Ministry in Motion

God with us. Not God after we have it together, not God once the noise settles or the grief resolves, but God here , in the mess and the hurry, in homes where joy and sorrow share the same table. Advent dares us to believe that Emmanuel does not wait for ideal conditions. He enters real ones. Emmanuel is found in the ordinary and easily overlooked: the quiet flicker of a Christmas candle, lights strung in celebration, ornaments hung on the tree with great care and fond memories. The familiar aroma of a favorite meal, the laughter that rises unexpectedly and reminds us we are still alive. These are not distractions from holiness; they are places where God chooses to dwell. Small moments become thin places when we slow enough to notice. The gift of Christmas is not wrapped in spectacle or certainty, but in vulnerability: swaddling clothes, a borrowed manger, a child who comes needing care. God’s nearness is gentle and unforced, inviting rather than demanding. Christ comes not to rescue...

  Love. 🎵 ... What the world needs now is love sweet love … 🎶 Four candles decorate the outer edges of the Advent wreath, and one white candle sits in the middle, the Christ candle. On this final Sunday of Advent 2025 we bring light to the third purple candle, the candle of love.   For God so loved, He gave.  Love plays a vital role in the Christmas story. Perhaps Love is the greatest of all the virtues on the Advent wreath . It encompasses Jesus’ entire purpose for being on earth, to bring hope, peace and joy in the embodiment of Love. If Advent love arrived not as sentiment but as interruption, would you be willing to risk something costly: Your comfort? Your schedule, or your control, in order to make room for Christ? Pkes

One of the classic themes of Advent is joy . Today on this third Sunday of Advent we light the pink candle of Joy, also called the Shepherd’s Candle. We are called to remember the delight the shepherds felt when they first heard the good news of Christ’s birth. Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing. Advent joy isn’t shallow or fleeting. It springs from trusting God and His promises, even in the midst of life’s challenges, and from sharing life with others in meaningful community. When we receive something that brings genuine joy, we can’t help but share it. Joy has a way of bubbling up and spilling out. When was a moment you remember feeling pure, unfiltered joy?  Pkes  

Peace I leave with you; my pease I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27 Peace can often feel like a distant ideal in a world shaped by turmoil, uncertainty, and conflict. Yet Advent reminds us that true peace is anchored in the coming of Christ, a composure, a calmness, that remains steady even when everything around us feels unsteady. One of my favorite moments of the Christmas Eve service arrives at the very end. The overhead lights fade to darkness, leaving only the soft glow of the Advent candles at the front of the sanctuary. Someone steps forward and lights a small hand-held candle from the Christ candle—the center flame of Advent. He turns and shares that light with his neighbor, who then passes it to the next person, and slowly a warm glow spreads across the room. As the candles begin to shine, voices start to sing “Silent Night,” and soon the entire congregation joins in, the harmony growing...