Greetings parish!
Last Sunday, we entered Advent by shifting kaleidoscopic vision from Coronation of Christ, to hope in his triumphal return, to hearing anew the prophetic assurance that God would respond to human suffering and sin by sending a Savior. Tomorrow, on our second Sunday of Advent anticipation, we will focus once more on the words of John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, announcing God’s fulfillment of that promise in that very generation! And what better way to prepare spiritually for the journey to Bethlehem than sharing holy communion? The sacrament of communion is a continual reminder of the physical presence of Christ in the life of the believer. It offers liturgical space for reflecting on our relationship with God today, to repent and embrace forgiveness of sin, and to receive the empowering of God’s Spirit to continue the miracles of Jesus in our own time!
If you are joining us virtually tomorrow, please have bread and juice available for sharing communion. Our Nurture and Outreach teams will be calling many of our church family this month just to check in, offer prayer, and see if any might benefit from pastoral or congregational care. THANK YOU to all who have offered to be partners in ministry by giving pledges of financial support for 2022. Bless you! If you have not yet submitted a pledge and wish to be a partner in the work to which God has called us, please fill out a card (Hospitality Table) or send a note with your faith pledge included. This helps the Finance Committee in their preparation of the 2022 budget.
With the help of Len Lednum, we are creating a 2022 Christmas Music Concert which, when completed, will be offered on our website (www.auburnmethodist.org) and church facebook page. If you have a musical offering or reading, please speak with Len about including it in the musical Christmas greeting to our parish and community.
Please note the changes to the Mission Opportunity Update attached with the weekly greeting email, and upcoming events:
- Christmas Pageant (12/19, 10 am, UMCA)
- Blue Christmas Service for those experiencing loss (12/19, 6 pm, UMCA, in person & hopefully, live-stream)
- Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service at 5 pm (in person & live-stream)
- followed by brief ‘cookie fellowship’
- Christmas Eve Lessons & Carols (in person & zoom) at 9 pm.
May peace be with you this day and every day,
Pastor Steve Bascom, UMCA