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Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,
Have you noticed that there seems to be a special name for, like, every single day this week? Thanksgiving Thursday, Black Friday (aka Bears Game Day!), Small Business Saturday, First Sunday of Advent, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday…all we seem to be missing is Taco Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, and Thank God it’s Friday. Throw in the fact that multiple radio stations have been playing Christmas music since Halloween, it’s no wonder we feel a bit discombobulated!
Every day is a good day to be grateful, so in that sense Thanksgiving continues. However, when you enter our worship space this Sunday it will be unmistakable that we have gone all-in on transitioning to the Advent-Christmas season. The warm browns, yellows, and oranges of autumn have been replaced by the cool blues, whites, and silvers of winter—and Advent.
The main liturgical color for Advent is blue (or sometimes purple). I think you’ll be blown away by how beautiful the sanctuary looks—I know I am. Kim Nave had a wonderful, creative vision for transforming our space, and then her family, the Worship Committee, and other volunteers put it together. My deepest thanks to all of them!
Why are we so intentional about what we add to the sanctuary and where we add it? Because these are not mere decorations. In addition to looking really good, trees and wreaths and Chrismon ornaments and stars and lights and ivy and nativity sets all also offer symbolic meaning. They help us tell the story of God’s incredible love for all people. Our intent is to engage all your senses in telling that much-needed story.
You will also find our Advent Devotional waiting for you in the sanctuary this Sunday. There is one for every person. (Though, if couples or families want to share one, that’s totally fine.) They explore the texts and themes of the season through scripture, poetry, music, and art. Too often, Western White Protestant Christianity is all about head knowledge. Our Advent Devotional is an attempt to move us beyond that one-track approach to living our faith in Jesus. Plus, the devotionals are our guide for our Advent Study and our worship experiences this season. So please take one!
Plotting Goodness,
Pastor Dave
