Advent Invitation
Ok, so here is how it works.
--Last Monday and Tuesday over 800 women shared in the beauty of "Advent By Candlelight". Many of them were guests and visitors. What a wonderful way to welcome others to Advent at First Church.
--Friday night Darrell White and I were the door-keepers at Friday Night Lites--700 middle schoolers in and out. And of course, there were parents too. I talked to three different parents who came to check us out. Their kids had heard about it and wanted to come. They were impressed that a church would do this for the kids of the community. All three said they would be back.
--On Saturday a woman came by with her gifts for a foster child through Methodist Children's Village. The Sunday of our "Mission Fair" was her first time to visit. Her son had a good experience in Sunday School and she was so impressed with the mission fair she signed up to provide Christmas for a foster child. One Sunday and she is already committed.
--Yesterday morning I met a new couple who came for their first visit. They are going to be moving into the area after the first of the year and came to check out our church. Lo and behold, they met an old high school friend from Indiana who made them feel right at home. Their church-shopping is over. They'll be back.
--Sunday afternoon I was the weaver for the "Bethlehem Marketplace". Kelly Willian and her staff organized a wonderful event, complete with live sheep, rabbits and alpaca. (I'm not sure there were rabbits and alpacas at the Bethlehem stable, but who cares?) I met at least four families who were visiting for the first time, either because a relative or neighbor invited them or because they are part of our Pre-school program. They loved it and my guess is they will be back. The evening ended with over 200 people enjoying Mike Bouque's middle-eastern supper while youth handbells were warming up in the sanctuary, youth choirs were rehearsing and Angel Tree gifts were piling up in the hallway.
More people are looking for a place to worship at Christmas than any other time of year. Sometimes all it takes is a word of invitation from a neighbor or friend. Next Sunday our chancel choir will be offering their major work for Christmas in the 9:30am and 11:00am traditional services. It's an opportunity to invite someone to hear our choir and orchestra in a wonderful celebration of the season. Then there will be Heralds of Christmas on Dec. 18, The Longest Night on Dec. 21, Contemporary Christmas on Dec. 23 and the full schedule of services on Christmas Eve. Maybe someone near you is just waiting for someone to invite them to celebrate Christmas somewhere. Maybe somebody is just waiting for you.
Advent offers us the gracious invitation of God to "O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord". And it is also a time for us to offer the Advent invitation to others who might also be seeking the Christ Child.
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