A Season of Expectation …
 

 Dear Friends

Mary Greaves leads us into the First Sunday of Advent:

This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and over the coming weeks I’d like to look at Advent in more detail. This week I’d like to consider it as a season of expectation.

Advent, derived from the Latin word ‘adventus’, means “coming.” For Christians, this season marks the four weeks leading up to Christmas, a time of preparation and reflection on the birth of Jesus Christ. Traditionally, it is a time to anticipate not only the celebration of Jesus’ first coming as a baby in Bethlehem but also His second coming as the promised Messiah. Advent is steeped in Christian practices, we light the Advent wreath weekly, read Scripture, pray and sing carols that reflect hope, peace, joy, and love. These practices offer us an opportunity to pause and consider the spiritual significance of God entering the world in human form.

The themes of hope and waiting are universal. In a world often filled with busyness and uncertainty, the Advent season invites people of all beliefs to embrace the value of stillness and anticipation. For all of us, then, Advent can be a time to focus on personal growth and to reflect on the universal themes of kindness and generosity often emphasised during this season.

Advent ia a time when we are encouraged  to consider how we can bring light to others’ lives. Acts of service, charity, and mindfulness can transcend boundaries. In a divided world, Advent becomes a reminder of shared humanity and the hope that unites us all.

So, let’s embrace the Advent themes of expectation and renewal which speak to the human heart’s longing for meaning and connection.

So let the Advent countdown to joy begin. Mary Greaves 

Welcome to our Christmas Fayre tomorrow starting at 12.30pm. Please find the Diary of Services over the Christmas period and the Newsletter for this week

God Bless  

Fr Herbert, Fr Reginald and Fr Bryan