Dear Friend,
Years ago, Coca-Cola
ran an advertising campaign around the theme, "The Pause that
Refreshes." Can a pause genuinely refresh us? In the rush toward the
glitz and tinsel of this season -- shopping, parties, deadlines --
perhaps one pause is just want we need. A pause that slows our headlong
rush to consume and fall prey to the demands of meeting the wants
of those whom we love.
It is so easy to
drift into a lull when we are bombarded with all the seasonal stuff. It
overwhelms the senses. So take time to pause this Advent to refresh the
soul. The world is too much with us. Pause and embrace the forgiveness of
sins that brought about by the entry of Christ Jesus into our world.
Pause and consider all He has given us. Just a pause for the Son.
This season Good
Shepherd's Advent schedule should provide us ample opportunity to pause
and refresh. From the Sunday morning schedule and our Wednesday
gatherings, to the daily email Advent Devotional, pause and reflect on
all God has done for you.
ADVENT SCHEDULE
SUNDAY MORNING
Pause Sunday
morning worship at 10:30 AM as we explore various themes that will answer
questions such as:
- What the
Bible Says About Christ.
- What the
Bible Says About the Future.
- What the
Bible Says About our Doubts.
- What the
Bible Says About Faith in Christ.
From the beginning to the end of Advent we pray for the
coming of Christ Jesus as the fulfillment of our hope. As you pause each
Sunday, may God continually give and increase such hope in you.
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS
Each Wednesday in Advent [December 3, 10, and 17] we plan
to pause as we gather in the the Parish House for a
"Soup-Supper" Potluck, followed by Worship. Come at 5:30 PM and
enjoy some soup. At 6:30 PM enjoy a casual worship service in the Parish
House.
The Advent theme on Wednesday's is, "You Will Have a
Song;" even when things look bleak and hopeless, God promises that
you will have a song. When God's people were in their Babylonian
captivity they cried, "How
can we sing a song to the Lord in a foreign land?" (Psalm
137:4). We, too, sometimes wonder how we can find that "song"
when dealing with the trials and tribulations of life.
So, we will learn to sing using examples from Scripture:
- December
3rd: "God's New Song"
- December
10th: "Mary's Song"
- December
17th: "Song of Light"
These
three songs will remind us of
the hope we have during challenging times, so that we can sing again
despite the circumstances before us. Looking forward to joining you as we
pause and slow our pace in order to reflect
on all God has and continues to do for us.
All the best to you and your family,
Pastor Greg Stenzel
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of San Diego
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