Advent Begins
Our giant Christmas tree went up on Wednesday and I invite you to bring an ornament to represent you or your family to hang on the tree. This ornament will remain at the church and will be rehung every year as part of the Faith family. On Sunday we will be decorating for Advent and Christmas in the building and we will have our Kick Off Workshop full of seasonal delights that afternoon. We still have several slots open to help decorate at noon.
We will be doing something a little different this year. Our theme for Advent is “On the way to Bethlehem.” This theme travels through the significant places in the story. We will begin in Rome on Nov. 30th where Caesar announces the census and the need for more taxes. This announcement sends Joseph on the route to Bethlehem. Then on Dec. 7th we will head to the temple in Jerusalem where we encounter Elizabeth and her miracle pregnancy. Our next stop, on Dec. 14th, will be Nazareth where we will meet Mary and Joseph and their encounters with angels. This will also be the Sunday where we only have one service at 10 am and we will have our Christmas program “Voices of the Nativity.” Finally, on Dec. 21st we will make it to Bethlehem and on Christmas Eve we will encounter the manger. Because of these different locations, we will also be transforming the setting in the sanctuary each week. You won’t want to miss!
We are also providing everyone daily devotionals. We heard your requests for a devotional that lays out each day of the week. Included is a QR code link to a map of the locations. I think that you are going to really love reflecting and journaling through this spiritual discipline in our season of anticipation. In addition, we are offering Advent study groups in both Bixby and Tulsa. Each class will meet for three weeks. The Sunday morning Advent Faith group will be in Bixby and the Wednesday night group will be in Tulsa.
I hope that this season brings you good news and great hope as we journey to the birth of the Christ child. Due to food scarcity in Oklahoma (twenty five percent of kids in OK are hungry) we will be giving our Christmas Eve offering to the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank.
As you enjoy the season of Thanksgiving, I hope that you will be fully present with those that you gather around the table with and give them your full attention. Then I can’t wait for you to come back and begin this journey to Bethlehem with us all.
love you,
