Pastor's Letter for Advent

out of the Darkness; Into the light

Jesus tells his followers: "You are the light of the world ... therefore let your light so shine before others so that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16). When a person is baptized into the life of Christ, we had that child of God a lit candle and send them out with a charge to shine the light of Christ in all they do. As followers of Jesus and baptized children of God, we called out of the darkness that surrounds us and into the light of God's mercy, forgiveness and love, and we are sent to shine that light in the darkness, to make this world brighter in Jesus' name. To be light in the darkness is our work, and Christ Jesus is our light.

Our day of national Thanksgiving marks the start of a season of celebration that is marked by giving. Sometimes we give joyfully, sometimes grudgingly and out of mere obligation. Sometimes we give out of an abundance of love and sometimes we give out of a deep desire to be loved in return. And throughout the season, we witness both the ugliness of consumption and consumerism and the beauty of generosity and the deep desire for the peace and healing of the world. It is my prayer for you that you not only seek and dwell in what is good, beautiful and true this holiday season, but that by the Spirit given to you in your baptism you actively and passionately live as the light Jesus Christ in your part of the world.

Through the worship life and activities of this congregation, the Holy Spirit is calling each of us to return to the source of the light within us, to reconnect, renew and recharge, to stir up the fire that gives light to the world around us by deliberately tending to our relationship with Jesus. Worship and prayer and service and fellowship are ways through which God Spirit fans the flames that fuel the light.

Worship and Prayer.

• Each Saturday evening (at 5:30 p.m.) through the end of the Christmas season, we will worship using a service of evening prayer, and we will celebrate Holy Communion. This service is a place of peace in all the chaos of the season.
• Each Sunday morning (at 10 a.m.) through the end of the Christmas season, there are little touches and changes to inspire you. It may the children's message or the lighting of the wreath or the singing of the choir or the richer sound provided by our instrumentalist, but there is something memorable and uplifting about worship this time of year you will not want to miss. In fact, you will want to invite your friends.
• Each Wednesday in December there is a special gathering for prayer and fellowship around God's Word. We start with the service of remembrance on December 4 (at 7:30 p.m.), continue with a service of Night Prayer and Healing on December 11 (at 7:30 p.m.) and prepare our hearts to enter our hemisphere's darkest day with a quiet Longest Night Prayer service, December 18 (at 7:30 p.m.). Finally, we meet for worship, prayer and communion for an informal service on Christmas Day (at 10 a.m.). 

Service and Fellowship.
December is a month of giving in this congregation, and this year our special offerings are designed as a fun way for you to invite your family, your friends and even your neighbors to join you in generously giving the resources so that light of God's love can shine in our neighborhood and around the world. These are giving projects that are designed to help you inspire others with the Christmas story.

• God's Global Barnyard. While animals don't play a large role in the Biblical story of Jesus' birth they are certainly important to any nativity scene we construct and the legend and lore that surrounds the birth of the savior of all creation. This year, we're asking that you and your family friends bring the animals to the manager by "purchasing" one of the animals represented by the God's Global Barnyard ornaments on our giving tree. The gifts given support the important poverty and hunger work done by ELCA World Hunger.
• Diapers and more for baby Jesus. The Gospel tells us that when Jesus was born, Mary wrapped him in strips of the cloth. In December, our food pantry is collecting baby supplies -- diapers (of various sizes), wipes, lotions and creams -- that we can give to food pantry clients who ask for them. Simply take an ornament or two from the giving tree and bring back the corresponding baby supply item. Again, it's a fun project for your family and friends to participate in.
• Invite your family and friends to celebrate with us at our special service of lessons and carols on December 29. We'll gather all the animals and diapers supplies around our nativity scene and pray that God blesses these gifts so that they truly transform the lives of the people who receive them.

People in our neighborhood, our country and our world are searching for something to restore their faith, inspire their love and give them a solid reason to hope in the middle of a dark and chaotic world. It was to this world that God has come as a human being, the baby Jesus, so that through him our relationship with God might be healed and our faith renewed, so that through him we might learn the height, depth and breadth of God's love for us and this whole planet, so that through him we might see the promise of our future together in the light of God's presence and in that promise find our sure and certain hope for life.

Now is the time and the season to let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.

In Jesus' name
Pastor Jim Krombholz