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| Chrismons and the choir on the First Sunday of Advent 2019 |
The symbols of the Christian faith are as varied as those who follow the way of Jesus. From those early days in the Holy Land, Jesus’s followers used simple signs to indicate who they were, where it was safe to gather, and more. Frances Spencer and the women of Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, developed the tradition of making handmade ornaments using the symbols of our faith, a tradition that we have continued here at St. Paul’s UMC.
We are people who use symbols to communicate ideas, concepts, and realities that are timeless and yet personal in nature. These symbols are not merely religious in nature or the sole possession of the Christian faith.
The entries for the Twelve Days of Christmas are taken from the re:worship website. I choose these prayers because it occurred to me that during the Christmas season, prayer seems to fall away in the glow of Christmas lights, family gatherings, and thoughts of the coming new year. I hope and pray that these will prompt us to remember the words of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18b: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances….”
Each day during Advent, I invite you to look closely at the symbols of your faith that have come down through the centuries, uniting peoples of the Way into a community that has more in common that we may have realized. And consider also what other symbols may be present in your own life that speak to you about God and how you might be able to express your faith in ways that other people can relate to.
Print copies of the devotional are available at the church. Daily devotional entries will be posted here on the blog and on our Facebook page.
Every blessing,
Pastor Charles
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