I Won’t Be Home for Christmas
Dec. 1-24, 2019

Advent is a season of waiting. The church is always in Advent, because we are always waiting on what God will do next, although it is only this time of year that we mark that posture of expectation. Why are we always waiting? Because we aren’t home yet. We, nor the world itself, are as God intends us to be. So, as a people who are always “on the way,” we continue the journey toward home. This series will rehearse some of the expressions of waiting (which can be another word for hope) that is part of this long tradition. Rev. Tom Are preaches this series.

Dec. 1	The Old Homeplace
Dec. 8	No One Escapes Disappointment
Dec. 15	The End of Trouble
Dec. 22	On the Road to Mary’s House
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24	Look Who’s Home!

Look Who’s Home!
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2019 - Rev. Tom Are

In the final sermon in the series “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about the Christmas story and encouraged us to look for the good in the world, because that is where you will find God’s fingerprints. Our scripture reading is Matthew 1:18-25.
Bulletin 12-24-19

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On the Road to Mary’s House
Dec. 22, 2019 - Rev. Tom Are

In the fourth sermon in the series “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about Mary and her conversation with the Angel Gabriel, which would change the whole world. We may not be home yet, but Mary is showing us the way. Our scripture reading is Luke 1:46-56.

Bulletin 12-22-19
Sermon Transcript 12-22-19

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The End of Trouble
Dec. 15, 2019 - Rev. Tom Are

In the third sermon in the series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preached about the return of Christ on the clouds, which may seem a strange thing to contemplate. However, unless this story is trustworthy, most of the rest of the story of Jesus matters very little. Our scripture reading is Matthew 24:36-44.

Bulletin 12-15-19
Sermon Transcript 12-15-19

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No One Escapes Disappointment
Dec. 8, 2019 - Rev. Tom Are

In the second sermon in the series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about John the Baptist, a hero who stood tall in the wilderness. Folks from near and far were drawn to him. For the same reasons people loved him, he had enemies and was put in prison. There he asked the most important question of his life: Jesus, was I wrong about you? Our scripture reading is Matthew 11: 2-15.

Bulletin 12-8-19
Sermon Transcript 12-8-19

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The Old Homeplace
Dec. 1, 2019 - Rev. Tom Are

In the first sermon in the Advent series "I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” Rev. Tom Are preaches about how Advent is our declaration that the world is not as God intends it to be. There is plenty of good in this world, but we are not home yet. As such, Advent expresses our impatience—a holy impatience with the way the world is today. Our scripture reading is Psalm 137:1-6.
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Bulletin 12-1-19
Sermon Transcript 12-1-19

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