Advent: a Time for Paying Attention

 

We are now in the season of Advent – the time in the life of the Church that leads us to Christmas. It is a season marked by themes of watching, waiting, and preparing. Another way to put it might be that it is a time to practice paying attention. While it is true that God is always present in our lives and in our world, it is also true that we human beings have a tendency to get distracted and forget to notice. So along comes Advent to remind us that if we will pay attention we can increase the likelihood of noticing God’s ongoing activity which is happening around us and within us in every moment. This year, perhaps more than most, this practice of paying attention can make a huge difference. 2020 has been a year which seems to have been filled with ten years worth of challenges. The pandemic has disrupted and upended so much of what we use to call “normal”, along with political turmoil, rising racial tensions, and a growing awareness of the scale of the climate crisis we are facing. As we behold all that seems to be unfolding and unraveling right before our eyes, it is easy to get lost in anxiety, fear, and grief. In these days of Advent I invite you to slow down and pay attention. We need not ignore the challenges which we face. They are real, and they are important, but they are not the whole picture. There is also beauty, and kindness, and compassion. There is connection, and community, and love. God’s active presence among us can be noticed and experienced in so many countless ways when we pay attention. What we will discover is that we are not alone, and we are not on our own. There are opportunities for healing and wholeness and abundance just waiting to embrace us. And the adventure begins the moment we open our eyes, and our arms, and our hearts, and our lives to the Sacred Presence which infuses every corner of our world. Join me on this wonderful Advent journey as we begin to notice. 

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)

And Occasionally Something Explodes!

Recently something showed up in my Facebook feed that caught my attention. “Going to seminary is, I think, a lot like going to culinary school – you learn the basic foundations, some cool party tricks, and by the end you can prepare a gourmet meal. Pastoring, however, is waking up every day to new episodes of Chopped, where the ingredients are completely random and you’re expected to do something with whatever you’re handed while everyone watches and provides running commentary, and occasionally something explodes.” (by the Rev. Sara Juis) Over the almost 40 years of my ministry it has often felt at least a little bit like this, but never more so than in 2020. This has been a year like no other. And figuring out how to continue being the Church in the midst of a pandemic, and all of the other challenges which have come our way, has, at least at times, seemed overwhelming. “…and occasionally something explodes.” None of us were trained for this. Every week there is something new to figure out. It is easy to feel inadequate to the task. And if we were on our own then that might well be the case. But the truth is that we are not on our own. We have each other and we have the amazing gift of God’s active presence in the midst of us. Occasionally things do explode, or shut down, or become incredibly complicated and frightening. And when such things show up at our doorstep it’s important to remember the words which appear across the pages of scripture on a surprisingly regular basis (apparently they are important) – “Don’t be afraid!” I don’t know what’s going to happen next, or where this journey will take us. And I’m pretty sure that sometimes we’ll make pretty good decisions, and sometimes not so much. But I know that whatever happens, we will be in better shape if we remember that we are in this together and God is on our side. I am grateful for the gift of facing these days with you in my life. Thank you for your patience with me as we navigate this uncharted landscape together. May God continue to walk with us along the way, and may we notice.

- Pastor Roger
(keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)