November 30, 2023
Dear Central Church,
My favorite radio station has made the switch to Christmas music, and it does my heart good as I commute around the city. One of the common denominators I’ve noticed in the songs of this season is a sense of longing and hoping. People long to be “home for Christmas,” and they dream of a “white Christmas.” Some Christmas desires are romantic, envisioning someone strategically placed under the mistletoe, and others are as basic as hoping for two front teeth.
The season of Advent is the four weeks that precede Christmas Day, and it teaches us to rightly aim the longings of our heart. Everything that can be wrapped up and placed under a Christmas tree will not ultimately satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. It may bring happiness for a moment, but it isn’t the kind of joy that satisfies for eternity.
Charles Wesley wrote a hymn that probably won’t be played on the 24/7 Christmas radio station, but it should be. It’s called, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” In the refrain that anticipates Christ’s arrival, Jesus is described as the “joy of every longing heart.”
That’s our prayer as we walk through these four Sundays of Advent. We want you to experience Jesus. He is the joy of every longing heart, and his presence in your life makes all the difference.
Here are three ways to experience more of Jesus this Advent Season:
Make Advent worship experiences a priority on your family’s calendar. Don’t miss any of the four Sundays of Advent. Our Advent schedule is included in this newsletter. Christmas Eve at Central is going to be an unforgettable worship experience. Plan now to be there with your family at 4pm or 6pm.
Get the advent devotional, Joy of Every Longing Heart. The first reading begins this Sunday and is available at the Welcome Center for a donation of $10. You can give in person, or a link to purchase is included in this email, where you can complete your purchase online and pick up the book on Sunday.
Participate in Central Cares at Christmas. Through our partnership at Rising Star Elementary and our connections with the community, we have several different families who could use a blessing at Christmas time. Central Cares is a program where you purchase items that have been requested by the family. A team from Central will deliver these gifts before Christmas. See the link in this newsletter for more information.
I look forward to worshiping with you this Sunday as we anticipate the birth of Jesus, the only one who can bring true and lasting joy to our longing hearts.
Until He’s Finished,
Pastor Mark