Weekly Update
Bethesda UCC

November 30, 2022

This Sunday Reading and Themes


Advent: Peace

Isaiah 11:1-10

Matthew 3:1-12



Coming Up in December

Saturday, Dec. 3

8:00 am - 11:00 am

Puttin' Up the Putz!


Join us as we build the Putz. We need all sorts of folks! Even if you can't help with the building, come cheer on our builders! Help with this wonderful BUCC tradition!


Sunday, Dec. 4

Advent Potluck

Good food, games, prizes!

Can you answer the Pastor's Christmas quiz questions?


Sunday, Dec. 11

Pastor's in-person Bible Study on Matthew begins

11:45 am - 12:45 am

(A zoom alternative is at 6pm Tuesday evenings. Contact Pastor Jill for the zoom link)


Saturday, Dec. 24

Christmas Eve Service

7:00 pm

Tell a friend about Xmas Eve! Let your neighbors know! We have postcards for you to give to people. Make sure to pick up yours on Sunday - or ask us to mail you some!


Opportunities for Giving


Christmas Toy Drive 2022


The BUCC Sharing Team is pleased to host the annual Christmas toy drive for the National Center for Children and Families. The local Greentree Road campus serves as Santa’s Workshop, providing an opportunity for families served by NCCF’s multiple programs to have access to Christmas gifts for kids ages 0-18.


Please consider donating a new unwrapped item or gift card (for teenagers!). A collection bin will be in the narthex Sunday Dec 4 and Dec 11.


Gift ideas include books, Legos, arts and crafts supplies, blankets, sheets, clothes, blocks, action figures, baby dolls, gift cards for Target, Amazon, Westfield Mall, CVS. 


Mitten Tree

The mitten tree is up in the parlor! Bring hats and mittens

for the children at Linkages for Learning.  We will be collecting

items until mid-December. Help us decorate the tree with plenty of warm mittens and hats!


Last Sunday's

Sermon Synopsis


Advent: Hope

Isaiah 2:1-5

Matthew 24:36-44


Sunday, we focused on the theme of the first Sunday in Advent - Hope. The prophet Isaiah speaks to the people of Israel at a time when peace and prosperity were a dim memory. Swords and spears are the tools in their reality of violence and division.

It seems like that could apply to us as well. We are experiencing a time of violence and division in our own land right now. People – then and now – hoping for an end to perilous times. Nations facing an uncertain future. 

 

We certainly identify with this message as a people and a nation. As a church we can also feel the need for hope – not an end to violence – as our church is not wielding swords and spears – but hope for the future. We too face an uncertain future. What might Isaiah be saying to us as a faith community?

Isaiah gives us hope. He says that there will be a time when our priority will not be the tools of violence, but the tools of growth and harvest.

 

This was good news for Israel – and is good news for us – as we live in this time of mass shootings, murders, and growing political and social division. For a future without God’s promise as the ground of hope, will surely be a repetition of the past.

Advent gives us four weeks of exploring that promise, thinking about the future, and reliving the anticipation and waiting that Israel experienced. Isaiah gives a picture of a hopeful future – but notice what verse 5 says: “let us walk in the light of the Lord.” 

As we journey into Advent, we look where we walk – we consider the route we are taking – the path we are on. As Israel anticipates the coming of a bright future, Isaiah stresses that that future is illuminated by the light of God.

But we start in the gloom – a gloom that yearns for transformation. We began worship by lighting the candle of hope. Hope in a new beginning, a new way, a new world, and for us at BUCC, hope for our church. 

There was a yearning during the prophet’s time. There was a yearning in the first Century. And there is a yearning now. We pray for deliverance from our swords and spears. We cry out for an end to hate and division. We cry out for more light in the gloom.

 

On this first day of Advent, we cast the light of hope on a world in need of that hope. A world in which hope can still be alive, because of the promise we have from God.

 

Although it may still be dim right now with only one candle glowing in our midst – it is the candle of hope. It is that hope that anticipated then, and anticipates anew, the reign of the anointed one – one who will bring peace and justice and righteousness into the world. 

Pastor's Message


 The Advent Wreath

Some of you noticed this past Sunday, that when service was over, we did not extinguish the Advent candle that we lit earlier in the service. I had asked Walter, our usher that day, to leave it lit. The reason being that it felt somewhat strange to snuff out the candle of hope in front of everyone. But, as some of you may realize, there is a reason for extinguishing all the candles that are lit - so I thought I would explore those issues here.

Although it may have seemed weird (maybe just to me), we can include the candles of hope, peace, love, and joy in our practice of carrying the light out into the world. When we extinguish the altar candles, we light the wick on the gold candlelighter and carry it to the back of the church. In this way, we symbolize carrying the light of Christ into the world.

Of course, I know about liturgical practices, for I was blessed with a fabulous mentor at the MCC church who taught me all about liturgy and ritual. But still... I had to wrap my head around snuffing out hope! I did some research and found a very creative Advent practice that I would like to try in the next three weeks. I think it satisfies both liturgical practice, and the reinforcement that we are carrying the promises of Advent out with us. So, be alert Sunday!

Here is a lovely explanation of the light of the Advent wreath:

The light of the candles is an important symbol of the season. The light reminds us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God's grace to others. The four candles symbolize the various aspects of our waiting experience. As the number of candles lit increases over the four-week period, we see the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding as more and more light is shed into the world. The flame of each new candle reminds the worshippers that something is happening, and that more is yet to come. Finally, the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas, and worshippers rejoice over the fact that the hope and promise of long ago have been realized.


Last Sunday we lit the candle of hope. This Sunday we will add the candle of peace, then joy, then love. On Christmas Eve we will light the Christ candle in the middle of the wreath to symbolize the coming of Christ's light into the world.

Have a blessed week - a week of hope!


Pastor Jill

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