Christmas makes me feel like home, no matter where I might be physically in the world. The sights, sounds and smells carry me off to the happiest childhood memories, before loved ones passed away and life got complicated. That's one reason why I am excited about this Sunday - after all the other wonderful joys of worship, baptism, and welcoming new members, we get to stick around and have a soup luncheon before decorating Christ Church. If you want to join us in Hanging of the Greens, there will be plenty to share and you are warmly welcome! Also, if you start decorating in the next few weeks, and find an angel or two among your decorations, would you please write your name on it and bring it church? On Nov. 28, we'll begin adding your angels to our tree in the sanctuary, to enliven our Advent theme this year: Angels Among Us.
But before I get too far ahead of myself, the Thanksgiving table has not even been set. And this time of year can be filled with both excitement and dread - anxiety or grief. I know that Homecomings are not always joyful or easy - so we'll examine the Prodigal Son story this Sunday from the younger brother's perspective. Pastor Jordan did an excellent job inviting us to see things through the older brother's eyes last Sunday. As he said, both boys were lost - one to greed and impatience, and the other to pride and self-righteousness. As we welcome 14 new members to our church, and baptize Sergio Vincent Claudio, we will be offering a welcome home to all who are lost, hurt, lonely or longing.
We hope you join us in person or live-streamed on You Tube!
Pastor Emily