Dawn on a summer morning from my driveway.
Greetings fellow companions on the way,
I pray that in the midst of life – your particular life, our shared life in the church, and our human and creaturely life, that you are finding moments of space and time to reflect on what is calling you home to God and stirring up life anew. I hope that in the midst of the disaster and horror in so much of our world you also discern hope and peace and feel joy and love.
In my corner of the world I live between and betwixt the delight in warmer weather and the hyper vigilance that the hot dry east wind brings in our fire prone country; the reluctance to leave home and the joyous anticipation of being with all my children this year in the city (and the strange luxury of not being rostered to take any services?!); the sense of overwhelm at the state of need and despair in the world and the gratitude that my ordinary life is so relatively peaceful and plentiful. I am trying to allow my heart to enter into the paradox and mystery of the season and accept what is, discern what I can do, and pray in hopeful compassion for all that touches me.
For those of you who preach and lead this is a particularly demanding time of year. I hope my Advent study and weekly reflections might affirm your work, provoke and engage your intuitions and reflections, and if you are too tired or too busy please feel free to make my words yours. My thoughts and words are the result of others who have inspired me. It you want to read ahead here are some links that might help you in your preparation:
If you want to read ahead for Advent Sundays Three and Four there are reflections towards the ends of Weeks Three and Four in the Advent study.
If you want something that suits Christmas Eve you may like to consider what I wrote in 2022.
If you want to reflect on the gospel of Luke you may like to consider what I wrote in 2021 or 2022.
If you want to reflect on the gospel of John you may like to consider what I wrote in 2020.
Thank you to all who have enriched and encouraged my life and ministry this last year with your comments and virtual cups of coffee. Just when I suspect I am talking to myself alone I will get a comment and I am energised again.
However you experience the Advent of our God in our time may this be a time of reconciliation and restoration, celebration and recreation, and I look forward to companioning you in the year to come.
Blessings,
Reverend Sue
A local farmer's Christmas decorations in a dry summer paddock.
