St. Paul's
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Worship Times
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A Note from Vicar Michelle:
This is the time of year when I usually remind you, dear ones, to not get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and parties, but rather take time to slow down and enjoy the season of Advent – this season of expectant waiting in remembrance of a people’s longing for Messiah and the birth of our Savior, Jesus. “A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” (Isaiah 40:3-5) But this year is different. Indeed, 2020 is like no other year. Perhaps this year, you understand more than ever being in the wait, and longing for a Savior.
In our waiting, we reflect on the violence and evil in the world that causes us to cry out to God to make things right—to put death’s dark shadows to flight. Our exile in the present makes us look forward to our future Exodus. And our own sinfulness and need for grace lead us to pray for the Holy Spirit to renew God’s work in fashioning us into the image of Christ.
We have already waited many months for the threat of coronavirus to dissipate. However, our current reality is that we will have to continue to wait. And I don’t know about you, but my patience is wearing thin. We all had hoped that if we gave up family gatherings for Thanksgiving, we could buy a little time and maybe, just maybe we could have that big Christmas dinner and all the usual festivities with our family and friends. Again, that is not going to be the case as the virus rages on within communities and around the country. We long for a bit of normalcy as if our holiday traditions could stave off the weariness of battling this invisible threat. So, as people of tradition, we mourn the things we just cannot do because we need to be safe, protect the health of each other, and care for the wellbeing of all.
This raises a good question around our faith, and how we express hope, joy, peace and love during the season of Advent. Will Advent and Christmas mean the same if we aren’t able to gather in our sanctuaries for worship? What will Christmas Eve be like if we aren’t together holding our candles singing Silent Night? These questions strike a nerve with everyone. And we are brave to name our source of sadness, anxiety, and fear. So, what will Christmas morning be like this year?
Spoiler alert: Jesus is born anyway – with or without our cookie exchanges, caroling, or office parties. The Savior of the world enters into our mess and shines light into every crack and crevice of darkness in our lives. God reveals Godself in Jesus so that we know the extent of God’s unmatchable, unconditional, and unbreakable love for us, for you. John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
So, instead of mourning the rituals and traditions that we have to set aside for this year, let’s focus on what we can do every day that reminds us of the “why” of Advent and Christmas. Why do we remember and celebrate? We do so to be hope in our community; to be the incarnation of Jesus; and to show love in a hurting world. The good news is that we can STILL be and do these things outside of the usual rituals and traditions we had observed. We are the living Body of Christ outside of the church building. Now, more than ever we need to be a people of hope, and to tell the story of our Savior’s birth – the inbreaking of Emmanuel, God with Us, into this hurting and broken world for the redemption of all people.
How might we reinvent rituals and traditions that tell God’s story in Jesus through the Holy Spirit that convey hope, joy, peace and love this year? Perhaps, while we continue to wait, we can be the good news in the world.
God of Love,
Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.
He is a sign of your love.
Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,
As we wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
God loves you, and so do I! Vicar Michelle
In our waiting, we reflect on the violence and evil in the world that causes us to cry out to God to make things right—to put death’s dark shadows to flight. Our exile in the present makes us look forward to our future Exodus. And our own sinfulness and need for grace lead us to pray for the Holy Spirit to renew God’s work in fashioning us into the image of Christ.
We have already waited many months for the threat of coronavirus to dissipate. However, our current reality is that we will have to continue to wait. And I don’t know about you, but my patience is wearing thin. We all had hoped that if we gave up family gatherings for Thanksgiving, we could buy a little time and maybe, just maybe we could have that big Christmas dinner and all the usual festivities with our family and friends. Again, that is not going to be the case as the virus rages on within communities and around the country. We long for a bit of normalcy as if our holiday traditions could stave off the weariness of battling this invisible threat. So, as people of tradition, we mourn the things we just cannot do because we need to be safe, protect the health of each other, and care for the wellbeing of all.
This raises a good question around our faith, and how we express hope, joy, peace and love during the season of Advent. Will Advent and Christmas mean the same if we aren’t able to gather in our sanctuaries for worship? What will Christmas Eve be like if we aren’t together holding our candles singing Silent Night? These questions strike a nerve with everyone. And we are brave to name our source of sadness, anxiety, and fear. So, what will Christmas morning be like this year?
Spoiler alert: Jesus is born anyway – with or without our cookie exchanges, caroling, or office parties. The Savior of the world enters into our mess and shines light into every crack and crevice of darkness in our lives. God reveals Godself in Jesus so that we know the extent of God’s unmatchable, unconditional, and unbreakable love for us, for you. John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
So, instead of mourning the rituals and traditions that we have to set aside for this year, let’s focus on what we can do every day that reminds us of the “why” of Advent and Christmas. Why do we remember and celebrate? We do so to be hope in our community; to be the incarnation of Jesus; and to show love in a hurting world. The good news is that we can STILL be and do these things outside of the usual rituals and traditions we had observed. We are the living Body of Christ outside of the church building. Now, more than ever we need to be a people of hope, and to tell the story of our Savior’s birth – the inbreaking of Emmanuel, God with Us, into this hurting and broken world for the redemption of all people.
How might we reinvent rituals and traditions that tell God’s story in Jesus through the Holy Spirit that convey hope, joy, peace and love this year? Perhaps, while we continue to wait, we can be the good news in the world.
God of Love,
Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gift to us.
He is a sign of your love.
Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent,
As we wait and prepare for his coming.
We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
God loves you, and so do I! Vicar Michelle
| Christmas Collection Items List |
Church Council
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President - Kathy McKee
Vice President - Danica Skattum Council Secretary - Anita Fry Treasurer - Carrie Harris Financial Secretary - Roger Kent |
Parish Education - Danica Skattum
Properties - Daylon Nieman Stewardship - Worship/Evangelism - Linda Balbac Vicar - Michelle Knight |
Contact InformationE-Mail:Telephone: 815-745-3444
Postal Address: 209 Clinton St. P.O. Box 445 Warren, IL 61087 |
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"We, the people of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, are members of Christ's family called by Grace, the cornerstone of faith. Our 100 plus years of community presence provides us with a strong foundation rooted in the Holy Spirit. Our ministry is to to bring the message of God's good news to all, now and in the future."