Now Showing:✨Presentation of the Nativity Story✨

Come and see your favorite SPX’s Religious Education students honoring this Advent Season at 6:15pm on Wednesday, December 13! 

This year, as we tell the story, we are asking two questions. Firstly, “What does that mean to you?”

• What does it mean to you that Christ’s birth was prophesied hundreds of years before he was born?
• that one woman was chosen over all places and time to bear the Messiah? 
• that angels visited lowly shepherds in the fields? 
• that a star led 3 magi to a little baby born in a lowly stable? 
• that that baby grew up, suffered, died on a cross, and rose again for your salvation? 
• that all these pieces came together so flawlessly. Oh, the love God has for you, does that mean anything to you?

If it does, as we hope, we ask the second question: How does that change what you do? 

I smile when I think about the times we talk about Advent during Religious Ed classes. We start by explaining that Advent is a time of preparation for two things; one, the celebration of Jesus’ birthday, and two, His promised Return. We want to be ready for Jesus, so we have preparations to make! 

Birthday preparations have us decorating our homes with things to remind us of Him as well as spending time buying gifts and planning get-togethers with those we love. We do this in honor and remembrance of God’s gifts to us. 

Advent preparations have us taking time to focus on preparing our hearts for Jesus. We do not know the time or the hour when Jesus will return (it’s not just Christmas Eve!), but we do NOT want to be found unprepared. So, we do things that draw us into a closer relationship with God: love deeply all those around us, serve others, pray, seek repentance, and share the Good News! 

We serve a God who loves us and keeps His promises. As John was called, so we are also: Prepare the Way of the Lord!

Glenda Trytko, Religious Education Coordinator