A Word from Pastor Lisa: On Them Light Has Shined

The people who walked in darkness
    have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
    on them light has shined. – Isaiah 9:2 (NRSV)

 

My favorite part of Advent worship is lighting the candles on the wreath, one each week as the light grows progressively brighter on our journey. The Advent wreath has a fascinating history, beginning among German Lutheran in the 16th century. It didn’t receive its modern shape until 1839, when John Hinrich Wichem, a German Protestant pastor and urban missionary, made a ring of wood to teach impatient children about waiting for Christmas. The ring had 19 small red taper candles and four large white candles. Every morning, a small candle was lit, and every Sunday, a larger candle. To this day, we’ve only kept the larger candles.

 

We’ve given them different meanings. Some say they stand for hope, peace, joy, and love. Others have a more Biblical approach – forgiveness for Adam and Eve, faith of Abraham, joy of David, and teachings of the prophets. Our wreath has three purple candles and one pink, which is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, to represent joy in this season. We also have a white Christ candle in the middle, which we light on Christmas Eve. This is an important way that we honor the season and the coming of the light.

 

Sometimes I wonder what happened to the people of God after they heard Isaiah’s prophecy: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. They were living as a relatively small religious group in the midst of warring nation-states. They had turned away from God, and the prophet Isaiah reminded them that a child will be born to them, with the government upon his shoulders, to call them back to God and to endless peace. Isaiah was pointing specifically to the arrival of Hezekiah, who was a righteous king, unlike his father Ahaz. Hezekiah followed God’s commands and instituted sweeping religious reforms in the Kingdom of Judah after the Kingdom of Israel fell in 722 BCE to the Assyrians. He moved them to repentance, to return to worshiping God and God alone.

 

Hezekiah’s light was not an Advent candle or a gentle flashlight beam. It was jarring, like a search light shining directly in your eyes. It was startling, like your child turning on the light in your room when you’re fast asleep in the night. It was shocking, like being caught in broad day light by the justice of God. The people couldn’t hide anymore from their waywardness. When the light shone upon them, it was more discomfiting than comforting. They were forced to change and to do a new thing because the light had come.

 

The pandemic is illuminating how our church is challenged to be transformed by the coming Light of Christ:

  • We are no longer defined by who is in the pews on Sunday morning. Our community has become virtual, too, and we have people who are connecting from all across the country and world to our ministries.

  • We have traditions we are leaving behind as we create new ministries.

  • We are making space for a new contemporary worship service called Common Ground, which will also be located in our sanctuary at 11:45 a.m. starting Jan. 9.

  • We have a Discipleship Hour separate from worship where all ages can take the next step in faith.

  • We are taking large and small steps to let everyone know they’re welcome here. Our restrooms on the first floor near the Atrium have become gender neutral. The Vision Team is working on an open statement to define who we are. Stay tuned for more holy conversation next year.

  • We are experimenting with young adult ministry and continuing strong with senior adults.

  • We’re rebuilding children’s ministries and connecting with new families along the way.

  • We’re recognizing our economic and racial privilege through study. These are not comfortable experiences, but they’re causing us to change and grow.

  • We’re expanding from service to advocacy. Our social justice teams are helping us to grow in creation care, inclusion, and poverty advocacy.

 

As the light of God shines on you from the Advent wreath, what changes will come about in your life? How will you grow? How will you make a difference for those around you, so that peace may come to all on earth?

Mariah Gese