A blessed, joyful, and safe Thanksgiving to you all. Immediately after turkey and gravy this year, we enter into the season of Advent, the beginning of the new church year, and a time of invitation to rest, quiet, meditation, and spiritual disciplines as we prepare ourselves, along with John the Baptist, for the remembrance of the nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The original meaning and purpose of Advent has become completely counter-cultural to our society which is full of other kinds of invitations: shop local, shop Amazon! Just shop. Frantic busyness in our days full of the joys of children’s school musicals and the tension of budgets and politics, and possibly that voice in our heads demanding that we do more, be more, and for goodness’ sake, bring back every single tradition that our families had years ago. Expectations of ourselves and others can be overwhelming. Advent pushes back on all of that with a path to simplicity and enjoying wonder and curiosity about the birth of Jesus, the star in the east, and the mysticism that the angel Gabriel, the Magi, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies bring to our lives.

I invite you to find at least one spiritual discipline to follow this season. I am facilitating a class on Sunday mornings about a Benedictine Walk through Advent. Along with the secular Advent calendars now available, there are a number of online, faith-based Calendars. One of my favorites is offered by Forward Movement and is called AdventWord. If you sign up for this all-virtual calendar, you will receive daily prompt words, images, and meditations. Go to AdentWord.org to sign up. There are many other daily calendars – go with what works for you. Or, recommit to finding 15-20 minutes a day for meditation or contemplative prayer in a place at home or work where you can be quiet and offer to God all that you have brought into your day. Then listen to God’s word to you.

Every Wednesday during the first three weeks of Advent, we will offer Holy Eucharist in the choir area of Calvary – 30 minutes of prayer, contemplative silence, and the breaking of the bread – a small moment of grace and support in your day.

Whatever you decide to do, I pray that you have a blessed Advent season at Calvary.

In gratitude,
Beth+