Dear members and friends of Zion,

“I want to keep Jesus in the womb as long as possible” was the memorable contribution of a colleague of mine in a discussion on how to celebrate this season of Advent and Christmas. I am not sure Mary would necessarily have agreed with him, but this was more about our contemporary observation than about her pregnant journey to Bethlehem.

That there is as much as an Advent season seems to be lost to a large number of people in the world we live in. They jump right into Christmas or “the Holidays” or the “Season”. But in our calendar, there is this four week time of Advent, a time set apart for preparation, a time of waiting, a time of longing. It really should not just be some part of the church calendar, but an observation in our homes and personal lives, too. This is a time where we are invited to listen to the great prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah for God’s people waiting for the Messiah, longing for redemption; we meet John the Baptist and his exhortation that calls us to turn (the literal translation of the Greek word for “repent”) and prepare, and finally on Advent 4, we meet Mary and share her awe and joy as she receives the Angel’s message, and join her in singing her Magnificat, her song of praise of her and our God, who lifts up the lowly and scatters the proud.

Taking that route to Christmas is deeply rewarding. It helps us treasure what happens and it helps us to understand what it means that God sent his son “als die Zeit erfüllet war”/”when the fullness of time had come”.

Here are some tried and tested ideas to help you and yours join the Advent pilgrimage:

• Have an Advent calendar (with or without chocolate…). They are a good reminder, although they start at December 1 rather than the first Sunday in Advent.

• Use an Advent Wreath and have some time set aside each week like Sunday evening to light the progressing number of candles.

• Celebrate St. Nicholas Day - If you have children or not, you can have a celebration on his feast day (December 6) and let St. Nick come fill up stockings or shoes with some little treats. Make yourself familiar with this Bishop’s story and how he is the true original “Santa Claus”.

• Limit Christmas decorations - There are many schools of thought about decorating for Christmas, but you may find it helpful to limit your decorations and let them grow as the season progresses - the goal being to save the most precious decorations for Christmas Eve, Day, and the Twelve Days. In some German families, you would hold off on any decorations until the morning of December 24. Others may bring out certain items on certain days slowly decorating the home over the Advent Season. You can bring out St. Nicholas decorations on or around his day, Nordic ones on St. Lucia (December 13), light the tree on St. Lucia Day and so on, and then on Christmas Eve finish decorating the tree and put the child in the manger as it were…

• Advent Reading - Find a story or devotional that you might read individually or together as a family during Advent. Some books can be timed to reach the Christmas scene just as Christmas arrives.

Whatever you do, let this be as much a “besinnliche”, contemplative time as you are able.

Ihnen allen von Herzen eine besinnliche Adventszeit und ein gesegnetes Weihnachtsfest!
- Have a blessed time of Advent and Christmas!

Your Pastor Dr Holger Roggelin