In “church world,” this coming Sunday is considered an “extra Sunday.” What does that mean? Most often, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is also the first Sunday of Advent. But that is not the case this year. Since Thanksgiving is earlier than usual, we have an “extra Sunday” before Advent begins on December 2. What should we do with that extra day?
During worship this Sunday, we will be learning from our final Song of Thanks – Now Thank We All Our God. We will once again open our hearts to God with voices of Thanksgiving as we gain new insights from both the hymn and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Then, later that afternoon, our children and youth will have a special Christmas event beginning at 4:00. They will meet in the Fellowship Hall for a visit from Santa and a viewing of the movie The Star. They are encouraged to bring a pillow, blanket, sleeping bag, and to wear their pajamas, as they have their own Christmas pajama party, complete with popcorn, lemonade, and friends.
At the same time, our adults will gather in the sanctuary to transform it for the Advent season. This is a big job, and I hope many of you can join us as we hang wreaths, decorate the Chrismon tree, place nativity scenes, and set up the Advent wreath. We will also begin at 4:00.
This “extra Sunday” – provides us a chance to worship, fellowship, and serve together. I look forward to seeing you then.
-Pastor Jane