Advent through Epiphany 2003-2004

Surprised by Joy
Catherine Parker

on "Surprised by Joy"
by the Rev. Cameron Miller
Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Buffalo, New York

Every season has a thematic bond at Trinity and we spend a great deal of time imagining new and varied ways to bring coherency to the music, reading and prayer texts, and rituals.

We give special attention to engaging vision and imagination as well as music and intellect and create participatory opportunities as well.

Our vision of worship is that we create a time and place in which people can become open to an encounter with God. It is experiential and our effort is to create an atmosphere in which people feel safe to open themselves to the unexpected and then provide a format and content that evokes the holiness within. We cannot control God of course, nor the hearts and minds of those present, but we can be very intentional and creative about hosting and dramatizing and that is our focus.

This is our introduction to Advent, printed in our bulletin each week:

In our effort to offer an alternative, even subversive, view of the universe, the Church also offers an alternative calendar. The New Year begins on the forth Sunday before Christmas with a brief season called “Advent”. Advent means the dawn of something or its beginning, and refers to the on-coming celebration of Christmas. In the surrounding culture this celebration is marked by manic consumerism, a tide of parties, and family reunions. It is madcap, fun, exhausting and pressurized all at the same time. In the midst of the building momentum toward December 25th our four Sundays of Advent will call upon us to cock our heads and strain our ears to hear a voice and a whisper underneath the din. As wonderful as school vacation and family gatherings are, if we listen to our sacred story and take some time to open ourselves to the alternative universe swirling around, within and beyond our own, we may suddenly be Surprised by Joy.