is have overcome the world. So wait in the midst of it in the midst of telling us. “I all…for the night there are strange and redeeming events afoot.” There are two parts then to message. First, the world can be a scary Jesus’ place. Whether it is the abuse of power by government leaders near and far, the ongoing horrors of wars in Yemen and Syria which leave so many children orphaned and so many people homeless, the ongoing opioid crisis which has torn up so many families, the abuse of the poor, the powerless, and the stranger, or the piling up of dire predictions about rising global temperatures and sea waters, and the failure of any concerted and collaborative action by nations to do something about it, it can feel like we are in a long, dark tunnel, as one elder stated at this in her week’s Session meeting devotion. Several years ago, you may remember that some people were saying that an obscure Mayan calendar was predicting the end of the world in 2012. It generally was cited more by comedians than doomsayers, but I will never forget a poignant sign written in Spanish that I heard about. Translated it am not afraid the world will said, “I end in 2012. I am afraid it will stay the same.” Debie Thomas, a mother and writer, shares this reflection on Advent and this passage from Luke: didn't grow up observing Advent. My childhood church didn't “I follow the liturgical calendar, so the holiday lineup I remember went straight from Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkin pies to Christmas trees and one "Jingle Bells” — consumer feeding frenzy pressing hard into the next. But as into the I’ve moved deeper liturgical tradition, I have come to love the I love that holy season we’re now entering. the Church begins its new year when the days are I love that still getting darker…And
is telling us. “I have overcome the world. So wait in the midst of it all…for in the midst of the night there are strange and redeeming events afoot.” There are two parts then to Jesus’ message. First, the world can be a scary place. Whether it is the abuse of power by government leaders near and far, the ongoing horrors of wars in Yemen and Syria which leave so many children orphaned and so many people homeless, the ongoing opioid crisis which has torn up so many families, the abuse of the poor, the powerless, and the stranger, or the piling up of dire predictions about rising global temperatures and sea waters, and the failure of any concerted and collaborative action by nations to do something about it, it can feel like we are in a long, dark tunnel, as one elder stated at this week’s Session meeting in her devotion. Several years ago, you may remember that some people were saying that an obscure Mayan calendar was predicting the end of the world in 2012. It generally was cited more by comedians than doomsayers, but I will never forget a poignant sign written in Spanish that I heard about. Translated it said, “I am not afraid the world will end in 2012. I am afraid it will stay the same.” Debie Thomas, a mother and writer, shares this reflection on Advent and this passage from Luke: “I didn't grow up observing Advent. My childhood church didn't follow the liturgical calendar, so the holiday lineup I remember went straight from Thanksgiving turkeys and pumpkin pies to Christmas trees and "Jingle Bells” — one consumer feeding frenzy pressing hard into the next. But as I’ve moved deeper into the liturgical tradition, I have come to love the holy season we’re now entering. I love that the Church begins its new year when the days are still getting darker…And I love that