A Growing Tree

I want to brag on our worship development team, as well as our staff for their creative and adaptive thinking in a busy season. Here’s the deal: when Advent begins the same weekend as Thanksgiving, we often get so tied up in “the getting ready” for a season of preparation that we don’t actually prepare. Hanging greens becomes a task rather than an act of worship.

This year, we decided to grow with the season. We didn’t put up the Chrismon Tree on November 28th. We decided to let it grow with the season.

ADVENT ONE: Hope is a seed

On the first Sunday of Advent, we worshiped with three potted amaryllis bulbs. The amaryllis begins as a bulb, but it grows quickly during the later winter. We’ll watch it grow with expectant hope.

ADVENT TWO: Peace means growth

Did you know that mistletoe is a symbol of peace? Long before it was a kissing bush, Roman soldiers met their enemies under mistletoe branches, put down their weapons, and made peace. The green helps, too. Peace isn’t just an absence of conflict. It’s a state where all neighbors have the space to grow and thrive. As we wait on the amaryllis to bloom, we used sprigs of fresh mistletoe to symbolize growth and peace.

ADVENT THREE: Joy in light

Week three is a reason to celebrate. The seed has grown into a tree. We’ll put up our tree, and accent it with lights. After all, joy is dancing in the light of God’s presence.

ADVENT FOUR: Love is a star

We follow the star to Bethlehem. The star leads us to the light of God’s love. We’ll add stars to our tree, representative of the love we feel in our community. In addition, each Sunday, we have asked our congregants to write their own personal reflections of hope, peace, love, and joy on strips of colorful paper. These strips are being transformed into a paper chain that will be added to our tree.

We feel rested rather than rushed. And perhaps for the first time in a long time, we’ve given ourselves permission to be both expectant and patient. How happy (and prepared) we will be to greet the Christchild on Christmas Eve!