The end of November is  the time in which we begin a new church year with Advent, a four week countdown to prepare for Christmas. It is an important start to the church year because it reminds us that time is precious and we need plenty of it to welcome Jesus into our lives…like at Christmas. So often we feel like we’ve run out of time in the busyness of Christmas preparations. That’s why we need Advent, as it invites us to slow down as we prepare to grasp once again the significance of Christmas. Therefore, our theme centers on time: FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.

The traditional “feel” of the Advent season can be described as a bit more subdued with special emphasis on preparation, waiting, and self-examination. We resist singing Christmas Carols until just before Christmas. We use an Advent Wreath to focus us on the passage of time instead of putting up the Christmas trees. In Advent we hold back from running quickly to Christmas as we try to experience the long period of time God’s people waited for the promise of the messiah to be born.