#AdventWord #Message When Joseph obeyed the angel’s message, “go, take Mary who is with child as your wife,” the Holy Family came into being–Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Too often we overlook Joseph who was given a vocation and accepted it. Who else do we overlook, seeing them as “minor players?” The message of Advent is clear, there are no people who should be overlooked or marginalized. Our vocation as Christians calls us to see the Babe of Bethlehem in each and every person. That is the message of Advent. The Rev. James Barney Hawkins IV, Ph.D., Co-Director, Bicentennial Campaign and … Continue reading Advent Word 2019, Day 23 ‘Message’

#AdventWord #Worship In the weeks prior to Jesus’s birth, the Magi left the familiar on a long trek to an obscure town in a foreign land. It’s a long way to go to worship the new king born in Bethlehem. It was not an easy journey. Advent is our own long journey leading us to a place where we can recognise God revealed to us and to worship him. The Rev. Richard Sewell is the Dean of St. George’s College, Jerusalem. The west window at Chester Cathedral showing the Holy Family with Saints Werburgh, Oswald, Aidan, Chad, Wilfrid, and Ethelfleda Continue reading Advent Word 2019, Day 18 ‘Worship’

#AdventWord #Learn Isaiah encourages: Say to those of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear!” In these polarized times it is often fear that keeps us from knowing neighbors who are “not like us”. God’s Way of Love encourages us to learn from those whose culture, religion, race, way of life is different from our own, there to exchange rich gifts of God’s whole creation. Margaret Rose is the Ecumenical Officer for The Episcopal Church. Creation Window at Chester Cathedral Continue reading Advent Word 2019, Day 16 ‘Learn’

#AdventWord #Gather The spirit of gathering is in the air-gathering with friends and family, gathering gifts to share, gathering prayers and songs for the new dawn of Jesus in our midst. Drawn together by the light of the newborn Christ, we gather at the crèche to see Jesus, and glimpse in one another his saving love. The Rev. Taylor Devine (VTS ’17) is the associate rector at St. Philip’s in the Hills, Tucson, Arizona and director of the Episcopal Service Corps site, Beloved in the Desert. Knitted Nativity at Chester Cathedral Continue reading Advent Word 2019, Day 14 ‘Gather’