Dear Friends,
I once preached a sermon on the topic of “scheduling your spiritual growth,” which I admit was probably an odd way of putting it given the fact that you never really know when the Spirit might reveal God’s grace and truth to you. Nevertheless, the idea was that those who intentionally invest in their spiritual life and make it a priority tend to be those who experience deeper levels of awareness and understanding of God’s presence. Those who take advantage of such opportunities only when they “have time” tend to be less aware and less prepared for the challenges that come their way. While scripture reminds us that “the wind (i.e. Spirit) blows wherever it pleases,” the same Bible also calls us to “fan the flame that is within us” so the fire of that Spirit doesn’t go out. So, strictly speaking, you may not be able to literally schedule your spiritual growth, but you can most certainly schedule the time you spend in settings where it is more likely to happen.
To that end, I encourage you to get out your calendar and enter the worship and service opportunities available to you at St. Andrew during the month of December. They include our regular Sunday and Monday worship, Advent Jazz Vespers at mid-week, our annual Children’s Christmas Pageant, a Blue Christmas Service for those who struggle to find joy in this season, and, of course, our gatherings on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The planning for these activities is well underway and I am certain that the message we celebrate in word, song, and sacrament holds the power to bless your life and prepare you well for your journey into a new year.