Advent Sunday 2024 St Andrew’s Milngavie
Today we celebrated Advent Sunday accompanied by John.
Advent Devotions 2024 – All welcome to take part in the online Ignatius Spirituality Centre Advent Course which runs throughout the season available by accessing the ISC website.
We are also invited to join All Saints for their Advent course which started on Tuesday 26th November at 2pm in their hall. The book we are studying is “Do not be afraid” The joy of waiting in a time of fear by Rachel Mann.
This evening, Advent Sunday 5pm – Advent Carol Service at All Saints, everyone welcome.
The Christmas Tree Festival at St Paul’s has started. It’s open every day till Friday 6th. Poster available giving exact times and programme of accompanying musical events. We are hosting this afternoon from 1pm. Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported this, especially Jackie who represents us on the committee.
If anyone is interested there is Ecumenical Advent Service in St Andrew’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Glasgow on Saturday 7th December 2.30pm. It takes the form of a simulcast from Glasgow and Bethlehem arranged by Friends of the Holy Land. (charity nominated by Bishop Kevin’s Lenten appeal.) There are refreshments afterwards.
For more information there are details on the Friends of the Holy Land website, specifically at www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/glasgow-service2024.
Please note Milngavie Choir Christmas Concert , Sunday 15th December, 4pm St Joseph’s Church. TICKETS ON SALE NOW or available on the door
This week
Tuesday 10am – Prayer Group in church
2pm – Advent Course, All Saints in their hall
Thursday 10am – Said Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House
Readings for next Sunday – 2nd Sunday of Advent – Malachi 3:1-4 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6
Today’s readings – Jeremiah 33:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36
This week saw the start of the Advent study course at All Saints. The book we are reading begins with the concept of waiting – a very Advent theme. The author encourages us to reflect on times we have been in limbo, waiting for a certain event. We are asked to recall how during that time we may, or may not have, experience the presence of God. Ironically as I was reading this chapter I was sitting in the waiting room of our local dental practise. As I waited, I can’t claim I suddenly had a vision or even a moment of deep spiritual engagement, but all was calm and efficient and there was a certain joy simply sitting waiting and reading.
This contrasts with the dramatic gospel passage today which sounds like it may have been taken from a speech at a climate emergency meeting.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world…..” Luke 21:25 Be warned of the signs of things to come – be alert and watchful!
Today, Advent Sunday all around us everything is gearing up for Christmas, decorations are up and the Milngavie the Christmas Tree Festival has already begun.
But here in church there is a stark contrast, no such decorations or a smiling young Mary, or a cooing baby, or seeking shepherds, or singing angels. Not yet. And as for the gospel text……. today we see an adult stern Jesus picturing the whole world being shaken and turned upside down.
The season of Advent demands a very different kind of preparation to the outside world and on this first Sunday of Advent, the Gospel text sets a very definite tone. The picture of the coming persecutions and natural disasters is gloomy, but ultimately, we are told worry, and fear will be replaced with great joy. When we see these things happening, we will know that the Messiah’s return is coming. Then we can look forward to his reign of justice and peace. So, standing firm in our faith, our trust in God’s plan, we can find hope in the place of fear.
It can be easy to tie ourselves up into knots over Advent texts concerning end times. So perhaps the best thing is to turn our minds to the beginning of St John’s gospel and reflect on those magical words that tell us all we really need to know
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” John 1:14
That tiny baby in a manger who we worship at Christmas is the word made flesh in whom according to the carol
“The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.
For Christ is born of Mary”.
Advent means “coming” or “arrival,” and this text from Luke reminds us that Advent involves preparing for three comings:
God coming to earth in the infant Jesus whom we await at Christmas, Christ returning to earth at a time we don’t know and Jesus coming into our hearts anew, each Advent. Jesus wants us to be ready. And we prepare by keeping alert, constantly preparing ourselves by prayer and contemplation and continuing to hope in our loving God, who comes to us in Jesus Christ.
Advent Sunday reminds us that we wait for God like night watchmen wait for the morning, in the darkness we yearn for the light. But the candle we light today is tentative and vulnerable, its flame flickers at the slightest draught.
When we look at the world today and our own personal struggles sometimes this darkness can seem over whelming and we can struggle to put our trust in a God we’ve caught glimpses of, and no more. We know that Jesus himself experienced the darkness of the human soul in the Garden of Gethsemane and that he too cried out loud when he sensed that God had hidden his face from him.
But this Advent Sunday we have hope because the collect for Advent states quite clearly
”Give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness,
and put upon us the armour of light, NOW . . in the time of this mortal life’
It is NOW that we are to cast away the works of darkness. So, at Advent we look back to the birth of Christ and his ministry on earth, we look forward to our yearly celebration of his birth at Christmas, and we look still further forward to his coming again, when he will reveal fully his glory to us and when we shall meet him face to face.