Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread. –Isaiah 8:12
You are hereby officially invited to join in “The Advent Conspiracy.” Let me define some terms. Advent is the season of the four Sundays prior to Christmas; it begins a new cycle of the Christian year. In normal usage, advent means to arrive or to happen. Christians have used this word with relationship to the coming of Christ.

The Season of Advent has been celebrated by Christians in some way since perhaps the fourth century. It is a time of penitence as we prepare for the coming of Christ both as a baby in a manger and in the final fulfillment of God’s reign. The story of Christ’s birth is a story of promise, hope and a revolutionary love. Yet, our theological focus often gets drowned out by the frenzy around us so that it becomes a season of stress, traffic jams, shopping, and long to-do lists. We end the season with credit card debt and exhaustion.

Thus, we are inviting you into a conspiracy. The most common use of this word has a negative connotation as though we are inviting you to break the law! But the root of the word means “to breathe together.” We are inviting the congregation to breathe together with God as we conspire against the cultural frenzy of the season.

Advent Conspiracy is larger than our congregation. It was started in 2006 buy five pastors who decided to make Christmas a revolutionary event by encouraging their faith communities to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. The response was overwhelming and the Conspiracy was born. The vision for this project is collaboration between Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community in Portland, OR; Greg Hold from Windsor Crossing in St. Louis, MO; and Chris Seay of Ecclesia in Houston, TX.

They have created resources for congregations like ours but this is not a money-making venture for them. No funds go to them. Instead, they encourage us to dedicate part of our Christmas budget to those in need.

Here are ways we are inviting you to conspire together:

1. Worship Fully: Attend worship each week in Advent (begins November 29) and on Christmas Eve (If you are out of town find a church wherever you are.). If something prevents you from Sunday morning at 10 a.m., consider these two additional services:
December 6 at 5:00 p.m. Jazz Vesper Service
December 16 at 6:30 p.m. Advent Taize

2. Spend Less: We all like gifts. Our kids like gifts. But so often our Christmas gift-giving is obligation and money is spent on gifts that no one needs or even wants. Consider buying just one less gift this Christmas. Just one! This sounds insignificant, yet collectively this adds up to something like a miracle! If you are up for more of a challenge, try committing as a family not to have any Christmas Gift credit card debt at the end of the season!

3. Give more: UMC Pastor Mike Slaughter was quoted in the current Interpreter Magazine commenting on how Christmas has become the number one self-focused consumer holiday. “Christmas is not your birthday!” (Of course, some people are born on Dec. 24 or 25 . . . so you get a pass!). God’s gift to us was a relationship built on love. So it’s no wonder why we’re drawn to the idea that Christmas should be a time to love our friends and family in the most memorable ways possible. Time is the real gift Christmas offers us, an no matter how hard we look, it can’t be found at the mall. Take time to make gifts, spend time with your kids, or your parents, or your friends. Take time to bake cookies, go caroling, make ornaments. Here are two family activities that will allow you to give more as a family:
December 5 Hanging of the Greens 9:00 a.m. to Noon – a great family activity to prepare our sanctuary for Advent and Christmas worship
December 13 Santa Bingo at 5:00 p.m. – a fun family evening of games, caroling and refreshments in the fellowship hall.

4. Love All: When Jesus loved, he loved in ways never imagined. He loved the poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the sick. He included those on the margins. By spending less at Christmas we have the opportunity to join him in giving resources to those who need help the most. When Advent Conspiracy first began, four churches challenged this simple concept to its congregations. The result raised more than a half million dollars to aid those in need. Here’s how you can participate.
November 29 – Offering for Larry & Jane Kies – our missionaries in Zimbabwe
December 6 Communion Offering: Unsafe water is a serious problem in developing countries, but the solution is simple. The New Life International Water Purifier makes safe water possible for those who need it most.

If you would like more ideas about how to conspire with God to reclaim this season as one of joy and shalom, check out the website www.RethinkingChristmas.com.

I look forward to breathing together as we watch for the coming of Christ in our hearts, our church, our community and our world.

Walking with you as we follow Jesus,
Debra

The Advent Conspiracy Worship Season

November 29 Worship Fully
December 6 Spend Less and Give more
5:00 p.m. Jazz Vespers – Christmas Carols
December 13 Revolutionary Love
December 16 6:30 p.m. Advent Taize
December 20 The Mystery & Majesty
December 24 5:00 p.m. Family Service Christmas Pageant “Double Take”
11:00 p.m. Candle Light Communion Service