McCormick's 2012 Advent Worship Service

12-04-2012

By M. Lowry

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 The McCormick Community celebrated the start of Advent season.

For McCormick as a Presbyterian Seminary, and for many other mainline denominations, Advent is the start of a new liturgical calendar year. It is also the season of preparation for the coming of Christ’s birth. Advent at McCormick is a special time and a great transition between the busy fall semester that is ending and the rest students will have with family, friends and other loved ones.

The Student Session and Board of Deacons host this event annually on the first Saturday of December, as a time for students, their families, administration, faculty and staff to come together. Advent is a time to pause and reflect not just on the months before, but to remind ourselves of the hopes, expectations and transformations the Holy Spirit has brought to your life.

This year’s Advent Service was led by first-year session member, Jene Colvin of Michigan and assisted by first-year deacon, Sarah Bennett of Texas. This year’s service was about understanding each of the four weeks of Advent. Jene created an Advent calendar board and talked about the meaning of each week with scripture, video, an art project and student talks. The terms Hope, Joy, Love, Peace are represented throughout the four weeks of Advent and symbolized through the lighting of candles. In this year’s worship service first-year students Matthew Bahouf of Michigan and Amir Tawadrous of Egypt spoke of what peace means to them in this season.

Through the Advent season and beyond “We Hope to learn great Love and with Joy share it in Peace.”