Insisting on Hope this Advent
You are invited to enter this sacred season of Advent waiting....
This Advent, we are invited to insist on hope.
Not a shallow hope that looks away from reality, but a hope that truthfully speaks about what it is up against. A hope that discerns. Pulling and tugging at our hearts as we trust God again and again. We do this wrestling together as a community, as a reminder that we are not alone.
Our fears and worries are not failures, nor something to be ashamed or feel guilty about. When we truthfully name together what we’re experiencing. That fear is a real companion present with many of us.
And yet… God’s hope persists.
Every Advent, we light candles. We sing carols. We pray for Christ’s coming. Because we believe God entered a broken world to bring good news. That we are not alone. This Advent, we are reminded not to pretend the world is safe or easy. Instead, let us together dare to say that even here. Especially here. God draws near. God holds us. God suffers with us. Immanuel, God is with us, always.
This Advent, let us insist on hope believing that Christ came and that Christ will come again. Because that’s the promise of the season.
This hope. Our hope. It is gritty. Resilient. An honest hope. A hope that breathes the Spirit of life. A hope that does NOT deny our fear but refuses, refuses to bow down to it. This Advent, let us insist on hope. Trusting that Christ’s good news is greater than any fear. That we are God’s Beloved, loved through and through by God. That through our compassion, our resilience, our hope in God anything is possible.
That to lean into God’s call is to step into the unknown, carrying all of our doubts and insecurities alongside our gifts. Every single yes to God’s call invites us not into a perfect world, but into a deeper truth, a deeper trust, a deeper way of showing up for ourselves and for one another. We are reminded that courage and bravery is not the absence of fear. It is when we choose to show up even when we are quaking in our boots, when our voices tremble and we’d rather turn back. But instead we continue. We listen when we’re tired, we share compassion when we feel stretched, we hold space when our hearts are full and fragile.
Let us, together this Advent season, insist on hope.
During Advent we will gather every Sunday for Advent worship. Following the 10am worship we will host Advent Conversation from 11:30-12:30, by gathering around a warm meal, sharing stories, and reflecting on Advent together. There are several options for daily devotionals (online and printed) that are available on the St. Matthew’s website, in this Advent mailer, or published at the church.
Alongside our neighbors, we will also gather together for three Mid-Week Advent Dinner and Worships (in-person) on Wednesday, December 3, 10, 17, from 5:30-7:00 PM. Which will take place during our community meal where all are invited. You are invited to bring a salad or dessert to share at our weekly community meals. These community gatherings will be filled with Holy Spirit, mutual nourishment, and joy.
Potluck and Caroling to our homebound members on Sunday, December 14, 2024, at 11:15 AM.
For families of all ages and sizes, we will have a Cozy Christmas on Friday, December 5th, 2024, from 5:30-7:30 PM. On December 6th, from 5-8pm all are invited to a Holiday Pride and Pot Luck hosted by the Pride Team. Then on December 12th our youth are invited to a Christmas Youth Lockout from 7pm-Midnight an evening filled with surprises and laughter.
You are also invited to participate in the Christmas Giving Tree program for this year! This past Sunday we launched the Christmas Giving Tree to support the Youth of Ubumwe and Youth of our community. At this time the needs have grown so deeply and we are continually looking for more creative ways to support our community members. If you are looking to compassionately share of your heart please let us know.
Together, let us be reminded that God holds us through all of our experiences, and that together we’re building God’s kindom here and now.
Faithfully following Christ together in hope,
Pastor Rachel and Pastor Kacey
