For Christians, Advent is the time of preparation before Christmas, a time when we can shift gears a bit and wait expectantly for the coming of our Lord. Truth is, few of us prepare as we should because of all the many other demands upon us at this time of year. Advent helps us to focus on the important preparations. Let me suggest three of them for us this year.

First, let’s prepare by being open to the Spirit of Christmas, especially being open to the renewal of our spirits, which can only happen if we let the Holy Spirit into our lives. Being open means being receptive to God by listening to God speaking to us. God is still speaking – even in the 21^st century! Listen to God in prayer, in worship, in the creation, even in the voices of others.

Second, we can better prepare for Christmas by personally responding to the Spirit’s urgings. We respond with obedience when God calls us (as Joseph did when he heard the voice of God in a dream). We respond by being patient. It’s so easy to become impatient – with ourselves, with clerks in the stores, with our children, with the long line of cars ahead of us – patience is a virtue, especially in this season. We respond by accepting whatever comes our way, accepting that we probably won’t get everything done that we want, accepting that others may be short-tempered, accepting the sorrows we often feel as well as the joys of the holiday times.

Finally, to better prepare for Christmas, let’s be intentional about spreading the Spirit. If we will remind ourselves of our many blessings and feel the Christmas Spirit inside of us, we’ll radiate these feelings of joy, and they will rub off onto others. We spread the Spirit foremost by remembering others – in our gifts and cards, in our special contributions into the Salvation Army buckets or in our Christmas Fund special offering envelopes on Christmas Eve, in visiting a shut in, in going caroling with neighbors, as well as in many other ways.

Ready or not, here it comes! Christmas will be here before we know it, so there’s not a lot of time to prepare. Let’s do so by being open to the Spirit of Christmas (by listening for the still-speaking God), by responding to the Spirit (obediently, patiently, and with acceptance), and by spreading the Spirit of Christmas, God’s love for humanity in Jesus Christ, wherever we go and in whatever we do (especially as we remember others in special ways). If we can do all this in addition to our many other tasks, then we will be ready for Christmas in the most important ways possible, we’ll be ready for the Christ to come again as a babe in a manger on Christmas morning.

May each of you and your loved ones have a blessed, joyous, and very merry Christmas.

Shalom,

Ken

Sign-up ends on Monday, December 5 for this year’s Progressive Dinner. Sign-up in the vestry after church each Sunday, or use the sheet on the bulletin board outside the vestry. You’ll get a confirming call on December 8^th or 9^th. Call Lynne Devnew Wolfe if you have any questions: 781/934-0901.

If you are interested in enrollment for this year or next year, please contact the program director at 781-934-8145, extension 1#

The PCCP is also looking for grandparents of our students who might be interested in coming to read a child story to our preschool classes on pre-scheduled days over the upcoming year. We will provide the book and a comfortable chair. Call the director if you are interested.

Regards,

Michelle L. Manganaro, M.Ed Director / PO Box 121/Duxbury, MA 02331

Sergei’s performance will follow at 4 p.m. at the Duxbury Senior Center on Sunday, December 18^th. Price is $20.00 pre paid and $25.00 at the door. Tickets are available at the Senior Center – the Studio and West Winds Book Store. Tickets will sell fast – don’t miss out on this special event!

Share your Christmas Spirit and help decorate the sanctuary with a poinsettia for the December 18^th Sunday services. If you wish to give a poinsettia to a shut-in or in memory/honor of a loved one, or plan to take the plant home after the service, please use the form below to indicate your preference:

_____IN MEMORY OF ______IN HONOR OF (Please check one!)

NAME OF HONOREE _____________________________________________________

I WILL: _______ DONATE _______ PICK UP* (Please check one!)

GIVEN BY ______________________________________________________________

(The above names will be in the Christmas Sunday Bulletin)

*Poinsettias must be picked up directly after the 11 AM service at church on the 18^th. Please send your donation to Pilgrim Church, P.O. Box 186, Duxbury, Ma. 02331.

Just a reminder that we will be hosting a reception to honor our retiring Church Administrator, Pat Wiedner, on Sunday, December 11th, right after the Worship Service. This will be a wonderful celebration, and we hope to see all of you there! So mark your calendars for this will be a wonderful Pilgrim Church event.