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 The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift, M.Div, PCC 
 
        

November, 2014

Quote 

 
"We are naturally reverent beings, but much of our natural reverence has been torn away from us because we have been born into a world that hurries."

~Macrina Wiederkehr
Prayer 

"All Seeing One,

Touch me where I need to be touched;

 and when my heart is touched, give me the grace to ask significant questions:

Why has my heart been touched? 

How am I to be changed through this touch?"

~Macrina Wiederkehr
 
Resource Links

 


The holidays are coming! At the end of this month we will be lighting the first Advent Candle marking that season when we are drawn forward into a peaceful and promising spirit of hope and expectation. Yet, for many of us, this time of the year simply becomes incredibly hectic, crazy and chaotic. So, this month we will focus on the possibility of  Advent as an opportunity to do things differently. 

~ Enjoy! - Sharon

An Authentic Advent 

For church professionals, entering the month of November usually means that we are on the brink of one of the busiest and stressful times of the year.
For those who lead communities of faith toward deeper meaning and a greater connection to God, the levels of stress and anxiety can reach peak heights during the Advent Season. With the church on display in a special way during the holidays we often get caught up in a sense of grandiosity. Typically, this is not a time when we embrace simplicity in programming and worship planning. This is when we pull out all of the stops. Those in charge often end up feeling worn out, drained and .....not very connected to the Holy.

Perhaps if we abandoned the objective of being the 'best church', with the 'highest quality music', the 'most sophisticated programming' and the 'greatest preacher in town' the spiritual outcome of the season would be deeper and more rooted in the Divine. What would it be like if your Advent/Christmas goal this year was to simply, yet powerfully, model spiritually centered, peaceful living for your congregation and community?

 I am not suggesting that churches should give up on their striving to offer excellence in ministry. But I am pointing out that even in the church we sometimes exchange flash and fancy for what we claim are our goals: meaning and deepening commitment and relationship with God and community.

Ultimately, it is a matter of taking a good, clear look at ourselves and finding ways to be a truly authentic witness to the world - both as leaders and as churches.

What is your deepest prayer and hope for yourself and your congregation this season?
 
How might you be better empowered to invite that result?
 
Are your assumptions and expectations of the season helping you achieve the results you are really seeking?
 
What would it be like, FOR YOU, to live into Advent embracing that powerful spirit of hopeful anticipation that you are so adept at inviting others into? 
 

 
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The Rev. Sharon L. Vandegrift
sharon@btglifecoaching.com
484-234-0664