Isaiah 49:13 says, “Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering.”

Here is the thing with Christian joy: it isn’t stupid.

I know, I know. We would never say that out loud. But some part of us wonders if the joyful ones are just a bit … fake. Or if they’re disengaged with reality or if they are naive. Perhaps they stick their heads in the sand. Perhaps they are just a bit dumb about how hard it is in this life, about the heartbreak and the sorrow, about the evil and injustice. Joy must be a bit blind to reality, right?

I get it and I’ve felt that, too. And yet. We can’t escape joy. We can’t escape the exhortations of joy, the call to joy, the prayer for joy, the yearning for joy in Scripture and in the Spirit and in the Christian tradition. Joy! Laughter, song, dance, life, goodness, hope overflowing. Joy isn’t emotionally or spiritually or intellectually dishonest. Christian joy doesn’t mean that we are sticking our heads in the sand and saying, “it’s fine, we’re fine, everything’s fine” while running past the gutter of broken dreams, eyes averted. Joy isn’t denial of grief or pretending happiness.

Know this: joy is the affirmation of the truest thing in this life. Joy is born, not from pretending everything is fine, but from holding both hope and the peace of Christ together. The Christian can stand in that liminal space, the place of grief, even there with joy. Why? Because joy is the affirmation of the thing that is truer than any trouble, any affliction: the affirmation that Love wins. Jesus is as good as we hope, it’s all worth it, and all will be redeemed.

So, let us joyfully enter into the coming weeks and prepare for the Christ child together. Here are some important dates to mark on your calendars:

– Don’t forget to come early this Sunday for our December sing Song with the St. Paul’s little band. Join them in the Sanctuary at 10:10am to lift your voice in joyful song.

-It’s not too late to try out one of the Lectio Divina, experience our Holy Scriptures in a unique way! Our Sunday morning sessions continue on December 16th at 9:30 am in the Church Office. We also have our online session on Monday, December 17th at 7:30 pm. The link to join the online session is: https://zoom.us/j/920506969

-Are you struggling with finding joy this Christmas, because of grief over the death of a loved one or challenging life change such as increased medical care, loss of a job, divorce or separation? If you happen to feel like the darkness is too great. On Dec 21st come to our longest night service, on the longest night for the quiet and reflective, where we will hear our faith story and kindle light against the darkness. Join us in the sanctuary next Friday at 7pm

-December 16th at 7pm “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” An evening of music and Christmas readings including the classic Twas the Night Before Christmas. Join Vocal Collective and Tim Yerxa as they present this evening of Christmas Fun. A free will offering will be collected for CBC Feed a Family.

-While we will have regular Sunday worship all through December, the service on December 23rd is going to be one entirely of Christmas music and scripture, based on the historic Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College, Cambridge (1918-2018). So mark your calendars!

———-Other Advent Events———-
December 14th – Youth Christmas Party (7:00 pm)
December 15th – Rev. Richard & Natalie Open-house – 126 Willingdon St, (2:00-5:00 pm)
December 16th – ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (7:00 pm)
December 19th – Advent Recital: Sharon Pond/Vocal Collective (12:10 -12:50 pm)
December 21st – Longest Night Service @ St. Paul’s (7:00 pm)
December 23rd – Festival of 9 Lessons & Carols (10:30 am)
December 24th – Family Christmas Eve Service (3:00 pm)
December 24th – Traditional Christmas Eve Service (7:00 pm)
December 24th – Carols & Communion (11:00 pm)
December 30th – Joint Worship @ Wilmot (11:00 pm)

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We also want to thank members of our congregation who have spread joy through participation in the angel gift tree, all who are volunteering to allow us to open our doors to provide warm safe space for people who have none, everyone who has donated food and supplies to the pantry and brown bag and everyone who has come out to retirement home services to help sing carols this month.

Remember during Advent, and always: Jesus is as good as we hope, and everything for which you are longing – love, joy, peace, justice, mercy, home, good work – is real because it is rooted in God’s heart for us. Those are gifts from a good, good Father. God is against the evil and suffering in this world. He is not the origin of evil nor does God “use” evil as a means to justify some cosmic end.

Our joy is rooted in this hope and in this confidence: our Abba is steadily putting things right. God will not tire, God hasn’t fallen asleep on the job, and God will not quit. Jesus has not forgotten you. We are a people of life, not death. Our joy is rooted in truth and that truth is the nature and character of God. Whatever we are facing, joy is the truest thing and this is not the end.

Let us pray:
Here I am Lord, during this busy season, calling out to you. Here I am, seeking to be your faithful servant. Sew in me a spirit of justice and mercy. Call me out of yourself that I may see the world and respond with your love. In this time remind us again that joy comes not from what we can own and what we have, but from who you are and who we are in you. Come again to us as we call, here I am and help us to hear your response I AM here! Through Christ guide us and hear our prayer. Amen

May your joy overflow.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Sarah, Rev. Michelle, & Rev. Richard

The bulletin for this week is available for download from here.