The Peaceable Kingdom Block Print by Rick Beerhorst

 

Kindred in Christ,

 

Advent reminds us that peace is more than the absence of conflict. True peace runs deeper. It is the courage to face what is broken, the wisdom to imagine a better way, and the ability to find grounding in the midst of change. It is the willingness to live generously even when life feels uncertain.

 

This Sunday, as we light the Advent candle of Peace, we continue our Will to Dream series and explore how God calls us to bear the fruits of peace in our lives, our community, and the world. Our readings from Isaiah 11:1–10 and Matthew 3:1–12 invite both challenge and hope. Isaiah paints a vision of a “peaceable kingdom,” where the wolf lies with the lamb, and justice and compassion shape every interaction. In Matthew, John the Baptist calls us to repentance, not as shame, but as a turning toward life that is whole, abundant, and rooted in God’s love.

 

Together, we will reflect on what it means to move from fear to hope and from scarcity to abundance, asking how God might be calling us to imagine new possibilities and step courageously into the work of peace this Advent. 

 

I hope you will join us this Sunday for worship, conversation, and connection, as we open ourselves to God’s abundant peace and bold imagination.

Alongside you,

 

Pastor Paul Ortiz