Christian Education

Reflections for Advent

Carolyn Matthews

October 30, 2020

1 I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever;
    your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

Psalm 89, NRSV

Advent is a season of hopeful expectation – a time of waiting, watching, and doing. What you are feeling today, will be different from how you may be feeling tomorrow and especially next week.  November 29 is the first day of Advent but there is some anxiety that many of us are feeling. What will next week look like? What will it be like? (If you haven’t done so, get that ballot filled out, put it in a drop box, or make your plans to vote on November 3)

These feelings are transitory; situations change, feelings change. What does not change, what we can always look forward to, hope for, realize, and actualize is the presence of God in our lives. With the psalmist we know God’s love never fails. We experience this individually and corporately.

As a church, we would like to experience this coming season of Advent corporately. In order to do this we are asking our members and friends for devotionals, reflections, prayers, poems, and/or songs to be included as part of our Advent materials. If you would like to participate, take a look at the list below and let us know what day and scripture you would like to write on by November 5. Your entry will be needed by November 15.  Please take this opportunity to help us pray, sing, and meditate together during the season of Advent (contact Pastor Carolyn at carolyn@labcoakland.org).

DateDayScripture
12/2/2020WednesdayMicah 5:1-5a; Luke 21:34-38
12/3/2020ThursdayPsalm 85:1-2, 8-13; Hosea 6:1-6; I Thessalonians 1:2-10
12/4/2020FridayJeremiah 1:4-10; Acts 11:19-26
12/7/2020MondayPsalm 27; Isaiah 26:7-15;  Acts 2:37-42
12/8/2020Tuesday Isaiah 4:2-6; Acts 11:1-18
12/9/2020WednesdayMalachi 2:10-3:1; Luke 1:5-17
12/11/2020FridayHabakkuk 3:2-6; Philippians 3:12-16
12/14/2020MondayPsalm 125; 1 Kings 18:1-18; Ephesians 6:10-17
12/15/2020Tuesday2 Kings 2:9-22; Acts 3:17-4:4
12/16/2020WednesdayMalachi 3:16-4:6; Mark 9:9-13
12/17/2020ThursdayPsalm 89:1-4, 19-26; II Samuel 6:1-11; Hebrews 1:1-4
12/18/2020FridayII Samuel 6:12-19; Hebrews 1:5-14
12/19/2020SaturdayJudges 13:2-24; John 7:40-52
12/22/2020TuesdayLuke 1:26-38
12/23/2020WednesdayLuke 1:46-55

Upcoming ZOOM meetings

Saturday
9:00 AM LABC Reads – Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens)
10:00 AM Time for Prayer

Sunday
10:00 AM Worship (Communion Sunday – Have your elements ready)
11:45 AM Adult Bible Study

Monday –7:00 PM Youth Gathering

Tuesday – 6:00 PM No Soup, and No Study – It is Election Day – have you voted?

Wednesday
10:30 AM Prayer and Bible study
6:00 PM Hymn Writing Class with Dan Damon

Thursday
10:00 AM Ministers Council
4:00 PM African American History Month Planning
 6:00 PM Together in Spirit (Bible Study)