O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by

Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

Welcome to the season of Advent! Yes, in the Christian church, thing are done a little differently than they are in the rest of the world (as they ought to be). While the radio stations and store displays have been announcing that Christmas is here in the hopes of luring shoppers to open their wallets and spend their money, Christ’s Church is just now entering the season of hope-filled anticipation; thinking about the things that are to come.

The beloved Christmas carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, talks of that town being the place where “the hopes and fears of all the years are met.” This begs the question: what are the hopes and fears of all the years that will meet with the everlasting light?

As you come to worship this Sunday, we invite you to think about your hopes and fears for our world. As you do, we’ll explore some of the hopes and fears that are described in the scriptures and ponder how the coming of Christ confirms those hopes and allays those fears. We hope that you will make time to be with us in worship online or in person at 10 a.m., or whenever you can join us, as we journey from the Promised Land into the Promised Time.