Our theme for the season of Lent this year is Open the Door, which is based on a book by the same name by noted author and spiritual guide Joyce Rupp.
The theme of the door is particularly apt for the church in this time. Through the image of the door, Rupp’s book helps us to explore the personal, spiritual dimension of liminality, inviting us to explore our own fears and longings about growth and change from a spiritual perspective.
The nominees for the Academy Awards have been announced and awards will be presented in February. Among the nominations are those for Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role. Other than the Oscars, most supporting actors and actresses don’t get much notice.
The same is true of supporting roles in the scriptures. For the next several weeks we’ll be looking at some of the “supporting actors” in the Bible. Characters who play a small but significant role in the sweeping story of the scriptures.
Every Advent, we take a journey that prepares us for the coming of the Christ Child in our world and in our lives, a journey that prompts us to reflect on where in our lives we need redemption and transformation.
Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic A Christmas Carol is a story of redemption and transformation. Ebenezer Scrooge is greedy, selfish, and indifferent to the suffering of those around him. Confronted by the ghost of his business partner Marley and challenged by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, Scrooge undergoes the kind of redemptive transformation that is at the heart of the Christmas story.
This beloved Christmas classic forms the framework for our Advent series God Bless Us Every One: The Redemption of Scrooge. Join us on this Advent journey beginning Sunday, December 1.
Traditionally one of the tasks of interim ministry is to strengthen ties with the congregation’s denomination. And while Saint Andrew has strong ties with the region, it is helpful from time to time for congregations to pause and remember their history and core beliefs. And since so many of Saint Andrew’s members come from other denominations, this may be an opportunity for some members to learn more about the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Eastertide is a 50 day season that gives us an opportunity to rejoice and experience what it means when we say Christ is risen. It’s a time when we remember our baptisms and how we, as the Church, are called to carry on Jesus mission of restoring wholeness to a broken world.
Lent is a journey and the starting point of that journey is wherever we are with God. We hope that, wherever your starting point is, that you will join us as we journey towards the hope of Easter!
