Dear Glen Morris United Church,  

Happy Friday and peace be with you!

Thank you so much to those of you who join me here each week and read this newsletter. I hope amidst this nasty flu, COVID, RSV season you are keeping well or being well taken care of when needing some time to rest and recover. I hope you are finding opportunities for joy and connection in the midst of all of this!  

While we are still awaiting signs of winter’s arrival outside it may be hard to believe that this Sunday marks the beginning of Advent. The start of our Christian calendar, Advent is a season that both captures love, peace, hope, and joy and the anticipation of Christmas. It is one of my favourite times of the year where worship gets infused with the warmth of familiar and well-loved Christmas carols and we return to the miraculous story of Emmanuel, God with Us, ready to learn something new.  

I grew up in a household filled with Christmas magic. Garland strung throughout the house, the smell of fresh baked cookies throughout the month of December, gingerbread house decorating, a tree that was decorated by the whole family, and a Christmas Eve tradition of reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas before bed. While some traditions we created as a family, others were handed down from generations before, especially my grandpa’s love of Christmas. This year, as we celebrate Advent through the theme “From Generation to Generation” I am thinking about the gift of tradition that enables us to share who we are with the next generation while honouring our ancestors.  

I would love to hear your stories about Christmas family traditions! This is also a special invitation to you to consider bringing something that is part of your family’s tradition to add to our altar for worship on Sunday morning. You’d be welcome to share about the item before worship and take it home with you afterwards.  

 

As we prepare our hearts during this Advent season, may the Peace of Christ be with you, 

May the Peace of Christ calm you when your calendar feels too full, 

May the Peace of Christ inspire you when you experience wonder and awe of this season through the eyes of a young child, 

May the Peace of Christ comfort you when all the joy and cheer of the season bumps up against your exhaustion, grief, or sadness,  

 

Yours in Christ, 

Rev Michiko