While We Wait
by Sarah Jenson and Clarissa Brunt
"Advent remains with its paradoxical combination of waiting and hastening (2 Peter 3:12), suffering and joy, judgment and deliverance, apocalyptic woe and eschatological hope. It is the combination that counts. This is the way Christians live now, for "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it. (John 1:5 REB)" — Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus
As we approach this season of transition, it seems fitting that Advent begins on Sunday. This season gives us permission to sing and groan. We sing because Christ has come and we groan as we wait for His return.
This season at FOL also holds both singing and groaning. We sing because of God's faithfulness to us over the last fourteen years. We have confidence that he is not done with us yet. And yet, we groan. Our church has not been the same since COVID. We have lost beloved friends and family members to illness and disease. We have seen people transition out of the church. We have been in the midst of a church transition that has left many of us with unanswered questions and fear of what the future holds.
The invitation of Advent is not to pretend that everything is fine or to sugarcoat groaning with Christmas carols. We can be honest with the Lord, bringing our groaning before Him while holding onto the beauty of the deep hope we have because of Jesus and His return.
As a community we wait. We wait for a new transitional pastor, wait for Christmas, wait for the future of a permanent pastor. What does it mean for us to occupy the space of lament and hope in this season? What does it mean to wait with anticipation? What does it mean to know that God is with us in our deepest fears, longings, questions, and hopes? How do we wait as a community with one another in this paradoxical moment?
Let’s start with one another. There are many “one to another” scriptures in the Bible. This is not the time for isolation. We were never meant to do ministry alone. As a community, if we each do our part to build one another up (Hebrews 3:13), we will come through this season of waiting, stronger and more unified to stand against the schemes of the enemy who wants to destroy what FOL has been doing over the last 14 years: reaching the many “anothers” who are still on the margins that the Lord wants to welcome into His family.
We can do this, fam. Together.
"Advent remains with its paradoxical combination of waiting and hastening (2 Peter 3:12), suffering and joy, judgment and deliverance, apocalyptic woe and eschatological hope. It is the combination that counts. This is the way Christians live now, for "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it. (John 1:5 REB)" — Fleming Rutledge, Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus
As we approach this season of transition, it seems fitting that Advent begins on Sunday. This season gives us permission to sing and groan. We sing because Christ has come and we groan as we wait for His return.
This season at FOL also holds both singing and groaning. We sing because of God's faithfulness to us over the last fourteen years. We have confidence that he is not done with us yet. And yet, we groan. Our church has not been the same since COVID. We have lost beloved friends and family members to illness and disease. We have seen people transition out of the church. We have been in the midst of a church transition that has left many of us with unanswered questions and fear of what the future holds.
The invitation of Advent is not to pretend that everything is fine or to sugarcoat groaning with Christmas carols. We can be honest with the Lord, bringing our groaning before Him while holding onto the beauty of the deep hope we have because of Jesus and His return.
As a community we wait. We wait for a new transitional pastor, wait for Christmas, wait for the future of a permanent pastor. What does it mean for us to occupy the space of lament and hope in this season? What does it mean to wait with anticipation? What does it mean to know that God is with us in our deepest fears, longings, questions, and hopes? How do we wait as a community with one another in this paradoxical moment?
Let’s start with one another. There are many “one to another” scriptures in the Bible. This is not the time for isolation. We were never meant to do ministry alone. As a community, if we each do our part to build one another up (Hebrews 3:13), we will come through this season of waiting, stronger and more unified to stand against the schemes of the enemy who wants to destroy what FOL has been doing over the last 14 years: reaching the many “anothers” who are still on the margins that the Lord wants to welcome into His family.
We can do this, fam. Together.