Dear Friends,<\/p>\n
I am writing this towards the end of November \u2013 Advent Sunday will be next week.\u00a0 The past couple of months seemed to have passed in a blur!\u00a0 We had a brilliant weekend at our District Gathering, \u2018Flourish\u2019 in September, followed by our series of Bible Study sessions, Rock Up & Worship in October, and stationing Circuit visits \u2013 and a new grandson on the same day \u2013 plus the start of the second series of Worship: Foundations training, and our Glow Youth event in November!\u00a0 God has certainly been alongside us during these events, plus the other mission activities, prayer groups, fellowship and worship, and meetings, in the weekly life of our churches.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s press the \u2018pause button\u2019\u2026.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I spent a couple of hours this week clearing up the leaves in the front driveway and the rear lawn of the manse.\u00a0 I like the season of Autumn, it\u2019s my favourite time of the year\u2026 I\u2019m still a \u2018big kid\u2019 at heart and like to kick a pile of leaves and hear the rustle that they make.\u00a0 I like how the Autumn leaves change the colour of the landscape, and I like to be wrapped up warm for a walk on a crisp (not wet) day.<\/p>\n Clearing the leaves from a gravel drive and a damp lawn is not an easy task, but needs to be done.\u00a0 Gardening advice (which I need) says that they need to be cleared up from the gravel otherwise it becomes messy, and from the lawn as they will smother the grass, also from paths and patios, or they will become slippery.\u00a0 That\u2019s not why I clear them up.<\/p>\n I do it because it gets me outdoors and connects with nature, and when it looks tidy I feel a bit more organised and I\u2019m ready to move onto the next task.\u00a0 But first, I need to set aside some time in which to do it.\u00a0 And it can\u2019t all be done at one time \u2013 it has to be done in smaller chunks, otherwise the job becomes too big.<\/p>\n Ok, back to the \u2018pause button\u2019\u2026<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n We\u2019re coming up to December and all that it brings \u2013 school assemblies before the holidays, planning of carol services, the last sessions of church groups, Luncheon Club Christmas dinner, Wesley Christmas Day dinner (cooking, volunteering, hosting, driving guests), plus our personal preparations of shopping, Christmas cards to send\u2026.<\/p>\n Lots to plan for Christmas, but what about Advent? Have you had a thought about what you are going to do in the Season of Advent?<\/p>\n Just as we have cleared up the leaves, and swept the paths clear, perhaps we need to clear up some things in our lives and clear our paths so that we can see, feel, and know the coming of our Lord.\u00a0 How are we going to do that?<\/p>\n Let\u2019s press that \u2018pause button\u2019\u2026. put aside some smaller chunks of time to prepare ourselves (me included), instead of rushing from the Autumn events straight into Christmas, otherwise it can get \u2018messy\u2019.<\/p>\n As we undertake our personal preparations for Christmas, let\u2019s be aware of the times when we can pause and reflect on why we are doing what we\u2019re doing\u2026break the tasks into manageable chunks, pause and pray during the shopping, as we decorate the tree, for the people that we are writing cards for\u2026and pray for ourselves too, that we find time to pause and reflect on how God is at work in our lives, to reflect on our hopes and dreams, and even our fears, as we await the coming of Jesus.<\/p>\n We have a Circuit Advent Service of Light on Saturday 30 November, 7.30pm at Woodlands;\u00a0 and perhaps you may like to join our Advent Bible Study on 5, 12 and 19 December 7pm.<\/p>\n Among all our expectations, let\u2019s clear away some space in our hearts for God, for the gift of his Son as we look forward to the nativity, through the power of the Spirit.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must look ahead, to Jesus.\u00a0 He is the one who carved out the path for faith, and he\u2019s the one that brought it to completion\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n Hebrews 12: 2<\/strong> Have a prayerful Advent, a joyous Christmas, and a Happy New Year!<\/p>\n God bless<\/p>\n Ann<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am writing this towards the end of November \u2013 Advent Sunday will be next week. 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\n<\/em>The New Testament for Everyone, by Tom Wright.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n