Luke 2:10 “Then the angel said to them, “Fear not, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.”

Dear Friends,

The above passage is the theme for the 2024 St. John’s Advent Devotional book. 24 writers offered to read 4 Advent scriptures, select a verse that particularly resonated with them, reflect on it, and share the insights they gained with the community and friends of St. John’s. This activity was a way to explore how ancient psalmists and prophets, missionaries and Gospel-writers, such as King David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, St. Paul, and Luke, writing in times of war, fear, and deprivation, brought hope to the people through God’s Word. Many of our writers chose to reflect on one of the psalms—the ancient hymns, thoughts, and prayers of ordinary people expressing their feelings—from loneliness to anger, fear to gratitude. Though written centuries ago, the psalms provide language to identify and name the formless feelings and anxiety we may have about an uncertain future today. Other writers explored the Hebrew Bible, Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels and Paul’s letters to the early churches, all of which offer strategies and insights into how to live in relationship with others and lead a God-centered, faithful life in the midst of a culture of conflicting values and priorities. These teachings help us to remember the basis of our spiritual strength in the midst of the most dire of circumstances—our internal “good tidings of great joy”: God chose to live among us incarnate in the baby Jesus, and is now written in our hearts.

Verses from these Advent scriptures provide a host of spiritual catalysts to navigate our own thoughts and feelings as we seek to retain a stable presence in a changing world. Please feel free to explore the four scriptures for each day listed below each meditation, to deepen your own Advent experience.

Many thanks to our writers for so generously sharing their time and talent in this ministry! Thanks also to Trish Tiura for choosing the cover art, formatting and publishing the daily meditations in print and online and the St. John’s office staff and volunteers for their work in assembling the printed book. It takes a village!

Advent blessings,

The Rev. Jane Rohrer, Editor

Thank you to our talented writers!