Retrospective

            Have you ever had that feeling that you may have missed something? That something has happened, and you just are not a part of whatever took place? You are watching time unfold before you but somehow you sense that there must be something you overlooked. That you have missed a vital piece to your own unfolding story and you wish that you could recapture whatever it was that you missed.

            This Advent season our worship team decided to try something new.  Guided by the Sundays and Seasons worship guide, we chose to not get caught up in the frenzy of the Christmas blitz, and invited our congregation to instead take a retrospective approach to Advent. So, we followed a different plan and brought the story of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem into our worship space.  I want to give credit to our worship team for embracing this retrospective approach. They gathered the pine trees and birch branches and placed a dozen cloth mice and robin bird’s nests in the sanctuary.  There was also a tent and an actual pond with minnows in it.  We included a fireplace which became our advent wreath and many owls including one which seemed to be watching over me as I preached.

            The theme for our Advent adventure was simple.  We focused each week on the words: Pause, Prepare and Ponder. More than anything else it was the encouragement of these three words and the actions they encourage that has made a difference in our Advent experience.  Each week I would read a Christmas story for our “Kids Time” message sitting around the fireplace and the Advent candles and then I would take a deeper look into each word in my Homily.   

            A retrospective approach has given us time to pause as we pray, and prepare was we come forward for Holy Communion. It was also invaluable when on the second Sunday of Advent we had a service of healing.  To see that God prepares us with God’s grace and unconditional love.  We came forward to receive the bread and wine remembering what has been “given and shed for us.” To hold dear the hurts and pains of the “blue” Christmas many experience and still to believe that God loves us all…no matter what.

            The tent in the sanctuary reminds us that life is transient.  Often times we too hear the words; “Sorry, but there is no place in the Inn for you.” There was no attempt to create an “old fashioned” manger, the tent told everyone that this story is about us.  Jesus meets us at our most vulnerable moments and lets us know that he understands and that he stands with us. 

            Finally, I think this Advent season is pointing to a greater story.  A birth that leads to life, which endures death, and exposes resurrection.  It may take us many retrospective moments to see it but by the grace of God let us continue to tell the story.  For now, peace on earth good will to all.