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Advent Reading
Advent is a Latin word that means “coming”. Advent is partly a time of joy, in expectation of the Savior’s birth and partly a season of penance in expectation of the judgment on the Last Day. The Advent of Christ points to His past coming in Bethlehem; His future coming at the end of time; and His present coming, through grace in the hearts of men. In Luke 1:26-33, Luke writes, “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the most high.” “As we light the second advent candle, let us remember to wait expectantly for the Lord. The second Sunday in Advent is the Sunday of Peace. We light the Bethlehem candle to symbolize the preparations being made to receive and to cradle the Christ Child. The second candle reminds us of the dark night when Mary and Joseph found light and warmth in the stable in Bethlehem”
James Leonard, Interim Lead Pastor