I'm letting the scripture dictate the terrain of our Advent worship services this year. After over 100 days of level four or three lock-down, it is the one resource that remains steady and available and grounding for the soul. In uncertain times, let the reading and hearing of scripture ground you, in the community of faith and in the Spirit.
It's always thought provoking to recycle the now redundant pages of a year's worth of the Common Lectionary and print out a new one. I find the Lectionary particularly helpful through Lent-Easter and Advent-Christmas, providing structure and a sense of God's big story of salvation. The church year begins with advent. We begin ant the beginning. This year is year C, where we look most closely at the Gospel of Luke. The opening lines of Luke's Gospel are thus:
'Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.' (Luke 1: 1-4 NRSV)
We are in debt to the faithful observers and recorders of God's good news story. Luke was of course particularly enthusiastic, not stopping with the story of Jesus but keeping on going with the Acts of the Apostles for good measure. What a treasure of the church.
So let us come to another Advent with our minds on the promises of God, our hearts filled with hope in Christ, our lives open to the salvation of God, and our eyes watching for the fulfillment of messiah in Jesus Christ. Come Lord Jesus.