The Advent Season is an incredibly special time of the year that is filled with expectations and HOPE. The four weeks leading up to Christmas is the time of preparation for the celebration on Christmas Day. The anticipation of Jesus’ ARRIVAL with the virgin birth brings us the HOPE of this Advent Season. We will begin this Sunday with the lighting of the Advent candle representing HOPE and will continue next week with the candle for PEACE.
This year has been one where we have hoped for better circumstances for the communities around the world. It has become a time that we are hopeful for families being reconnected with their loved ones who have been held hostage. There is hope for individuals who are estranged from their families and that relationships may be restored.
My heart comes out to the thousands of families who have lost family members due to the tragedy of gun violence in this country. There are numerous children who have been traumatized and who will carry the life-long injuries from the consequences of the gun violence epidemic.
Several months ago, during Gun Violence Prevention Month in June, I shared the devastating statistics of 279 mass shootings indicating that at the rate we were going the mass shootings numbers would reach a projected 635.
Can you imagine that the projected numbers are unfortunately right on track with the following gun violence statistics? As of today, there have been 620 mass shootings, 39,452 deaths and 33,726 injuries.
This is the season of miracles, and may God grant us HOPE in the midst of the chaotic circumstances that seemingly are flooding our society.
Let us join together during this Advent Season in reading the selected daily scripture readings and prayers.
This Sunday’s message will begin our Advent Season sermon series “ARRIVAL” and the first message titled “HOPE” from the scriptures (Isaiah 9:6 and Mark 13:24-37.) We will also have our last first Sunday communion of 2023.