A Blessing Comes Down.

What do we have to offer?

“God faithfully fulfills His purpose for us through the church.”

The season of Advent is once again upon us. Advent is a time of hope in the loving hands our gracious God. The word advent means “coming.” As Christians we know and celebrate this season of the church year as a time to prepare, reflect and acknowledge our gift of salvation through God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

In addition, during the Advent season Christians anticipate the promise of our Lord’s three arrivals … long ago in poverty : “in the flesh” (at his birth); …. today in hope….“in the mind” (when we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour); “in death” (through Jesus’ death, we receive eternal life); tomorrow in power “in majesty” (Jesus’ coming at the end of time.)

One morning many years ago, back in Mission, B.C., a woman stopped by our church office and asked to speak to the pastor. She was a well-dressed young woman who looked me in the eye as she gave me a firm handshake. She and her family were new to our area, and they we looking for a church home.

She had some questions for me. “Do you have many programs for children?” I proudly told her about our wonderful Christian Education programs and then I started bragging about our music programs. The next question was about our nursery. I told her that we had a clean, well-run nursery with lots of volunteers who made it a welcoming place for children. As I was talking to this woman, I was certain that she would be so impressed with our church. She thanked me for my time before walking out the door. I never saw her again.

Afterwards, I felt unsettled about our conversation. She had definitely asked me good, well-thought questions. Her questions were certainly appropriate for a mother looking for a new church. Yet something bothered me, and this is where I wish I had said something to her. I wanted to ask her, “Now that you have heard about all the wonderful programs that we have here at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, tell me, what will you bring to our church family?

What gift has God given you? When will you help with various activities? Are you and your husband ready to financially support the work of the church and our mission?” I was somewhat frustrated with myself because I believe that as we receive from God, He also faithfully fulfills His purpose for us through the church.

The Christian life is a balancing act between receiving and giving. God gives us the church as the place where we can find what we need to develop our Christian faith.

"Thanks" and "giving" go together. When we give back to God, we express our appreciation to God for all the ways God has blessed us. We're saying, "God, we're grateful for all You've done in our lives, and we love You." Ask yourself, "What does my giving say about the direction and condition of my heart?" And consider this -- as you approach Christmas, consider bringing an offering of self as thanksgiving to God for all He's done in your life. This giving back to God is the heart of worship.

God has also placed us in this group of Christians at St. Ansgar’s Lutheran so that we can use what God has given us. We gather together as a people of hope, to celebrate and rejoice in the reality that God loves us so much He wants us to become complete, fulfilled persons. It is difficult to grow as a Christian unless we are a part of a family of Christians.

During this time of Advent may we reflect on our relationship with our church home, universal church, and what the birth of Christ offers us. It is God's love story to us and his offer of a place of hope.

May God bless you during this season. May His blessings be with you all during this Christmas season, and into the New Year.

Your friend and pastor,
Pastor Samuel K King-Kabu.
Pastor@st-ansgars-montreal.ca

A few thoughts from your editor:

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ ." 2 Cor. 1:v. 21

Strive not so much to succeed but to do the right thing. "The lesson I have learned from my failures is that I don't have to succeed. I have to do the right thing under God's guidance, and leave success or failure in His hands."

"Am I willing to be a failure?" What a question to ask? But with sufficient grace from God, the answer to that question is a "Yes,".

What a release from the pressure to succeed and the fear of failure.

Let’s be true to Him. Success and failure are in His hands. We are not on the way to success, we are on the Way.

Rosemarie

Advent

The word advent means “coming.” As Christians we know and celebrate this season of the church year as a time to prepare, reflect and acknowledge our gift of salvation through God’s Son, Jesus. In addition, during the Advent season Christians anticipate the promised second coming of Christ.

The season of Advent is observed for four weeks. Some people think of the four Sundays during Advent as corresponding to the four ways Jesus comes to us: “in the flesh” (at his birth); “in the mind” (when we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour); “in death” (through Jesus’ death, we receive eternal life); and “in majesty” (Jesus’ coming at the end of time.)

Others reflect on Jesus’ birth and on his second coming, on John the Baptist who prepared the way for Christ, and on Mary, Jesus’ mother and God’s obedient servant.

The original wreath was most likely a circle of wire, with the circle representing the unending love of God. The evergreens used with the wreath represent the hope of eternal life that all of God’s people share. The four candles used in the wreath represent not only the four weeks until Christmas Day, but also the thousands of years people have waited for the Messiah to come. As each week’s candle was lit, it represented the people’s joy and anticipation of the light that came into the world at Jesus’ birth.

Today is the first Sunday in Advent. Today we begin to prepare ourselves for the birth of Christ, the one who would be called the “Prince of Peace.” As we wait for Jesus to come to us, let us think about what our lives would be like if there truly was peace: peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in our nation, peace in our world.

Today is the second Sunday of Advent. We continue to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ who is to be know as “The Messiah”, God’s Anointed One. The coming of The Messiah means that times of sorrow, of pain, and of trouble will come to an end. The coming of the Messiah means that those who take advantage of the misery of others will no longer be in control. The coming of the Messiah means that those who suffer will be comforted.

Today is the third Sunday of Advent. Our preparation for the coming of Christ, who will be “The Light of the World”, continues. Our excitement builds as we think of the joy that his coming will bring. The Light of his love will drive away the dark of doubt and despair. We rejoice as we think of the world bathed in that light which heals and gives new life.

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent. We are coming near the end of our waiting. All of our expectations of who Jesus will be crowds into our minds. We think of Jesus, the King, the Mighty. And yet, as Mary and Joseph come into Bethlehem, the only room they find is the stable at an overcrowded inn. We suddenly realize that if Jesus is truly to be Emanuel, “God with us”, then his birth will be like ours, he will be human, like us. We are now asked to place our hope in a tiny, vulnerable, fragile baby.

Thank you Susan for the Advent Devotions!

“God created us without our consent, but he will not save us without our consent.”
C.S. Lewis

The Meaning of Epiphany:

The word "epiphany" means appearing, bringing something into the light, making manifest or visible what was once unseen and hidden. The word was used of the gods in ancient Greece. When the gods appeared to men, they were having an epiphany. Now you catch the arrogance of the Syrian King Antiochus who gave himself the name Epiphanes

The season of Epiphany is about light: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you." It's about the coming of the true Light into the darkness of this world. "Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the Light no darkness can overcome." "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men."

The chief image of Epiphany is the star in the East whose light guided the Magi to the Child-King enthroned on His mother's lap. The Light of God's love had come to shine on the Gentiles, too. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined." The Gentiles worship Him with gifts fit for a king - gold, incense, and myrrh - just as the prophet Isaiah had said. The Magi rejoice in the light, and bow down and worship Him.

Light was the first word spoken by God into the chaotic darkness of creation. "Let there be light." And there was light.

Web Page prepared by:
Roger Kenner & Jette Blair.
Content-New Topics Last Updated: 2005/11/09
St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal