THE 1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
27 November 2022
Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Everyone is invited to remain for coffee and fellowship, downstairs in the Church Hall, following the service.
The Greeters this month are Bruce and Lisa Sneesby.
The Reader today is Keith Kelly.
This Week in First Church:
– Today – Deadline for submissions for the December Newsletter
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study (by Zoom)
– Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – Men’s Breakfast
Coming Up:
– Sunday, 4 December – Hanging-of-the-Greens service and pot-luck lunch
– Sunday, 11 December – Communion service; Anniversary Sunday
– Saturday, 24 December, 7:00 p.m. – Christmas Eve service
The Christian Year – Today is the first Sunday of Advent, which is the first of the six seasons of the Christian Year. Advent is a season of preparation for Christmas, the festival of the birth of Jesus. It always has four Sundays.
The name “Advent” comes from the Latin word advenire, which means “to come to”. Advent is a season distinct from Christmas. It has to do with preparing ourselves for God’s coming into the world in Jesus Christ. That is, we recall how the ancient Israelites anticipated the coming of the Messiah, how God announced to Mary and Joseph that they would become the earthly parents of Jesus, and how John the Baptist called on the people of his day to repent (turn away from sin), in preparation for Jesus’ ministry. At the same time, we focus on Jesus’ promised Second Coming at the end of the age, and prepare ourselves for it by turning away from sin, and renewing our commitment to God.
The symbolic color for Advent is purple, signifying repentance and preparation.