The seasons are slowly changing around us – and winter (slight as it might be in California) is just around the corner. The liturgical season has shifted as well. Stewardship and Thanksgiving transitioned to the beginning of the Christmas year this past week…with the advent of Advent! Now is the time we prepare for and celebrate God’s living presence on earth.

And what could be more timely than that – amidst our violent, war-torn and pandemic filled world – where hatred, suspicion, fear and death run rampant. If ever an incarnational theology was needed, it is certainly now. Autocracies are gaining strength and variants like omicron cast an ominous cloud over the globe. Once again, as people faith, we turn to the child of Bethlehem.

This past Sunday we began an Advent Sermon Series entitled, “The Hopes and Fears of All the Years” in which we are exploring the following themes:

Nov. 28 “When the Dream Doesn’t Come True”
Matt. 1:18-19 & Luke 19:41-46

Dec. 5 “Tears and Fears”
Genesis 18:9-15 & Luke 1:26-35

Dec. 12 "Piercing Pain”
John 16:20-21 & Matt. 27:38-50

Dec. 19 “Tears of a Clown”
I Cor. 1:18-25 & John 11: 28-37

Dec. 24 “Tears of Joy”
(Christmas Eve) Luke 2:1-20

Dec. 26 “Tears of Sadness”
Matthew 2:13-18

What can we hope for beyond our torn and tearful world? We know that spring follows winter, morning follows night, and birth follows pain. What can we hope for? More light than we can see, more love than we can know, more peace then we can measure. Why? Because one child is born!

With more Light, Love, and Peace,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This post originally appeared in The Wave on December 1, 2021