by Leo Schuster | Lead Pastor
The lights. The music. The food. The parties. And yes–the gifts! As the holiday song celebrates, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
Yet for many, it’s the hardest time of the year. While festive cheer fills the air, many carry loneliness, loss, or the sense that others are connecting with the season in a way that feels out of reach.
The earliest roots of this season are far more honest about that tension than our modern culture. The ancient prophet Isaiah wrote about people “walking in darkness” and living with deep distress. Author Fleming Rutledge captures this reality when she writes, “Advent begins in the dark and moves to the light.” That light, Christians believe, arrives in a person unlike any other.
This year in our Advent series, He Shall Be Called, we’re exploring one of the season’s most cherished readings: Isaiah 9:6–”For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. . . and he shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Each week leading up to Christmas, we’ll focus on one of these names, discovering what it reveals about the identity and character of this extraordinary figure at the center of the season.
This series is designed for both the curious and convinced—for those new to church or unsure about faith, as well as those who are eager to grow more deeply and live more purposefully. Join us each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, and on Christmas Eve—and consider inviting someone to come with you.
