Advent Conspiracy

It's a new church year starting today - today we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent and we begin to prepare for the most amazing Love Story of all time. We prepare not for the arrival of a sleigh or for the ride over the river and through the woods to grandma's house but for Emmanuel - God with us. During Advent we prepare for the coming of Christ at the birth in Bethlehem but even more importantly the coming of Christ who was, who is and who is to come. So how are your preparations coming? How will this year be different?

Earlier this week I saw a sister congregation's newsletter that spoke of an Advent Conspiracy and it asked the question "What if Christmas became a world changing event again?" It turns out that it is actually an international movement to reexamine what Christmas is really all about. The concept behind Advent Conspiracy is simple to: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. Through this movement of challenging people to really celebrate and understand the greatest gift ever given. How many out there drive around with "Keep Christ in Christmas" magnets but never read a single account of Christ's birth in the gospel.

On average American's spend $450 Billion per year on Christmas, a truly amazing satistic and yet I was out at midnight on Thanksgiving night and I'm pretty sure even with all the sales we are well on our way of being average. The Advent Conspiracy asks us to consider spending less, specifically buying one less gift this year and give the gift of presence instead of a present.

It's a challenge but if we really want to remember the real reason for the season we need to remember the love born on Christmas day came to change the world. So how has it changed your world?

So I challenge you to find a way to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All and join the Advent Consipracy and help others see that Christmas really is a world changing event. So how are your preparations going?

Full of grace...just not always graceful,

Pastor Jill