Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Kingdom Tide 'embrace' this Sunday (12/5)

Please join us as we embrace the anticipation and express a longing for the coming presence of the Messiah. The evening will include poetry and psalm readings, a candle lighting service and communion.

When: Sunday, Dec 5 from 530-730p
Where: Butler Church, Rms 17/18 (4884 E Butler Ave)

You are encouraged to bring poetry or a psalm that expresses longing, silence, darkness, waiting, or anticipation.

Childcare will be provided.



During the month of December, we will explore the theme of 'presence' by embracing, experiencing, thinking and serving God, others and the world. As we do this, we will join with the global Christian community as it observes Advent, the season of anticipation and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

We will embrace the longing and expectation that comes with hoping and waiting for God to be with us amidst the struggles of life. Through darkness, poetry, candle lighting and communion, we hope to symbolically reflect our anticipation of and participation in the Kingdom of God "on earth as it is in heaven". Just as Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Passover as a hopeful reenactment of the Exodus - Hebrews huddled in the darkness waiting for God to liberate them from slavery and oppression - our communion is both a memorial to the advent of Christ and our longing to fully experience God's presence. Through this, we embrace the tension of being in the presence of God now and yet waiting for God to intercede on behalf of humanity and creation.

[Photo credit: http://www.absenceandpresence.info/main.htm] 

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