Coming Home | HOME IS WHERE WE MEET

Reading Notes

NRSV texts, artwork and Revised Common Lectionary Prayers for this service are available at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
Leccionario en Español, Leccionario Común Revisado: Consulta Sobre Textos Comunes.
Lectionnaire en français, Le Lectionnaire Œcuménique Révisé

Calendar Notes

Advent 2: HOME IS WHERE WE MEET
The color for Advent is either blue or purple. Some congregations choose a pink candle and pink paraments for Advent 3, but this is not strictly necessary nor universally followed. The colors for Advent 4 (December 24 in the morning) remain Advent colors. Christmas colors are white and gold, beginning December 24 after sunset.

For your Planning Team

In the Series

Week 2 of any series is about building on the momentum started in week 1. Thematically, we’ve “come down home” last week. Now, we’re there and we’re doing what we do there — meet our kinfolk again, perhaps after some extended absence from at least some of them, and spend time among them. Scripturally, we focus this week on Psalm 85, and especially verse 10: “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet, righteousness and peace will kiss each other.” The Psalm expresses hope in a reunion of God’s steadfast love with our faithfulness, God’s righteousness with the Shalom (wholeness, peace) of all of God’s people.

Last week was about journey. Today is about sojourn, about beginning to settle in to what are intended to be the familiar rhythms of life “down home” with God.

This Week’s After Church/Afternoon Activity: “Ugly” Sweater Christmas Party

Consider extending the metaphor of reunion time with a Christmas party after church or later in the day or evening to which people are invited to wear their “best” (most outlandish) Christmas sweater or other appropriate seasonal attire (things folks only wear or would wear around Christmastime). Make a contest of it with winners in multiple categories. Encourage creativity to run wild. Bring out your Christmas treats, put on secular Christmas songs, and above all, enjoy one another’s company.