Pastoral Ponderings – November 2022

“The Word became flesh and made a home among us.” ~ John 1:1-14

We are officially less than a week away from the first Sunday in Advent. I can’t believe how fast this year has gone!

This year, our Advent/Christmas worship series is called “reflecting the sacred”. When something is described as “sacred”, it is dedicated as “holy” or “set apart”. As we journey together during this season, I invite you to think about what it is that is “sacred” to you. What do you personally set aside as something that is “holy”?

I would like to invite you to take a step back this Advent and Christmas, and begin to look at your life with eyes that see everything as “sacred”. To help you do that, I am inviting each person to participate in a Photo-A-Day Challenge. Below is a list of items for each day of Advent, ending on Christmas Day. As you move through your day, I invite you to find where that word speaks to you in your life, and then take a picture of it. I then invite you to go to our Facebook page and upload your photo. You can do so with or without an explanation.

If you are unable to post it on our Facebook page, please send it to me, and I will post it, again, with or without an explanation, or even a name if you wish.

If you are tech savvy, there are several filters you can use to make the background blurry (it’s called bokeh). For iOS, there is the Kaleido Lens app, and for Android there is the Kaleidoscope Camera app. You can also look at Soratama Lens for fish-eye bubble lens, or Crystaliq-Prism & Photo Editor. If you have trouble, let me know and I will see if I can help you!

Even if you are not interested in sharing your pictures on Faith’s Facebook page, I invite you to do this for yourself, so that you can reflect on what is sacred to you. (And join us on Facebook to see what others are posting!)

However you choose to participate in this daily reflection, I pray that you continue to find what you are seeking as you journey through this season. May God continue to watch over you and bless you more deeply than you could ever imagine!

~ Always Peace, Pastor Heidi