Sunday Blessings - Happy 1st Advent Sunday!

“Advent” means the arrival of a notable person or event, and in the four weeks before Christmas, we remember how Christ has come to save us.

The Advent season is a four week period before Christmas that celebrates the anticipation and coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The origin of "advent" is from the Latin word adventus which simply translates "coming" or "arrival". Not only is the Christian meaning for preparation and celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ, his birth at Christmas, but also to celebrate the new life when someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and lastly, the anticipation of Jesus returning again. 

Services this morning were beautiful and the hymns uplifting. 

O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL Red Trinity Hymnal #194

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appears.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Oh, come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads to Thee,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O, come, Desire of Nations, bind,
All peoples in one heart and mind,
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be thyself our King of Peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
Rejoice, Rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!