This is our Advent series for the year. Each week we’ll look at the Christmas story through the perspective of a different character within the story. We started with Mary & Joseph.
The band kicked us off with a couple songs: Song of Hope (Robbie Seay Band) and You’ll Come (Hillsong).
We watched this precious opening video : click here to watch it.
Then Eric and I shared our thoughts and what the scripture has to say about Mary and Joseph. We’re expecting our first child in June, so in many ways we can relate to them in a whole new way. This sharing was as much a testimony as it was informative.
As an intro to Joseph, we watched this video – not scriptural – but great to get you thinking: Click here to watch it.
As we wrapped up we introduced the idea of Theotokos. Here is some of what was said:
Mary’s story is our story. The Divine was within Mary… and is within you.
Genesis said it in chapter one, “you’re made in God’s image.”
Jesus said it, “The kingdom is within you.”
Paul said it… “Christ in you is the hope of glory.”I love those great words of the medieval mystic Eckhart, “We are all meant to be mothers of God. What good is it to me if the eternal birth of the divine Son takes place… but does not take place within myself? And, what good is it to me if Mary is full of grace if I am not also full of grace? What good is it to me for the Creator to give birth to his Son if I do not also give birth to him in my time and my culture…”
This concept of being a God-bearer gave Mary another name: Theotokos. Which is greek for “God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God”
So we invited everyone (and you) to spend some time really thinking about how you are living out your calling to be Theotokos in the world. Each week of this series we’ll make a Christmas tree ornament, that we hope you’ll take home and put on your tree and use as a reminder of these changed perspectives. This week we’re focusing in on the God-bearer in you. At your tables there are supplies…and I explained the craft. A foam Christmas ornament that represented their “womb” – they drew a picture in that space that represented how they are Theotokos.
Mary’s “let it be with me” invites each of us to be a theotokos—a God-bearer, a gospel bearer in our own lives, in the wombs of our own hearts, in our own flesh and blood.
Advent is not just a season of God’s coming to us, but of our coming to God, our bringing to God what we have to give. It invites us to mother God in our own lives and circumstances.
“when we allow God to be born in us, there’s no telling, no telling at all, what will come out.”
So we each made an ornament and several shared their images of Theotokos with the group. The band led us in “Made to Worship” by Tomlin, and we closed out with a prayer. It was a good night.
Here is our current prayer request list. (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)
:: Sonya Cooper’s dad is recovering well from his surgery!
:: Eric and Tina are expecting their first child! So far, so good. Please keep everyone’s health in your prayers.
:: Pray for Christa and her sons
:: Lacy Thompson is home safe and sound from Ecuador!
:: Andrea, Amanda B and Randall F are all looking for new jobs – pray God will open up the right opportunities.
:: Pray for Sam Dills (and his family) as he fights cancer.
:: Pray for Tony S – his truck died – Pray God is in the midst of it all and provides another vehicle.
:: Pray for Keith Kenney – he’s injured his ankle pretty severely.
