Mark Sorensen Just over a year ago, I watched the movie Collateral Beauty starring Will Smith. If you haven’t seen it, it’s really a pretty great film. I’ll confess that it’s an “ugly cry” movie. Have some tissues nearby. You’ve been warned.
The movie centers around Will Smith’s character, Howard, a New York City ad executive who suffers the tragic loss of his child at a young age. Howard slowly retreats from his social world and, instead, begins to write letters to Love, Time, and Death and – much to his surprise – all three show up in physical form to talk to him about where they each were when he suffered his loss.
I loved the concept of an ordinary man having conversations with Love, Time, and Death, and each of them showing up to say, “Howard, here’s where I was in the midst of your storm.”
Now, put that same story within the context of our world over 2,000 years ago. For almost 400 years the prophets waited for a word from God. There had to be the concern from God’s people, “Is this it? Is God officially done with us?” But then, a star. Suddenly, angels appear with the words, “Fear not.” Enter onto the scene, good news of great joy that is for all people.
In this year’s Harvest Advent series, we are going to hear from the four words found within the lighting of our Advent Wreath: Hope, Joy, Love, and Peace. We’re excited to have Lo Alalaman, the spoken poet, sharing the perspective from each of those words and where they were in the midst of the Christmas story.
This is one of my favorite times of the year. This Sunday, join us as we look at the word, Hope. It’s going to be an incredible series and I truly hope you will join us!
