Dear Friends,

 

Greetings in the name of Jesus!  When I was a child, I knew Christmas was coming because animated specials started appearing on our television screen. Yes, the picture was black and white, and we had to manually change the channel!  But that’s not the point.  These shows about Frosty the snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, the Grinch, and Santa Claus were a reminder that Christmas was approaching.  I knew if I wanted presents, I better be on my good behavior because jolly old St. Nicholas would soon be making his deliveries.  I did not want the dreaded lump of coal on Christmas!

 

As I recall those December evenings of my childhood, I realized in some way I was doing what the church has done for centuries.  The season of Advent prepares us to celebrate the birth of Jesus and to look forward to the coming of God’s kingdom.  Christians mark time through lighting Advent candles and hearing familiar words of the prophets.  In some ways those television specials helped me get ready for Christmas through the telling of stories and the marking of the days.

 

At Seminary I discovered that some movies and television shows contain themes like the stories in the scriptures. Others help us think about God in different ways.  This was the idea behind a class called “Theology and Film”.  Students jokingly referred to it as watching movies for credit.  This course helped me make connections between what I saw in a movie or TV show and theological concepts. 

 

This Advent I will be preaching a series of sermons called “An Animated Advent”.  Each sermon will use a Christmas television special from my childhood to illustrate the scripture of the week and to help us think about the gospel message in a new way. 

 

On December 1 we will discover what “Frosty the Snowman” can teach us about preparing for the second coming of Christ.  “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” will help us to consider the life and ministry of John the Baptist on the Second Sunday of Advent.  Our resident Grinch expert, Pastor Alyce will preach about how joy transformed the Grinch and can change us too on December 15th.  The fourth Sunday of Advent will take us to “Sombertown” and the television special “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” which reminds us of what Jesus brings to our lives.  During our Carols and Candlelight service at 7:30 PM on Christmas Eve, we will hear what Christmas is all about through the eyes of Charlie Brown.

 

It is my prayer that your Advent and Christmas will be animated and that you will be drawn closer to God as we remember these shows of our childhood.  Perhaps through the eyes of faith and imagination, the Spirit will teach us new lessons about who God is and what has been done for us in Jesus.  May you have a merry Christmas and a blessed new year!

 

Blessings,

Pastor Keith