December 23rd, 2007 – Fourth Sunday in Advent

Last night’s Agnus Dei production is behind us and the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service lies ahead of us. Pastor Dayle preached today about God’s love trumping any and all the darkness we have or will encounter in our lives.

All the Advent themes were incorporated into the banner in front; awake, prepare, hope and wait. This definitely felt like an Advent season explored and experienced as a community. It reminds me to thank you for this year, Christian friends. Your fellowship through Jesus often defied my expectations. It also has created and refined something new within me.

Before attending Creator worship I believed what so many I know still believe - that a Sunday spent at the beach or in the mountains often brought a closer, deeper knowledge of God than worship in church week after week.

I was inspired, as I still am, by poetry, philosophy, theology, the Bible and classic literature. I felt uncomfortable with the liturgy in relationship with my beliefs. An understanding of God, who I was and the world flowed from language and from ideas. The liturgy, in my mind, limited those ideas. I thought I saw people professing beliefs in worship that they didn’t carry into action in their lives. At that time Lutheran worship did not appear to be vital or transforming.

Worship, through the congregation and leadership at Creator, became vital for me and continues to transform in unexpected ways. I met people passionate about liturgical worship. I talked to people who were inspired by what inspires me and were not afraid to explore the immense or the intimate qualities of God that may, at times, appear to fall outside traditional doctrine. I worked with people who engaged in the work of the church and made it part of their lives.

I am humbled and thankful for you and the experiences we have shared.