As we enter this third Sunday of Advent, it is easy to be distracted - by Christmas parties and end-of-year deadlines and the looming of your kids’ last day of school before a seventeen-day break. We have less than 2 weeks to go before Christmas and still so much to do and buy.

Into this hustle and bustle, God speaks through his prophet, John the Baptist, greeting us with those words that you no doubt considered for this year’s Christmas card: “You brood of vipers!” That’s how he addresses the people who came out to hear his message and be baptized, much less those of us who stayed at home to finally get the last of the decorations up.

So here’s what I can promise you this Sunday, vipers of All Saints: no manger, no Mary, but more apocalypse. We’ll have wrath and winnowing and no fewer than three mentions of fire.

But we will also be reminded that this season is not ultimately about what we’re doing to get ready or whether we’re in the “holiday spirit” or not. As Fleming Rutledge writes, “all the Advent preparation in the world would not be enough unless God were favorably disposed to us in the first place.” God has sent his messenger to prepare the way, both for Christ’s first coming and for his second. Let us invite him in and hear what else he has to say.

As we approach our Annual Church Update and Board of Stewards Elections, we’re excited to share a special series of ministry updates. Each week in our newsletter, we’ll feature insights from one of our ministry leaders. In just about five minutes, each leader will highlight some key accomplishments, share a story of God’s work in their ministry over the past year, and look ahead to their goals for the next six months.

So let’s hear from Dustin+ Messer this week, who will be sharing about Alpha, Re-Forming Faith, and Gospel Conversations. We hope these updates give you a deeper connection to the work happening at All Saints and the exciting ways God is moving among us.

If there are no available parking spots in our lot, please use the parking lot across Cadiz. Our primary parking area experiences its highest occupancy between the transition from our 9:30 to 11 am service.