I developed Around the Common Table over a year ago as a place where I could share with you reflections and updates in more detail than is possible on Sunday mornings. Covid-related items have taken up, of necessity, a good amount of space, but this this week’s article blessedly is not about Covid!
I want to share with you here about Advent. Advent begins on November 28 and will take us to Christmas liturgically. The traditional watchwords of Advent are keep watch, wait, be observant. Its themes are apocalyptic in nature. It is, in Fleming Rutledge’s words, looking for a “breakthrough from heaven,” a yearning that can’t be satisfied this side of God’s penetration into history, both in Jesus of Nazareth and then Jesus coming again with power and great glory.
It is also a season of hospitality. In our parties and dinners from Thanksgiving onward, we open our hearts to invite others in. In doing so we inhabit a delightful image that was given recently to parishioner Beverly Brown. Beverly shared the observation that “Jesus came from a humble stable to bring us to his living eternal table.” Just as the stable was made of wood, notes Beverly, so the cross and so the table around which we gather to eat and drink together sacramentally.
We have prayed recently that our church’s hospitality would be evident to the guests we enjoy welcoming. Our words are “We give thanks for guests among us – may we become friends and not remain strangers.”
With Advent come liturgical changes befitting the season of preparation. We will use the older rite for our liturgies while enjoying the great music of the season such as O Come, O Come, Immanuel. We also invite you to attend the candlelight Advent Lessons and Carols service on December 5 at 4 pm.
With so many needs emerging in our community and with the weariness of dealing with the pandemic, we aim to begin prayer ministry at the rail following each service. Each Sunday we hope to provide someone with whom you can pray. These individuals will be good listeners and pray for you discreetly. Much good comes from congregational worship, but there are times and places for individual prayer. We wish to support you through trying times.
In a similar way, please see information in the Trumpet about the Advent dove tree, and pay attention to other Advent and Christmas information that will announced soon.
I want to close with one of George Herbert’s poems, Love (III). I was reminded of this poem while writing about hospitality and the table.
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lacked anything.
"A guest," I answered, "worthy to be here":
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord; but I have marred them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.