It's a CD recorded by the church, which can be downloaded for free. That in itself makes it quite noteworthy, but I completely fell in love with their description of who they are: "We are Church of the Beloved, called out of our isolation and into community, fumbling into God's grace, daring to listen deeply to the Spirit and each other, and freed by Christ to work, rest, dream, and play in God's kingdom, mysteriously engaging with the Trinity in healing the world."
They have a recent entry about Advent and hope. Here are some quotes.
Advent is agitating. Is it not?
Advent seems harmless enough - just waiting for Christmas to come, like it comes every year… not much hope needed there.
If Advent is about remembering the baby in the manger…
that’s not going to cause a lot of agitation
(unless nostalgia agitates you).
But if Advent is about hope, then!
Then that is a powder keg of agitation.
Because hope is hard work,
it’s entirely different than a wish,
and it’s entirely different than positive thinking and optimism.
___________
But, hope, real hope, stays at the bedside of the sick
and waits till health appears.
Real hope sweats blood in the garden while best friends fall asleep.
Real hope says, “God, everything looks as if you have completely abandoned me… but I will place my future in your hands.”
__________
I don’t know if our churches know how to feast well,
or how to throw a real party…
And I don’t know if our churches know how to fast well,
or how to really dirge…
and it’s because we don’t know how to hope.
So instead we live in the middle,
the riskless and numb to the desire, middle.
__________
With hope we become vulnerable to both mourning and celebration.
If we hoped, we would sorrow more.
If we hoped, we would party more,
because real parties follow fulfilled promises
and long-at-last reunions,
and call for good food, good drink, good songs, and good dance.
Read it all. And be blessed.
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