A Season of Hope, Light, and New Beginnings
Pastoral Message for the First Sunday of Advent
Beloved in Christ,
Grace and peace to you as we enter A Season of Hope, Light, and New Beginnings. With the First Sunday of Advent, we step across the threshold into a new liturgical year, moving from Year C to Year A in the lectionary, and into a renewed journey of faith rooted in the Gospel of Saint Matthew. This transition is not merely a calendar shift; it is a spiritual invitation to start fresh, to awaken anew, and to welcome Christ more deeply into every part of our lives.
Advent calls us to look forward with expectation. It is the Church’s annual reminder that God is still breaking into our world, still drawing near to His people, and still illuminating every darkness with the brilliance of His love. In this season, we remember that Christ comes to us not only in the manger of Bethlehem, but in the quiet chambers of our hearts and the sacred spaces of our homes.
“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah 9:2, KJV
As Afro-Episcopal believers, our story bears witness to this truth. We know the hope that rises even in adversity, the light that refuses to be extinguished, and the strength that emerges from generations of faith. Advent echoes our journey, through trial and triumph, toward the God who has never abandoned us.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” Matthew 24:42, KJV
With the dawning of a new liturgical year, the Gospel of Matthew teaches us to live in watchful readiness. Christ comes to those who prepare their spirits, renew their minds, and open their homes in love and hospitality. Advent urges us to clear away the spiritual clutter, to listen attentively, and to make room for Emmanuel. God with us.
I encourage each of you, and every household across our Church, to embrace this season intentionally:
Prepare Your Hearts: Seek God with fresh devotion. Let go of bitterness, weariness, and distraction. Cultivate a spirit of repentance, openness, and joy. Create room for Christ where anxiety has tried to live.
Prepare Your Homes: Let your home shine with the peace of Christ. Light the Advent candles, pray together, read Scripture aloud, and allow the rhythms of worship to shape your living spaces. Make your home a sanctuary where Christ is expected, welcomed, and honored.
Prepare Your Community: Let hope move you to action. Serve others with compassion. Reconcile where there is division. Encourage the discouraged. Be a bearer of light in a world longing for warmth and direction.
As we enter this Season of Hope, Light, and New Beginnings, may Christ our King illuminate every shadow, renew every weary soul, and fill our lives with peace that the world cannot give. May His presence be felt in your prayers, your gatherings, your homes, and your hearts.
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20
Wishing each of you a blessed, joyful, and holy Advent.
In Christ’s radiant hope,
++D. E. Chase, Ph.D., OSP
Presiding Archbishop
African Episcopal Church