The Dean's Message (November 2016)

A wonderful thing happened to me this week, in a moment, in an instant. I was at a breakfast meeting. It was a business meeting, but not of the church kind. We received reports, asked questions, and made decisions. We heard announcements, and marked our calendars with coming events. We enjoyed each others' company. With the agenda completed the meeting was adjourned, and we began to scatter with calls of “see you next time,” and, “have a good day.” It was then it happened.

As I was leaving the room I heard a fellow call to me and ask if I had a minute. I have known him, on and off, for perhaps three years now. He drew me to one side and said, “I hope you don't mind, I am a spiritual person but I don't know anything about religion. Can you tell me who Jesus is?”

I heard the question and remembered that he began with “Do you have a minute?” and knew that was the time he was giving me to answer. I looked into his face and could see that he was asking an honest and heart-felt question. I took a breath and gave him an honest and heart-felt answer... in one minute. Then a wonderful thing happened. He said “Wow, thanks, you've given me something to think about. I hope you don't mind if we talk again.”

I felt blessed. Then I remembered the call of Advent- to prepare the way of the Lord, to make His path straight. I recognized that in that one, short moment, I had received two precious gifts: the ask , and the answer . And I knew that God was coming into the world, and was in the midst of us.

God is wondrously breaking into the world, and we are invited, indeed called, to prepare His way. We are to be alert, attentive. We don't know the hour or day, but we are to be ready, expectant. And He is coming; that is the promise of Advent.

I pray that these Advent days of preparation will be a blessed and sacred time for you, in anticipation of a holy and happy Christmas and in the expectation of Christ's returning, just as He promised.

Yours in peace, Dean Jim+

*You will note that I have not shared what I told my friend, but I will be happy to tell you... if you have a minute.