Yesterday we began a new year in the church calendar. As hectic as the season is (for many different reasons) it is a season I love! I'm talking about Advent - the 4 weeks of preparing and waiting for Christ's coming. The Book of Praise (1997) has a great variety of Advent hymns and at St. Andrew's we now know enough of them to sing different ones each Sunday of the season. The ones we sang yesterday were: "Come, thou long-expected Jesus" (HYFRYDOL), "People in darkness are looking for light" and "Hark! a thrilling voice is sounding". The last is one I always associate with the Advent Lessons and Carols service I used to attend annually at All Saints' Anglican here in downtown Winnipeg. In my mind's ear I hear the men and boys' choir and the resounding pipe organ proclaiming "Christ is nigh!"
The title of my post comes from the theme of yesterday's sermon which encouraged us to wait and prepare during Advent, but not in a "sit and twiddle your thumbs" kind of way. In some ways, as a musician, it is easy for me to actively prepare. The Christmas Eve service would be less than wonderful if the choir and I did not rehearse, if I did not give the trumpeter any music, etc. Even with all those things to do, I think there's more to my active waiting than that. I must find/make time to ponder what Christ's coming means in my life, in my actions, in my words as well as in my music!
Advent - Christ is coming!
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