Advent 3 - Joy!

I am obviously a little behind here... someday I'll learn how to write ahead and have Blogger put up my post on a certain day. So, how am I doing in the 'joy department'? I've come to realize that the third week of Advent is generally my 'panic' week - the week during which I fret that nothing will be ready on time, that I've bitten off more than I can chew, etc. Joy seems to sprout wings and fly off to some other, less busy, less frantic home! Or does it? What is (or should be) the Christian believer's definition of joy? I'm open to comments and suggestions, my readers...

Advent 2 - Peace?

Advent is a time of preparation and waiting for the coming of Christ. This time of year for a church musician brings extra preparation (at least it feels like 'extra') for St. Andrew's Christmas Eve service and all the glorious music of the season! I'll be the first to admit, it wouldn't seem like Christmas without the music. Still, that brings its own stress and weariness and over the weekend, I got the worst sore throat I've had in awhile. Good thing I'm not a singer...

St. Andrew's is in its own season of preparation and waiting as well. On January 8, 2012 we will have our last service at our current location before we move into a partnership with Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Many decisions have been made and still need to be made before this actually takes place. I think it's safe to say that the biggest decisions are behind us and what remains is a lot of little decisions - not sure which is more tiring! Both require a great deal of prayer, thought and planning and God's hand is evident as we take steps on this journey.

By now you may be asking, "What does all this have to do with peace?" I think sometimes we casually define personal peace as being relaxed, in a blissful state, without a care in the world. May I propose something different? I believe God's peace is an underlying sense of reliance on Him, and that God's plan and purpose are being worked out, sometimes/often in ways we cannot see or understand. During this busy season, I rely on that.

Advent 1 - Anticipation!

Each year, during this busy season of Advent and Christmas, I try to attend one event where I can sit, listen, and sing unencumbered by the responsibilities of playing. You, my reader, can appreciate that as a church musician, I don't get such an opportunity all that often. For many years I attended the Advent Lessons and Carols service at All Saints Anglican here in Winnipeg. They had (it was said) the best men and boys choir in all of western Canada. Don Hadfield was the organist then, and I looked forward each year to hearing him play. His prelude was always the same: various settings of "Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland" (Come, Saviour of the heathen), each one building in intensity. This was followed by Brahms' setting of "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (Lo, how a rose e'er blooming). The postlude was Bach's great Toccata in F major (still on my learn-it-someday list). Those days sadly came to an end but several of those choir members are still very active and involved in Winnipeg's music scene in different ways.

One of these is Blair Anderson who is now the Organist/Choir Director at St. Luke's Anglican and yesterday I went to the Advent and Lessons there. It would have been easy to stay home. I'd already been out Friday and Saturday nights. I like to nap Sunday afternoons. It was Grey Cup Sunday and I'd probably miss the first part of the game on TV. In spite of all that, I felt compelled to go. Parking in the older part of town is often a challenge; yesterday was no exception. Two churches in two blocks, both with something going on - you get the picture. I finally got a spot, close to the church, parked the car, and got out. As I scurried across the street, I realized how excited I felt to go to worship! The anticipation of God's presence through music and scripture was almost overwhelming. I have found before that when I begin worship by anticipating that I will hear from God, it almost always happens. I was not disappointed:

Haggai 2:6-7
This is what the Lord Almighty says:
"In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come,
and I will fill this house with glory, "
says the Lord Almighty.

Advent 2 - Peace is coming

Last Sunday we lit the second Advent candle, the candle of peace. I have been thinking about the many aspects of peace over the days since. I have especially been remembering the point that was made in the sermon that we have (very generally speaking) some ideas about what 'peace in the world' will look like. There will be no war, no violence, nations and people will live in harmony with each other. However, just as the Jews in Israel had some misconceptions about Jesus as their King, setting them free from Roman rule, so we may be mistaken about Christ's eventual reign of peace. With the hectic pace of life, particularly at Christmas time, do we feel peace in our lives? In our homes? In our world? How can we promote peace between ourselves and others? These are some questions to ponder during Advent as we actively wait for Christ's coming.

Advent 1 - Actively waiting

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!