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            2014 Worship Guide
          
        
        
          A Lincoln Daily News.com Publication
        
        
          
            Pastor Adam Quine
          
        
        
          
            First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln
          
        
        
          silence of the Advent season, we will sense
        
        
          that Advent marks something momentous:
        
        
          God’s coming into our midst!
        
        
          With new eyes we will recognize God’s
        
        
          coming isn’t a one-time event. Rather, it is
        
        
          a recurring possibility here and now. And
        
        
          thus Advent is not merely a commemorative
        
        
          event or an anniversary, but rather a yearly
        
        
          opportunity for us to consider the future,
        
        
          the second Advent—the promised coming
        
        
          of God’s reign on earth.
        
        
          So from November 30th to that silent night
        
        
          of December 24th, make space to wait with
        
        
          Mary and Joseph. Find ways to get excited
        
        
          about the great expectation that the Advent
        
        
          season offers. Participate within the birth
        
        
          of God’s love by offering your presence
        
        
          instead of presents to those in your lives.
        
        
          More importantly, embody the same care
        
        
          and attentiveness God has, is doing, and
        
        
          will continue to do, by putting on skin and
        
        
          living among us—the greatest indication of
        
        
          love.
        
        
          This holiday season give the gift of heartfelt
        
        
          attention to children in orphanages or hos-
        
        
          pitals, foster homes, or on your own street.
        
        
          Show them your undivided attention by
        
        
          reading to them, engaging in a fun art pro-
        
        
          ject or playing games.
        
        
          Love those in your life the way God loved
        
        
          us in Christ Jesus, Emmanuel—God with
        
        
          us: selflessly.
        
        
          Friends, we are called in Advent not only to
        
        
          wait but to “bring forth the Savior,” to be-
        
        
          come more and more sensitive to the morn-
        
        
          ing dew and to open our souls to the rain so
        
        
          that our inner self can bring forth the Love
        
        
          of God.
        
        
          May your Advent be filled with peace,
        
        
          hope, joy, and most especially, Love.