In last month’s newsletter we talked a little bit about having bold(ish) faith. We took some time to put bold(ish) statements out there in existence about the things we believed God was going to do in our midst. Now we must face another reality: things might not happen the way we expect them to! This is another layer of faith. It does not just require faith to believe the promises of God will come to be amongst the believers of Sewickley UMC, but it requires faith to believe those promises might not look the way we expect or prayed for them to look. As we enter into the Advent season, we are going to look at scripture after scripture that tells of the birth of Jesus Christ. What we come to understand rather quickly is that God works in some unexpected ways. For a long time, the Israelites have faithfully been praying for a savior, and God answered that prayer in Jesus Christ. Yet the way the Savior came into OUR existence was so unexpected that it was really hard for a lot of the Israelites to believe Jesus was indeed the One they (we) had been looking for. When some of them finally did believe, wonderful things happened in their life. Here is the really cool thing about the way God works: when something wonderful happens to an individual, we can be sure it is going to transform a part of the community around us. It is like a beautiful tapestry. It might all look like a big mess on one side while it’s being put together, but pretty soon on the other side, the picture begins to take form and make sense.

Expect the unexpected. God loves us so much, the things God does in our midst are never siloed or singular. If it is the work of God among us, no matter how wild it might seem, then that activity, that blessing, that unexpected gift, will have an impact far greater than just ourselves. What unexpected thing has happened to you lately? What unexpected thing has happened to us as a church? Where do you think God is at work in them? When you figure that out, that is the place you are to give your much desired time and attention this Christmas season. Together, let’s weave the glory of God into the very fabric of our lives through our bold(ish) faith in God doing unexpected things among us for the greatest impact on the Kingdom of God.

Please see page 3 of this month’s newsletter for an outline of the sermon series, “Well, I didn’t see that coming: The unexpected gift(s).”

From one light to another,
Pastor Hannah Loughman

Image by MB