Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Advent is the season of preparation for celebrating Christ’s birth and recalling his promised return. This Sunday, December 4, we continue our current series, Christmas Playlist, with the English carol, “Joy to the World.” My sermon will be based on Psalm 98 and Luke 2. Don’t miss this fun, uplifting message of Christmas joy!
For today’s Pastor Chat, I want to tell you a story about the healing of a nation and share a favorite Advent hymn from our Methodist heritage. During December 1998, I found myself on a busy street in Bristol, England surrounded by hundreds of holiday shoppers quite oblivious to their historic surroundings. For situated near a row of elegant clothing stores all beautifully decorated for the season was the old townhouse of Charles & Sarah Wesley. As I entered the home now owned by the Methodist Church of England, I stood before the piano in Wesley’s first floor music room. Here I recalled his Advent hymn, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” Written in 1744, this hymn was inspired by Haggai 2:7 as Wesley contemplated the situation of orphans and the class divide in Great Britain. During this time, poverty was widespread. The nation was on the verge of revolution. One out of every four women in London were prostitutes, many of them as young as eight years old. Thousands died annually from syphilis and gonorrhea. Crime abounded. Human slavery was widespread and brutal.
Although we live in a different time than Charles Wesley, the longings of people’s hearts are just as deep. Today our nation is in desperate need of another great spiritual awakening. America is shrouded in division, frustration, pessimism, and strife. Let us be reminded that no political solution, politician or religious leader can ultimately heal our nation. If our country is to fully reflect the Kingdom of God, it will happen because of a movement of the Holy Spirit! We need to be the voice of God to a hurting and fearful people. The longing and expectation of Christ for those early Methodists became the catalyst for societal reform. As their hearts were “strangely warmed” by the love of God, those Methodists arose to confront the evil forces of immorality and transform a corrupt system of oppression. Today many historians argue that the Wesleyan renewal saved England from a potential civil war and tremendously influenced 19th century American culture and ethics.
This Advent season, I invite you to pray with me the words of Charles Wesley:
Come, thou long expected Jesus, born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver, born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever, now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit, rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit, raise us to thy glorious throne.
As a bonus, would you like to listen to this inspirational Advent hymn? Click here to hear Meredith Andrews’ powerful rendition. Enjoy!
I love you all!
Pastor Dennis
P.S. Please keep those annual stewardship commitment cards for 2023 coming! Your commitment and giving make possible the mission and ministry of this church. So far, we’ve received 171 cards for a total of $1,170,305 pledged. If you have yet to return your commitment card, I’d like to encourage you to fill out your card online by clicking here or to plan to return it this weekend.
