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Magnificat block print by Ben Wildflower

Kindred in Christ,

Advent reminds us that joy shows up when we least expect it, breaking into our lives in surprising and life-giving ways. It catches us off guard, stirs our hearts, and invites us to see the world through God’s eyes.

This Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, when we celebrate Joy and continue our series The Will to Dream. Many churches are skilled at memory, honoring the past and remembering the ways God has worked in our lives before. That is powerful and important. Yet, as we have been exploring, faith also calls us to move beyond memory, to step into imagination, and to be open to the new ways God is at work in our lives and in the world. In that openness to God’s newness, we encounter joy that surprises us and carries us forward.

This week, we turn to Mary, whose song, the Magnificat, bursts with revolutionary joy. She sings of God’s power to cast down the mighty and send the rich away, to lift up the lowly, feed the hungry, and bring justice to the oppressed (Luke 1:39–55). Mary’s song invites us to imagine a world made new and calls us to join in God’s liberating work.

Come this Sunday as we light the Joy candle, sing with our choir, pray together, and open ourselves to God’s suprising joy. Your voice and your presence are part of this revolutionary song.

Alongside you,

Pastor Paul

For more info contact Pastor Paul at paul.ortiz@ugathering.org

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

Advent Given by Scott Erickson

Kindred in Christ,

As we step into the season of Advent, I find myself filled with a renewed sense of hope and anticipation. Advent is a time of holy waiting, a season when we remember God’s promises and open our hearts to the possibility of new beginnings. It is a journey that invites us to slow down, pay attention, and let God’s imagination take root in our lives.

This year, our worship series, The Will to Dream, invites us to explore how faith grows when we hold memory and imagination together. We remember the stories that formed us. We remember the prophets who spoke truth in turbulent times. We remember a child born in humility who revealed the heart of God. And at the same time, we dare to imagine what God is doing now. We imagine peace where conflict currently reigns. We imagine justice where people are suffering and oppressed. We imagine love that is bold enough to reshape our world.

This Sunday, we will gather to light the Hope candle, a simple flame that reminds us of the light God plants in even the most uncertain seasons. It marks the beginning of our Advent journey and sets our hearts toward the promise that new life is already on the way.

I am excited to walk this path with you. My hope is that these coming weeks will deepen our faith, widen our compassion, and open our eyes to the ways God continues to move among us. I invite you to join us each Sunday as we lean into this season with curiosity, courage, and joy.

May this Advent be a gift to you.
May God stir your memory, awaken your imagination, and guide your steps toward hope.

Alongside you,

Pastor Paul Ortiz