ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH
  • Home
  • WORSHIP
    • Online Worship
    • Baptism
    • Prayer & Praise Requests
    • Weekly Prayer Initiative
  • Giving
  • ABOUT US
    • Chi Rho Newsletter
    • History of ALC
    • Becoming a Member
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Links >
      • Evangelical Lutheran Church
      • Helping Hands
      • Habitat for Humanity - Mid Ohio
      • Lutheran Social Services
      • Southern Ohio Synod
  • ZOOM MEETINGS
  • Contact Us
Picture

Ascension Blog

The Big Rush to Christmas

12/1/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
​There is a rush to get to Christmas.  There is a rush to get the Christmas decorations up in stores.  There is a rush to get Christmas songs on the radio.  Personally I would prefer this to all wait until we have the Thanksgiving holiday first.  (In Australia, there is also a rush, and no Thanksgiving Holiday to be in the way.  So early November the tinsel and artificial snow is going up in there stores.)   Thankfully we have the season of Advent to catch our breath, to push the pause button, to reflect on why we have Christmas, namely the birth of Jesus.   I encourage you to come to worship as you are able, to hear the Advent readings, to pray the Advent prayers, to see the Advent wreath counting down the weeks until Christmas.    And you may not be too old to buy an Advent calendar, and open a little box each day, and pray for the Lord’s coming in our midst. Some of you may have other Advent traditions.  When Pastor Ramona Hayes was our vicar, she showed us her Jesse tree.  What will you do this Advent to help to center yourself on the heart of Christmas, and prepare yourself for this wonderful festival?

Advent has some similarities to Lent.  For many years the two seasons shared the liturgical color of purple.  In more recent years, many churches including ours has the color blue – a color for hope.  I’m looking forward to wearing that blue.  As well as this season helping us to place our hope in Jesus, it can also be a season of helping to restore hope to people.  For example – we are planning a church outing to sing to many of our homebound members. Our youth are planning to be wrapping gifts at Faith Mission.  Advent is a season to be praying for and serving the more vulnerable in our communities and helping them to have more hope.  You may think of writing a personal message of hope to those you are sending Christmas card or letter to this year. You are invited to use the holiday brochures we have at church to invite family and friends to our Christmas Eve worship, and other events leading up to Christmas. 

Christmas will come soon enough.  Personally I like to highlight the traditional 12 days of Christmas that begin on Christmas Eve and go through to Epiphany on January 6th.  During those days we will have worship at Ascension on Sunday December 27 focusing on Christmas carols and their stories, and on January 3 will celebrate Epiphany Sunday.   (And we are going to keep up the Christmas trees and decorations at church through this time – and Mary and I will do the same at our home.) 
 
I wish you a blessed and reflective hope-filled Advent this year, and a joyful Christmas celebration.       
- Pastor Tim
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    Pastor Tim

    Picture
    Vicar Kimberly
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Blooming Ascension
    Celebration
    Christmas
    Easter
    Epiphany
    Facing Storms
    Faith
    Freedom
    From The Vicar
    Germany Videos
    Gift From God
    Giving Thanks
    God Calling
    Healing
    Jesus Glory
    Jesus Is The Light
    Joseph
    Kids Sermon
    Lent
    Lord's Prayer
    Martin Luther
    Pain
    Peace
    Poem By Oscar
    Reforming
    Repentance
    Revolution
    Sacrifice
    Sermon
    Springtime
    Stewardship
    Sunday School
    Tanzania Ministry
    Team Together
    Tension
    The Cross
    The Third Way
    Travel

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    July 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014

    RSS Feed

About Our Church
​
​
1479 Morse Road
Columbus, Ohio 43229

We would love to have you join us in church this weekend. 
​
Sundays at 10:00 am
Sunday School at 11:00 am:
​
Confirmation Classes, Sunday School Classes & Adult Forum Classes
Office Hours

​Monday - Thursday
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

P: (614) 262-7389
E: 
[email protected]
Give Online
Download Give+ App
Contact Us
Contact Us
Find Us
Website by Buckeye Dynamics
  • Home
  • WORSHIP
    • Online Worship
    • Baptism
    • Prayer & Praise Requests
    • Weekly Prayer Initiative
  • Giving
  • ABOUT US
    • Chi Rho Newsletter
    • History of ALC
    • Becoming a Member
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Links >
      • Evangelical Lutheran Church
      • Helping Hands
      • Habitat for Humanity - Mid Ohio
      • Lutheran Social Services
      • Southern Ohio Synod
  • ZOOM MEETINGS
  • Contact Us