Southpoint News December 8, 2017

Why Advent?

Why do we intentionally place ourselves in suspended animation, waiting in the darkness of Advent’s liminal space? Why do we talk about the “Coming of Christ”, which implies that there is an “absence”, when Christ is already within us? After all, the presence of Christ is the ground that holds us, the air that fills us, the bread that sustains us! Why are we pressing into the posture of silence while everyone else is putting up lights and playing Christmas music?

• Maybe waiting in darkness intensifies our experience of the light…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness is an act of solidarity with all who suffer in body, mind and spirit, yearning for the dawn…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness is a way of honouring the spiritual pilgrimage of doubters and wanderers who diligently seek but have not found what they are looking for…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness is a way of sitting Shiva with OT Israel as they mourned in exile, recited the words of the prophets, and waited for the promised One…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness is an acknowledging of our own exile as a species and our longing for the Messiah to come and put creation right…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness helps us feel our own longings for salvation from all that holds us captive and robs us of vitality…
• Maybe waiting in the darkness lets us sit down beside Mary, pondering her mystery, approaching with reverence rather than entitlement the cradle of Christ’s birth…
• Maybe Christmas without Advent is like sex without foreplay, a wham-bam flash in the pan that fails to ground us in the beauty of the incarnation.

“Many of the ancient cultures practiced careful rituals of approach. An encounter of depth and spirit was preceded by careful preparation and often involved a carefully phased journey of approach… Because we have lost reverence of approach, we should not be too surprised at the lack of quality and beauty in our experience. At the heart of things is a secret law of balance and when our approach is respectful, sensitive and worthy, gifts of healing, challenge and creativity open to us. A gracious approach is the key that unlocks the treasure of encounter… A reverence of approach awakens depth and enables us to be truly present… When we approach with reverence great things decide to approach us… the rushed heart and the arrogant mind lack the gentleness and patience to enter that embrace..” John O’Donahue, The Invisible Embrace of Beauty

Pastor Anne Smith

Loonie Drive

Collect your loonies during Advent, bring them to church each week, and at the end of Advent, the NET will match your loonie with another loonie! We’ll give away all our loonies to Lifewater Canada to help them build a WELL that provides clear, sweet, fresh, living water to a community. As one of our core images is a well, wouldn’t it be cool if we could actually help build one? Check out: http://www.lifewater.ca.

Calendar: December

Sunday the 10th:  Advent week 2: Isaiah 40: 1-11.  Service with lectio divina at 10:00 am, Sunnyside

Sunday the 17th:  Advent week 3: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11. Service with lectio divina at 10:00 am, Sunnyside

Friday the 22nd:  Christmas Party at 5:30 pm, Centennial Arena, White Rock [Ice time is 5:45-6:45 pm]

Sunday the 24th:  Advent week 4: Luke 1: 26-38.  Christmas Eve Communion and Carol Service at 4:00 pm, Brooksdale Environmental Centre Main house, 1620 192 Street, Surrey