Dear friends,
Here’s my favorite Bible Trivia question: What command is given more often than any other in the Bible?
It’s not “Serve God.” It’s not “Love your neighbor.” It’s “Be not afraid.”
God says it to Abraham and Sarah as they set off on a journey to a new land and a new life. God says it to the prophets as they are called to risk everything to speak the truth. The prophets say it to the people as they challenge them to change their lives and their allegiances. Jesus says it to the disciples as they worry how they will go on without him. Paul says it to the early churches as they struggle to follow this new path.
Fear is such a powerful force in our lives and our world. At its best, it warns us that danger is ahead. At its worst, it controls our lives, paralyzing us, prompting us to build walls of self-protection, judgment and hate. Fear gets in the way of our calling to love God and our neighbors. The command, “Be not afraid,” is central to the biblical story. It is at the heart of our faith.
And it will be at the heart of our Advent worship. This year, we will center our worship on angels — the ones we read about in the Bible, and the ones here in our midst. When angels appear in the Christmas story, they introduce themselves by saying, “Be not afraid.” They challenge Zechariah, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds to move beyond their fear to trust that something new and wondrous is happening. The angels call them to believe the impossible, to accept that God is at work in them, to risk being ostracized, and to leave what is familiar. The angels promise that God will give them strength and courage.
Our theme for Advent is “Angels Among Us: Be Not Afraid.” As we tell the biblical angel stories, we will reflect on the angels (messengers) who come to us today. Who are they? How do they challenge us to move past our fear? What is their message of hope, peace, joy and love? How can we be angels for one another?
We will begin a new Advent candle-lighting tradition as we learn a new song. We will revel in beautiful music during this season: joyous music offered by our Rise-Up Choir and our Chancel Choir, lively music offered by On the Fence, bold music offered by a brass quartet (or quintet), familiar carols sung by all of us.
As always, we will tell the whole story twice on Christmas Eve: once with lots of laughter at our 5 pm pageant for all ages, and again with poetry for our 9 pm Candlelight Service of Lessons and Carols.
There is so much these days that makes us afraid. Our faith promises that there is something more powerful and more wondrous than fear: God’s love dwelling in our midst, thousands of years ago and still today.
Peace, Debbie