Happy New Year! That may seem a bit odd to extend a New Year’s greeting in the middle of November, but if you are familiar with the ecclesiastical calendar, you know that for the church the New Year begins on the first Sunday of Advent, December 1, 2024. That’s a big shift for us at Trinity Chapel: the church colors change from green to purple, the readings from the Gospel change from the Gospel of Mark to the Gospel of Luke, but most importantly the mood of the calendar changes from what we call “ordinary time” to Adventide. It is good to note that “ordinary time” should not be thought of disparagingly. “Ordinary time” is when we understand the regular and recurring wonder of life is a daily and repeated event. But our focus in Advent will be on preparing to receive Christ into our hearts for Christmas and celebrate Jesus’ first incarnation. I always relished the fact that the church is a month ahead of the rest of the world in starting its New Year. It is like hearing that popular bromide that was so popular a few decades ago: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Advent, or what I am calling New Year, is a time of new beginnings, the first month of the rest of your life. A time to shed worries, fears, guilt and shame. A time to take the Risen Christ into our hearts so we can once again celebrate Christmas in all its splendor. So come join us at Trinity Chapel at 9 a.m. at the Montgomery Center.
