In yesterday's sermon (not one of my finest, it has to be admitted) I noted that in the lectionary gospel reading (Luke 21: 25 - 36) Jesus used a mini-parable in which he equated the new leaves emerging on a fig tree with the inbreaking of God's Kingdom.  I mentioned that throughout scripture plant and tree metaphors are often used in such a way.  As if by confirmation, in the evening service, we had two Isaiah readings (from chapters 11 and 60) each of which used 'tree' imagery.

This morning there is snow on the ground in Glasgow.  When we get snow the defiance of green shoots - the emerging leaves of spring bulbs - through the snow, the imagery becomes very apparent.  The signs are there.  The teeny weeny shoots are breaking through the dark earth.  New buds are forming on stark, bare trees.  The Kingdom of God is becoming... but as yet, you have to look carefully to see it, for its full bloom is not yet.

Maybe we should take a moment today, in the garden, in the park, even at the plant on the window sill, to seek out the tiny signs of emergent growth.

Maybe, too, we should look around us, for the other signs of God's Kingdom - glimpses of grace, mercy and love...

It's hard, Lord God, to spot the signs of new growth

New life

New hope

Hard because we have become so accustomed to looking for

Neon signs

Flashing Lights

Writing on walls

Supernatural intervention

Religious experiences

Open our eyes

Open our minds

Open to hearts

That we might spot

Just one green shoot

Just one tiny bud

And in it, glimspe more of you

Amen.

It has already been a demanding and busy weekend, and in roughly three hours time I lead worship for Advent 1.  To add to my (self-imposed) pressure, I have made a practice of blogging through the penitential seasons of Lent and Advent.  As my cat woke me for the third time this morning (5 a.m., 6 a.m. 7 a.m.) I groaned, rolled out of bed and half wished I was a 'normal' church member who could just dip in and out.  So there you go, that's honesty for you!  Having to come up with some words for today - why, oh why, did I say I'd do this?

Advent Sunday is the beginning of the new liturgical (church) year.  In those churches who use liturgical colours, the green of 'ordinary time' makes way for the purple or violet of the 'penitential' season.  In may churches, Advent wreathes or rings appear, with candles coloured according to diverse scheme... purple, pink & white, red & white, white & red.  We way even begin to set up nativity scenes with Mary and the angel, as a means of building tension and anticipation.

So there is a snese of irony that in many preaching schemes, Advent 1 focuses on the second coming, the eschaton, the end of time (other schemes may centre on 'God's people' or ''the Patriarachs') which is where we will looking today.  Scary, apocalyptic readigns that really ought to disturb rather than comfort us, not because they speak of God zapping the bad guys (I don't think they actually say that) but because they remind us of our own meld of frantic busyness and Kingdom inertia.  Anticipation is not merely 'looking forward to' rather it carries a sense of 'pre-empting' - in the here and now, as the Kingdom slips in by stealth, we are meant to be the signs of hope, of joy, of love, of grace.  Which is flipping hard work when we are racing around doing the stuff of Christmas.

So today, I will force myself to stop, if but for a few moments, to start at the end and think backwards.  because 'end' is not just 'finish', end is also 'telos' or 'goal'.  If we are honest when we pray 'your Kingdom come', then this is the end that shapes our beginning this Advent.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as is heaven...

This is the goal, the aim towards which we live and work

This is the fulfillment for which we wait, more of less impatiently

This is the bewildering, mysterious, wonderful, beautiful

Demanding, terrifying, beguiling hope that inspires us to follow you

Lord Jesus Christ.

Maranatha!  Come Lord Christ, and make all things new

AMen.

This afternoon we delivered our knitted sheep to their assorted homes for the next two weeks, but first we visited a nursery who had been invited to join in, so that we could meet the children and show them some of our sheep.  It was amazing!  Really enthusiastic staff who motivated and encouraged their charges, and were as excited as us about the sheep trail.  Around 30-40 children will complete the trail just through that one contact... not counting their older siblings and parents/carers.

Then we began delivering the sheep to the shops.  The ever-so sophisticated young staff young people who worked there became as little children as they selected and fell in love with the sheep they were to host.  Names were chosen (some excellent names it has to be said), posters and trail guides supplied and smiles and laughter all round.  It was evident that they had been waiting all day for this moment!  Indeed, one venue had phoned me to ask when their sheep would arrive!!

I really hope lots of people take part in the trail and have lots of fun.  I hope the shops find it worthwhile.  But this much I know for sure - we have broken down some barriers and built some bridges already.  Every venue participating is thrilled to have been invited to be part of this event, and I like to think that we have shown something of the love of Christ along the way.

As we walked along, my colleague observed "who would have guessed the power of a little knitted sheep"... sentiments not so far removed from the mystery of a God who chose to be born as a peasant child in an outpost of the Roman Empire.

There will be photos - we did get some of the flock before it dispersed (and I suspect will never be restored as a few venues are depserate to keep their sheep permanently!)

A slightly mad morning...

I now have ten gorgeous knitted sheep waiting to be delivered to impatient venues!  Alas I forgot to bring my camera so I cannot record the flock before they leave for the big adventure.  Hopefully my partner-in-crime will remember to bring hers.

I have prepared a nutty little quiz for Monday evening's Theological Reflection Group which has (the TRG meeting that is) that natty title of "Carols, Cards and Christ's Mass".  Between this and then I have some edible visual aids to sort out!!

I have finally finished Sunday's service for Advent 1 and the Topsy Turvy Kingdom - Starting at the End (the title is way better than the sermon, trust me)

I have printed off the leaflets for next Thursday's lunchtime reflection, whilst I remember to do it!!

And I have collated all the material for tomorrow's Church Reflection Day - a very large stack of paper on my desk.

Still to do... deliver sheep, buy flip chart paper, deliver some leaflets, entertain visiting speakers...

I love Advent, it is unbridalled madness and hard work as we try to make it meaningful for other people, but I wouldn't really have it any other way.

This article appeared on the Baptist Times site today.  It is thoughtfully written and certainly presents a version of what one might term "truth", that is, it is factually accurate.  However, as well as being guilty of confusing 'England' with 'Britain' it paints a rather rosy picture of the British (or even English) Baptist world that does not entirely accord with my experience or that of my friends and colleagues.

Definitely worth reading, but needs to be read recognising its partiality and (seemingly editorially enforced) parochiality (if there is such a word!)