Dear Friends,
As we begin Advent on Dec. 2, we enter into what many describe as “the most wonderful time of the year!” Indeed these days bring back memories; it’s a time when we deepen relationships and engage in beloved traditions. These things give us a sense of meaning and deep joy. The week after the Christmas holiday, we often get to relax a bit as 2018 draws to a close. We start to dream about what the new year will bring, looking forward to 2019. This rhythm for December is familiar to us all.
The liturgical calendar for churches, however, is a bit different. The year actually ends on Christ the King Sunday (which falls on Nov. 25 this year). The new year begins with the start of Advent. Accordingly, we will launch a new teaching series to coincide with Advent and the new liturgical year. The series will be quite a bit longer (6 months!) than any we have previously engaged in here at Covenant. For all of this time, we will journey through the Book of Luke. This Gospel is unique in that we get to inhabit the major events in the life of Jesus. The full Advent and Christmas stories are described in detail, as are all of Jesus’ revolutionary teaching and ministry, and then we arrive at the cross for Holy Week and Easter.
Here at Covenant, our vision statement is “Encouraging one another to follow Jesus wherever we live, work, and play.” The goal is for each of us to dive into this series in order to understand what this statement looks like in each of our lives. No matter where you find yourself in your faith journey, I believe you will be able to explore and grow in the purpose and joy that God designed us to embrace.
I remain deeply grateful to be on this journey with each of you!
Joyfully,
Thomas
