The White Falcon - 08.12.1978, Síða 1

Volume 34, Number 49 Keflavik, Iceland December 8, 1978
Don’t forget the true meaning
Advent points to an event
Every Christian experience and
attitude has its focus in the life
of the family. Any sacred obser-
vance in the public sanctuary has
a direct relationship to life in
the family circle. For this reason
many Christian families set aside
a period each day during Advent for
a special order of worship in the
home.
Some find the moments after
breakfast most convenient. Others
by Chaplain C. Richard Duncan
prefer a period after dinner or at
bedtime. In either case, they sit
around the table after the-meal
or in some other part of the home
which is suitable for family wor-
ship.
Here the Advent Wreath and can-
dles are placed and the Bible open-
ed. While one family member reads
an Advent prophecy, another member
lights the Advent candles or can-
dles. The following prophecies are
frequently used in this connection:
Zechariah 9:9-10, Isaiah 40:
3-5, Malachi 3:1-2 and Jeremiah
33:14-16. Prayers may be offered
following meditation. The Lord's
Prayer and the reading or singing
of an Advent Hymn end the family
observance.
The word "Advent" means "Com-
ing" and has reference to the com-
ing of the Lord Jesus Christ in
His varied manifestations: His
coming in the flesh and in weakness
at the Incarnation, His coming in
power to the believer in this day,
and His final coming in glory and
majesty for judgment.
Advent costs something! This
is not meant to be facetious. All
preparation requires discipline.
Few will escape the drudgery of ty-
ing bundles and stamping cards, but
many overlook the discipline of that
spiritual preparation which Advent
demands. Without it, Christmas is
meaningless.
To make Advent a higher exper-
ience than ever before, capture
the meaning of C.H. Dodd's "The Word
is uttered in a man, who living a-
mong men, shows forth the splendor
of the divine nature in terms of
personal character and social ac-
tion, and so finds us where we jive."
Advent points to an event -
"The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us." It deals not with a
folklore, but a fact of history.
This fact is not restricted to the
locale of a village inn, but bursts
the narrow frames of tribal story
and embraces all history and moves
it with revolutionary strength.
Advent, therefore, looks ahead
to Christmas with the steady assur-
ance that this event can occur when-
ever the spirit of Christ lays hold
upon human character and makes a
new creation.
See 'Wreathing pg. 3
SANTA TAKES TWO ORDERS from base children during his
visit to the Navy Exchange Saturday. Following his
arrival in the "Jolly Green Giant" helicopter, Santa
chatted and gave candy to the NATO base tots before
making his final visit Dec. 24. (U.S. Navy Photo by
JOSN Bonnie van Zuuk)