Invitation to Advent
What are you waiting for? Perhaps you are waiting for healing, for better work, for relief from anxiety or stress. As I write this, I am waiting for my first child’s arrival. I think we’re all waiting for something. In our communion liturgy we sometimes say “come, you who hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a fairer world.”
Like my waiting now, much of our waiting comes with a lot of uncertainty attached. We’re not just waiting for a three-minute timer to sound, or for the water to boil: these things we wait for but have a clear expectation of when they will arrive. Much of our waiting comes with at least some measure of uncertainty. Will it be this week or next? Will it be in this world or the new creation? Will it happen at all?
In the season of Advent, we wait for the arrival of Christ in the world and for the culmination of his kingdom of hope, peace, joy, and love. We are not the first to wait. Many before us waited for Christ’s first coming and they are examples for us of how we can wait in this time in-between Christ’s victory over sin and death and the ultimate culmination of that victory in the new heavens and new earth.
While we wait for Christ’s kingdom to come, we long that the characteristics of that better kingdom would be the very shape of our lives even now. We wait in such a way that our lives might be signs of that kingdom which we do not yet fully see. This Advent, we will learn about hope from the Magi & King Herod, peace from Simeon & Anna, joy from Elizabeth & Zechariah, and love from Mary & Joseph.
More than just waiting in our worship together on Sunday, we hope you will enter into this season of advent whole-heartedly: reflecting on scripture and praying to God for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven throughout the week and being people of hope, peace, joy, and love to all who we know and all who we meet that they might also long for that still better kingdom which we trust, by faith, is coming soon.
Your friend and pastor,
Nick
ps. We’d love you to journey with us toward Christ this season. On Sundays, we’ll have a print devotional available, and also daily prompts for reflection on our Instagram and Facebook stories. Read on below for information about gatherings and events coming up, too.
Advent Series
Advent 1 / November 27
Hope & Fear: The Magi and Herod, Matthew 2:1-18
Advent 2 / December 4
Peace in Uncertainty: Simeon & Anna, Luke 2:22-38
Advent 3 / December 11
Joy & Surprise: Elizabeth & Zechariah, Luke 1:5-23, 67-80
Advent 4 / December 18
Love Beyond Reason: Mary & Joseph, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:46-56
Join us in marking the season
SUN / DEC 11
@4:30pm - Pre-concert Party with our Knox Church Family
@6:00pm - Christmas Concert and Sing-along with Toronto Mass Choir (tickets required)
SAT / DEC 17
Volunteer with Messiah for the City
MON / DEC 19 @ 7:30pm
Longest Night Evening Prayer - A time to meet with God in your grief and sorrow (In-person)
SAT / DEC 24 @ 7:00pm
Christmas Eve Worship (in-person and Online)
SUN / DEC 25 @ 11:00am
Christmas Morning Worship (In-person)
