Author: stmarksneenah

Pastor’s Ponderings for December

stmarksneenah

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1 New Living Translation)

I love the season of Advent in the Christian Church. I love the rich blue colors of the paraments, the lighting of the Advent wreath, the joy of seeing the Chrismon tree all lit up, the Sunday School Christmas program, and the general excitement that builds each week and peaks on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The season of Advent is a time of excitement and preparation as we wait and look forward to celebrating the coming of the Christ child, but also, look forward—with some anxiousness—to Christ coming in glory.

The bible verse above from the New Testament book of Hebrews sums up, for me, not only the season of Advent but what it means to live life as a Christian.

Because of our faith in Christ, we have “confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” As Christians we are stewards of hope, a hope that transcends faith and permeates our day to day lives.

This past year has been a particularly difficult time as we have physically distanced ourselves from   family and friends and our church community in an effort to protect ourselves and each other from the coronavirus. The leadership team at St. Mark’s Church continues to prepare for the time when we feel it is safe to gather for worship, with special safety protocols in place. Much like the season of Advent, we prepare with a sense of hope and expectation, and still we wait, knowing the time has not yet come.

Just this past week we had some exciting news as two U.S. pharmaceutical companies announced the development of vaccines that have shown promising results for fighting the coronavirus. During this  difficult time, this too gives us hope that eventually we will return to life as we once knew it. However, now we wait for the vaccine’s final approval for use and its eventual distribution.

Truth be told, we are a people for who waiting does not come easy. This year has tested our patience and there are many activities and celebrations that we have delayed or cancelled entirely. And still some events come that must be recognized and celebrated, even if it must be in a creatively different way. The birth of our Lord is one such event.

So, once more we wait with great anticipation to celebrate the event that changed the world! The birth of our Lord Jesus, the light that shines in the darkness that the darkness cannot overcome!

As we journey together through this season of Advent, a season that teaches us the virtue of waiting in hopeful expectation, let us hold one another in prayer and resolve to keep each other and our community safe. And let us continue to buoy one another up with the Good News that Jesus Christ has come and will come again! As stewards of hope, a hope that does not disappoint, let us wait with confidence for the things we cannot yet see.

Servants together,

Pastor Bob