Advent Field Guide

Songs of Peace

Advent 2022

Field Guide for the first week of Advent

November 25, 2022

As we light the first advent candle, hear the words of the prophet Isaiah.

In the days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of the mountains. It will be lifted above the hills; peoples will stream to it. Many nations will say, Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of Jacob’s God so that God may teach us God ways and we may walk in God’s paths. For God will judge between the nations settling our disputes. Then we will beat our swords into iron plows and our spears into pruning tools. Nation will not take up sword against nation; we will no longer learn how to make war. (Isaiah 2:1-5)

Come Lord Jesus, kindle in our hearts your songs of peace. Amen

Reflection:

Can you believe that we are already approaching another Advent? Where has this year gone? It feels a bit like we have been trying to catch up this year from losing so much gathering time from the few years past. Belmont is starting to see more of our members come back in person and has welcomed many visitors who first began watching our livestream online. It’s an exciting time to be together again and it may feel a little disorienting to think about slowing down and centering your heart on waiting this Advent season. Perhaps that is why it is all the more important to take a beat. As we near the end of the year, consider taking this critical pause and reflect on these questions through journaling or a conversation with a trusted person in your life:

How has this 2022 year gone for you? How is your heart? How are your relationships?
What joys met you? What sorrows does your heart hold?
What do you wish you had done differently? Where do you need forgiveness?
What are you proud of from this year?
What did you learn?
What spiritual practices did you try out?
What did God teach you; what lesson is really resonating in your heart and practice?
How did you get involved at Belmont this year and how can you get involved at Belmont UMC in 2023?
How did you bring more love into the world? How did you love yourself?
How did fear or greed control your actions? How did love control your actions?
Who saw you – the real you– this year and loved you? Who do you want to spend 2023 being around and investing in?

There is much to reflect on before you let the year end. It is so important to stop and take note so that you can enter 2023 deliberately. Henry David Thoreau wrote in Walden: “I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life….” Living deeply absolutely necessitates reflection and intentionality. What do you hope changes in your life in 2023? Are your hands and heart open to what God will reveal to you?

As we explore what peace means this week, consider how living in right relationship with God, your neighbors, and yourself brings peace? Consider what being a person of peace looks like with your spouse or relatives, children, parents, coworkers, friends or with your fellow congregants. Consider that justice-making, though it may seem the opposite of peaceful because it disrupts evil systems, is actually a deep and powerful act of peace-making. Because we can’t be at peace when some of us are oppressed simply based on a category that we fall in like our skin color, or who we love, or what gender we identify with, or how old we are, or what physical or mental abilities we have, or what country we come from, or how good we can speak English. Justice brings peace.

For fun this week, listen to Cat Stevens’ song, Peace Train. Research the life of a famous peace-maker like Dorothy Day, Fannie Lou Hamer, or someone who means a lot to you.

As you prepare to light the Advent candle of peace this week, remember how much work peace takes and you have a role in that work. Living a life that is deliberate and examined helps you live into right relationships and that brings peace. May the peace of Christ be with you.