Christmas, a time of waiting for the Birthday of Jesus. It is also a time of preparation, or getting ready for, Christmas. During Advent, we prepare our church, our homes and our hearts for the coming of Jesus.

At Advent, Bible stories tell us about God’s promises to send the world a Saviour-someone who will show the way to God and teach us about God’s love and forgiveness. Today we are going to be involved in a play and nativity scene to help us to really understand the Christmas message. I am thankful to Daphne Watt for preparing and leading this play as well to the other members of our great church congregation who helped in the preparation.

The Advent candle we light this Sunday is the candle of peace.

The Bible points to a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Lord.

John the Baptist called for repentance; a change in direction that leads to God. Repentance brings us peace with God. That’s where real peace begins.

God fills us with hope, joy and peace when we believe. So, we relight the candle of hope.

We proclaim our belief in God’s faithfulness, as we light the candle of peace.

God of faithfulness – John the Baptist challenged his listeners to turn back to you, to discover the world shaped in accordance with your will and your design. Open our eyes, ears and hearts to a new understanding of your will and your plan for us.

Help us to be joyful in the knowledge that Jesus, the Messiah has already come and that through the work of the Holy Spirit we may experience him as the Prince of Peace in our lives today. We wait in faith, confident in your promises that you will complete what you started. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

I pray that the peace and joy of the season is with you.

Yours in Christ

Debra