Phillips Theological Seminary is once again providing this Advent Devotional for you and congregations. We continue to be blessed by the response to the booklet and the way that it is used. Many have shared that you use the booklet to assist with sermon preparation, in church small groups and Sunday school classes, as a daily congregation-wide devotion, and for personal and family devotion time. We have asked four writers to write on the theme for each week of Advent. We are so grateful for staff, scholars, and alumni that are willing to contribute to this devotional.
The writers are:
Week One, HOPE: the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe Jr., President and Mouzon Biggs, Jr. Professor of Methodist Studies
Week Two, PEACE: the Rev. Mike Miller, Alum, Senior Minister at Marion Christian Church (Marion, Illinois)
Week Three, JOY: the Rev. Jenny Wynn, Director of Advancement
Week Four, LOVE: the Rev. Dr. Allie Utley, Assistant Professor of Liturgy and Practical Theology.
Our readers for this podcast are Ashely Gibson, Executive Assistant to the President and Board, and Matt Dean, Online Social Media Specialist. This year's cover graphic, The Path to Christmas, ws created by fourth grader Eden Berman.
We are grateful that you choose to join us in reflection and thoughtfulness by reading the Advent Devotional.
In Gratitude,
Assistant Vice President of Advancement
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Phillips Theological Seminary is once again providing this Advent Devotional for you and congregations. We continue to be blessed by the response to the booklet and the way that it is used. Many have shared that you use the booklet to assist with sermon preparation, in church small groups and Sunday school classes, as a daily congregation-wide devotion, and for personal and family devotion time. We have asked four writers to write on the theme for each week of Advent. We are so grateful for staff, scholars, and alumni that are willing to contribute to this devotional.
The writers are:
Week One, HOPE: the Rev. Dr. F. Douglas Powe Jr., President and Mouzon Biggs, Jr. Professor of Methodist Studies
Week Two, PEACE: the Rev. Mike Miller, Alum, Senior Minister at Marion Christian Church (Marion, Illinois)
Week Three, JOY: the Rev. Jenny Wynn, Director of Advancement
Week Four, LOVE: the Rev. Dr. Allie Utley, Assistant Professor of Liturgy and Practical Theology.
Our readers for this podcast are Ashely Gibson, Executive Assistant to the President and Board, and Matt Dean, Online Social Media Specialist. This year's cover graphic, The Path to Christmas, ws created by fourth grader Eden Berman.
We are grateful that you choose to join us in reflection and thoughtfulness by reading the Advent Devotional.
In Gratitude,
Assistant Vice President of Advancement
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joy in Surviving
Psalm 16:9-11
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit. You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:9-11 NRSV)
Many of us can probably attest to the pits and pitfalls in life that have tried to swallow us alive. Some pits were natural indents in the road, some were dug for us, and others we unknowingly, dug for ourselves.
No matter what walk of life we come from, we have had to overcome something that made us who we are and brought us to our present place. For sure, those living and trying to survive in a world that is not always friendly to women, children, people of color, queer siblings, poor, and others on the margins have never been easy.
But I love the words of the prophet and poet Lucille Clifton who proclaimed, “come celebrate with me that everyday something has tried to kill me and has failed.”
Although we’ve all had challenges in life and encountered things that threatened to kill us, we survived. Despite the schemes, structures, and interlocking systems designed for our downfall, God has been present with us through it all and kept us from falling prey to the traps set before us.
As the Psalmist says, “Therefore, my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.” This Advent, celebrate with jubilant joy and endless gratitude that you are still here. All that tried to kill you has failed. So, live today.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.