Nativity scene begins with no figurines

    Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of Jesus. We celebrate four weeks of preparation with traditions of expectation and anticipation, followed by the joyous Christmas season.

   Of course, the first waiting that comes to mind is that we are waiting for Christmas, the day when we celebrate Jesus' birth in the stable of Bethlethem. But we are also awaiting Jesus' return at the end of the age when God has promised a new heaven and a new earth. And thirdly, we invite Jesus daily into our hearts, to be with us in our daily walk.

    So the Bible readings and hymns of the Advent season point to the coming of Jesus and to the messengers who prepared the way for him. We think of Malachi or John the Baptist, we sing hymns such as Awake, Awake, for Night is Flying or O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Activities include lighting Advent candles on the Advent wreath, adding one candle each week until four are completed -- and then on Christmas Eve we light the center candle. Or we bring a few animals and visitors to the Nativity scene each week until Jesus and Mary and Joseph arrive on Christmas Eve.

    At Salem, this year we have gathered adults and chldren together to make advent wreaths to use at home and we are recycling Christmas cards and decorations to make new personalized cards to send to shut-ins. We try to remind ourselves of the importance of preparation for Jesus' coming -- not just the several weeks of frenzied shopping that the commercial world wants us to do for Christmas day. We met during the Sunday School hour in the partly renovated Parish Hall/Gym and also in the partly renovated Fireside Room to craft our projects.