Often Christmas, and the weeks of Advent that precede it, is a time when the juxtaposition of the sacred and secular feels sometimes blatantly opposed, and sometimes quite blurred. This theme invites us to imagine that indeed, every thing, every one, every encounter, is pregnant with the sacred. Not in a “where is God in this?” notion, but in a much more radical “Christ is here and permeating and radiating from everywhere” kind of way. Richard Rohr calls this the “Universal Christ” and asks “What if Christ is another name for everything–in its fullness?” Always birthing in and through all of us. This Advent, we invite you into a spiritual and incarnational journey of imagining everything is ‘reflecting the sacred’.
Ways to Engage the Season
Our offerings, in addition to Sunday worship, include:
- Advent Festival
- Wednesday Soup dinners followed by Holden Evening Prayer
- Opportunity to journal or reflect through art/photography
- Meet with others to share your reflections.
- We recommend a couple of books as well, which pair well with this theme.
Our Worship: November 30, December 7, December 14, December 21, December 24, December 28
Advent begins on November 30. Each of the weeks of Advent, and Christmas will invite us to consider how the sacred is reflected in time, people, space, knowledge, being, and doing. They will be filled with music, moments of reflection, candle lighting and thoughtful messages.
Advent Festival: November 30 after church to 1 PM
Begin your Advent season by participating in our annual Advent Festival. You will be able to create an advent candle wreath, all materials supplied. (If you have made one in previous years, please bring your wooden base with you this day.) Children’s Ministry will offer some beautiful ornament making materials for all ages, the Green Team will guide you in constructing gift bags and covered gift boxes. We will construct the luminaria for our Christmas Eve Services. You can pick up an Advent Devotional Journal here, as well as ideas for a photo challenge. Light refreshments provided.
Advent Wednesday Soup Dinners: December 3, 10, 17 at 5:30 – 6:15 pm
Bring the family to this simple potluck-style meal of soup, fruit and bread to share fellowship with others. We’re looking for folks to help with both food and clean up after this meal. Scan the QR code to sign up for bringing meal elements or helping.
Holden Evening Prayer: December 3, 10, 17 at 6:15 – 6:50 PM
Attend the beautiful and reflective Holden Evening Prayer following dinner. It’s a short, mostly sung service based on Mary’s Magnificat and includes some Advent scriptures and brief silences.
Advent Devotional: a guided Advent journal and opportunity to reflect with others
Even in the midst of troubled times, the sacred shows up in unexpected ways every day. That is what this Guided Journal for this “Reflecting the Sacred” series is all about. The devotional is quite open-ended and is based on Everything is Sacred by Richard Rohr and Patrick Boland, but can be used without that book. We aren’t doing Advent focused small groups this Advent, but invite you to come to a gathering after church on December 28 to share your journaling experience with others. Printed copies of the Advent Devotional will be available at the Advent Festival and thereafter, until gone. You may also download your own digital
copy.
Books to companion with you during Advent and beyond
The Universal Christ is Rohr’s theology steeped in an incarnational worldview. This book is for folks who want to chew on Rohr’s theology in its “purest” form. It is very much a relatable read but without the related-to-everyday-life stories of the next book. We have a copy of this book in our church library.
Every Thing is Sacred is written by Patrick Boland, an Irish writer, coach, and psychotherapist who takes Rohr’s theology and puts it in 40 reflections that include his own highly-relatable stories and reflection questions that adults will resonate with. It is a wonderful personal journey with communal implications. And it really helps “regular folk” digest and interpret Rohr’s work. It is “on the ground,” so to speak. The church is ordering a few copies of this book for those who would like to check it out.
Advent Photo Invitation
You’re invited to take photos of things you come across that ‘reflect the sacred’ to you. You may send these on or before the Wednesday of the upcoming service to the church office (uccadministrator@uccmissoula.org) for use in our worship service slide show with the subject line: slide show reflecting the sacred. Landscape orientation and full resolution will work best for our slides. Or you may want to post them to the church’s private Facebook page, the church’s Instagram account or your own social media accounts with the hashtag #reflectingthesacred. If you would like to experiment with the bokeh (blurred) effects we are using in this series, you can learn more here: https://www.nikonusa.com/learn-and-explore/c/tips-and-techniques/bokeh-for-beginners
Advent Concert December 21 at 3 pm
Join the UCC Chancel Choir and Orchestra as they present a service of Lessons and Carols.
Christmas Eve Services Wednesday, December 24 at 4:30, 7:00 and 9:00 pm
We hope to see you at one of our three Christmas Eve services. The 4:30 service is geared for families and includes a special activity for children. The 7:00 service features music from the Chancel Choir. The 9:00 pm service has a more contemplative feel. All services include carols, a message and candle lighting.
First Sunday After Christmas December 28 after church
Join with others in the Bay Window Room after church to reflect on the season together through your journal writing, drawing or your photography.
