Prepare the Way

The Gospel of Mark begins by quoting the Book of Isaiah: "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight!" The voice is John the Baptizer, and he crying out to the people to see that Christ, the Messiah, is already in their midst: "Prepare the way! Make straight his paths!"
Advent is a busy season for many of us -- presents to buy, decorations to put up, family gatherings to plan, and meals to cook. All of this excitement can be good: it is an expression of our joyful anticipation of Christmas, the celebration of Christ's coming into the world. And yet, in Advent we hear John's cry in the wilderness, in the busyness of life: "Prepare the way! The Lord is here!" 

This year, as a way to offer our community time to slow down during Advent and to hear and give thanks for Christ's presence already among us, we will have a mini Advent retreat. During this retreat we will have opportunities to worship together, to share faith with one another, and to experience and learn new spiritual practices. Our hope is that not only will this morning of stillness be a much-needed time of rejuvenation for all of us, but that you will discover some new prayer styles and pathways that help you to connect with God and settle into God's presence along your Advent journey. All are welcome to join us -- all ages and not just Messiah members (so invite your friends!). 

While this is a different way of honoring Advent than our usual Wednesday night devotionals, as a nod to our Wednesday night tradition we will have a soup lunch during the retreat. If you'd like to bring a soup or a side (like bread or salad) to share for our community lunch, please sign up on the sign-up sheet in the narthex.

To help plan materials for our activities that day, please also RSVP by signing-up on the sheet in the narthex or email Trent to let him know you're planning to attend: trentdhale@gmail.com. Other than that, all you have to do is bring yourself and an open heart and mind to what gifts God is giving to you this Advent season.