November 26, 2007

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

This Sunday, we begin the season of Advent, a time of longing, expectation, and hope. The four Sundays of Advent are given to us to ponder the coming of Christ past, present, and future. Past: 2,000 years ago in the birth of the babe at Bethlehem; present: in our lives daily; future: at the end of time to bring creation to its fulfillment. Advent focuses on these multiple and complex understandings of Christ's coming past, present and future.

THEME FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

The reading from Isaiah focuses on the future when God will bring peace to the earth. The epistle and Gospel call us to make the most of the life that is given to us in the present to love God and neighbor. The Collect calls attention to past, present and future: "Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."

Isaiah speaks a powerful prophecy of the day that God will bring peace and justice to the earth when God "shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Psalm 122 expresses the joy of pilgrims going to the holy Temple: "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the LORD.' Now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is at unity with itself; to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, the assembly of Israel, to praise the Name of the LORD ... Peace be within your walls and quietness within your towers."

Paul's epistle to the Romans calls us to be alert to the coming of Christ in the present moment: "You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy."

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus teaches that no one but God knows the date of the end of the world: "But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Jesus tells us to live with an awareness of the present opportunity: "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

As the days grow colder and darker, the season of Advent invites us to become more appreciative of the warmth of human friendship and the light of God's wisdom. Advent signals the approaching feast of Christmas and calls us to prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ in our lives. Please join us for worship at the Celtic Holy Eucharist Saturday at 5:00 pm, the Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing Sunday at 10:30 am, and the Sunday Evening Contemplative Holy Eucharist at 6:00 pm.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

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Worship Services for the First Sunday of Advent, December 1-2, 2007

Saturday, December 1, at 5:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, December 2, at 10:30 am: Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, December 2, at 6:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian

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Advent Wreath Making Sunday, December 2, at 11:45 am.

One way of participate more fully in Advent is to make your own Advent Wreath! Join us in the Dining Room for wreath making immediately after the 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. Cost: $20 for greens, ribbon, candles& metal wreath form. Bring donations for the Brookline Food Pantry and cut the cost! $15 with 5 nonperishable food items; $10 with 10 food items; FREE with 15 items!

Weekend and Mid-Week Worship Schedule
For the schedule of worship services for Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday, please click here.

For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here. Please note that the we are now using the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings.

For a note on the Music at the Sunday 10:30 am service, from All Saints Music Director Donald Teeters, click here.

For a Story from this Sunday's Gospel by Becky Taylor, Director of Children's Youth, and Family Ministry, click here.

For a note on the Sunday 6:00 pm 'Sunday Evening' Holy Eucharist from Assistant Rector, the Rev. Leslie K. Sterling, click here.

To browse past issues of the All Saints Weekly, click here.

For "All Saints Smiles" and news about events, activities, programs, ministries and the staff of our parish, please click on the All Saints website: www.allsaintsbrookline.org.

Many thanks to June Santosa, design, Barbara Bembery, distribution, and the contributors above who produce the All Saints Weekly each week.

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