This Sunday is Advent II, when we light the candle of Peace. In addition we will be looking at one part of Joel’s Prophecy/Poem wherein Joel calls us to “return to the Lord with your whole heart.” And when we do this, we enter into God’s dream for the world, and become dreamers ourselves. Dreams have been a big theme in our journey through the Hebrew Bible this Fall, and now it’s our turn. So let’s come together this Sunday, return our gaze to our loving Creator, and dream together. After all, as Yoko Ono once said, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.” -Pastor Paul
SCRIPTURE: Joel 2:12-13, 28-29 (NRSVUE)
12 Yet even now, says the Lord,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love,
and relenting from punishment.
Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days I will pour out my spirit.