INTERRUPT THE PRESSURE
Every pastor and pastor’s family understands the irony of the ministry. As we approach Christmas, in addition to all the rush and pressures that others experience, you are supposed to provide the spiritual nurture that enables your members to appreciate the spiritual side of the season. That means hours of work that drains you and little opportunity to just pause and consider the “reason for the season.”
The birth of Christ that we celebrate reminds us that God does get involved in our universe and gives birth to our deepest longings. It’s a celebration of God’s ability to surprise us by giving birth to good news that defies the ordinary wisdom of the world. It’s OK to take time to dream about how God might give birth to something entirely new in your life or that of your congregation. After all, Jesus birth was among ordinary people in an insignificant location.
TEN MINUTE ADVENT DREAM
Either on paper or computer, tablet, etc., take ten minutes and dream a little for fun.
If you could suddenly have one new talent for a month, what would it be?
If you could expand your life with one totally wild, thrilling, no holds barred experience, what would it be?
If you could make one new impression on your congregation, different from the others you make, what would it be?
What is a touch, smell, or sight would you like to experience?
Now we get to a more significant dream. (OK, maybe at another ten-minute sabbath break.)
If you have one special hope for your congregation, what would it be?
If you have a special hope for an individual or group in the congregation, what would you like to see happen?
If Christ visited your congregation during this Advent, what would you hope Christ would notice?
