This week’s feature article
is written by
Rev. Dr. Tassie Green
Interim Senior Pastor
Conspire with us this Advent.
First Pres is joining a movement of churches to refocus on Jesus–Advent Conspiracy.
What is Advent Conspiracy (AC)?
Over the last decade, thousands of churches (including 2 I pastored) have celebrated by seeking more relational traditions, partnering with more faith-based aid organizations, and channeling more resources to the poor, marginalized, and forgotten.
“Be part of a different story this Christmas, one that celebrates our King and brings hope to a watching world.”
Advent Conspiracy is about the entire body of Christ at work in the world. As we worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all, something begins to happen that is greater than any single person, church, or denomination. God is not finished with our world and is inviting us deeper into the Christmas story.
What will we do at First Pres?
We will seek to worship fully and love all. At First Pres, we will challenge one another to spend less of our focus and money on PRESENTS in order to focus more on PRESENCE—truly being together with and loving one another. It can powerfully transform our holidays as we seek to give more of ourselves. Whether you and/or your family choose to spend less money on gifts, we invite you to give that savings–or just give more– to our local mission partner of World Relief to help asylum seekers in Chicago.
How did Advent Conspiracy come about?
Over a decade ago, a few pastors were lamenting how they’d come to the end of an Advent season exhausted and sensing they’d missed it – the awe-inducing, soul-satisfying mystery of the incarnation.
For many of us, we were drowning in a sea of financial debt and endless lists of gifts to buy. We struggled to find the connection between our Christmas to-do lists and the story of Jesus’ birth.
An overwhelming stress had overtaken worship and celebration.
The time of year when focusing on Christ should be the easiest was often the hardest. Somehow, this had become the new normal.
So, in 2006, three pastors, Chris Seay, Greg Holder, and Rick McKinley, decided to try something different. They called it the Advent Conspiracy movement, and came up with four tenets—Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All—to guide themselves, their families, and congregations through the Christmas season.
On the journey with you,
Pastor Tassie
