AdventWord is an international annual collaboration when each day during Advent a separate word from that week’s Sunday readings is used a focus.

Over on the Makar Facebook page there will be a haiku poem for each day along with an image. The link below will take you to the Facebook page, you do not need to be on Facebook to view the page.

Makar of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway | Facebook

Below you will find a file for the 1st eight days of #AdventWord. Each word has the verse the word has come from, a little thought for the day and an activity, most days also have an extra thing you might wish to do. Paper copies will be available at church. The next 7 words will be available here from Saturday 3rd December.

Please feel free to share any of your thoughts or your own pictures in the comments below or on the Makar Facebook page.

Sunday sees the beginning of a new church year. This time leading up to Christmas is a time when we remember that Jesus didn’t just come as the Babe of Bethlehem, but also is with us for eternity, including the here and now. It is a time to take a look at where we might do better in shinning the Christ Light in the world. A time to consider if the promises of the Messiah are being lived out in our lives and if not what we might do to change that before it is too late.

There is a lot of pain and hurt in our world currently, a lot of anxiety about the future and concerns about war and bitterness and entrenched behaviours and words. Christ’s Light can help us see these things through his lens, illuminating what it is we could do, should do; and also those things that we need to pass over to him as we can do nothing about them, apart from in how we respond.

One of our responses is to invite you to come and join us in spreading that Light of Christ, symbolically we light a candle for every week in Advent and then a final one to celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas. This is our Advent Wreath this year, come help us make it’s light a hopeful, peaceful, joyful, loving one.

Our service begins at 10am and there are refreshments afterwards to which you are also invited. We hope to see you there.

This morning we celebrated the Harvest by giving thanks for all the goodness we have been blessed with and sharing that blessing with gifts for the foodbank.

In the setting of the Autumn sun and the shortening of days, 
in the cooling of the breeze and the brightness of moonlight rays.
In the cries of migrating birds, of morning mist and crunchy leaves
in the beauty of the fruit that falls from our life saving trees.
In the coldness of that, first frost, the nip upon the air,
we see the Creator’s caring hand, as the season moves to declare;
God reigned in the summer sun, the gentle cooling breeze.
God reigns too at harvest time and in the deepest freeze.
In the beauty of the world, we remember those who fear,
the chilling nights, the stone-cold food, no roaring fire to cheer.
Creator God in your great love, hold them tightly in your care,
give us the courage, wisdom, strength and will to meet you with them there.
We bless you God of seed and earth, of trees and harvest time,
may our lives be forever yours, our voices your love chime.
So, all the world, both near and far, may know the harvest we,
are blessed with both here today and also in eternity.

Revd Canon Dr Anne Tomlinson, Principal and Tutor in Theology, Ministry and Mission, was invited to be the preacher to our recent Diamond Anniversary service. Anne knows the congregation well as she used to be a member of the congregation.

Over on the SEI website Anne has posted a reflection based around her sermon on the day, the link is below.

Radical reinvention – The Scottish Episcopal Institute (sei.scot)