Join us this Sunday, December 8, 2024, the 2nd Sunday of Advent at 10:00 a.m. in person or on Zoom.

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The four Sundays in Advent focus in turn on the virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love. On this second Sunday, we reflect on peace.  I will be preaching from our Gospel text, Luke 1:68-79. 

 

We live in a war-weary world. Thousands suffer daily, directly or indirectly, from the consequences of human violence. Peace may not be only the absence of war, but the impact of war shatters the peace of millions of God's creatures. Each casualty of war or conflict is a unique, beloved child of God. Here are some startling statistics:

 

Since 1989, by far the biggest number of deaths through war and conflict per capita have been in Africa (307/100,000) and the Middle East (274/100,000). Turn to your news source of choice and you can be sure that amidst the tinsel and Christmas recipes, and collecting presents for homeless children, there will still be news of world conflict in the Middle East, in Sudan, in Ukraine, in Yemen. Since 1800, 37 million combatants have died while fighting in war. If this figure now includes civilians, and those who have died as a result of famine precipitated by war, the figure rises to 110 million people in the 20th century alone (source: https://ourworldindata.org/). 

 

And yet, scripture tells us that God promises us mercy and that will then lead us to peace.  How have we gotten this so wrong and what can we do to get this right?

 

In this season of Advent we anticipate the arrival of the one who is Prince of Peace. What did this prospect mean for first-century folk? What does it mean for us today?  Plan to join us on Sunday as we explore together peace and what it means for individuals and for churches and for communities. 

 

Pastor Ann

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