Advent

Autumn was busier than usual for the synod staff. The professional staff did a lot of traveling as we met with individual congregations, attended conference meetings of rostered leaders, and the Bishop’s Coffees. Our support staff has worked hard to keep the rest of us organized, allowing us to show up at the right place at the right time. We have done our best to make sure that nothing fell through the cracks, though I am sure there must have been some things. If we missed anything, please let us know!

The latter half of December is typically a quiet time in the synod office. As life in our congregations gets busier and busier with Advent and the approach of Christmas, the office phones ring less, requests for meetings dwindle, and I (along with others) try to sneak in a few vacation days before the end of the year.

I participated in a midweek Advent worship last evening (Wednesday). It was a wonderful hour-long respite from the bustle of our consumer oriented world. During December here in Rockford, traffic near my home becomes ridiculously congested as people race to the mall or to Target, Best Buy or Toys R Us. The economy may be bad, but from what I judge by the traffic, there will still be plenty under most trees.

Have you taken a look at some of the people around you? I have not noticed too many outwardly happy people in the stores. People seem so stressed, even in the grocery store. The folks at church last evening were smiling and relaxed as we sang “Holden Evening Prayer.” Later, there was laughter at the tables as we enjoyed coffee and cookies while we addressed and signed Christmas cards for homebound members.

Advent is one of my favorite times of year, not just because it gives us a chance to catch up in the office, but because I can go to church and be reminded of what is truly important. The world tells us that spending money and stressing out is what we are supposed to do at Christmas. The church tells us that Christmas is about Jesus and God’s inestimable love for us. That’s part of the Advent message. I kid you not when I say, I cling to it while I am fighting traffic. Give me Jesus.

“Give me Jesus, give me Jesus. You may have all the rest, give me Jesus.”

Comments? Go to http://niselca.blogspot.com/. --JC