Hope in a Weary World
A Message from Rev. Dr. Chris Shorow, Senior Minister 405.341.3544
The Christmas season is almost here! It is a time of joy, celebrating the birth of a Savior. However, the holidays also have a way of magnifying life’s contradictions. On one hand, they bring the twinkle of lights, the coziness of gatherings, and the promise of joy. On the other, they often highlight what feels broken in our lives and in the world. It’s easy to feel caught between the promise of something beautiful and the ache of waiting for it to come true.
This is why Advent matters so much. It’s a season where we sit in the tension of what is and what could be. Advent tells the truth about our weary world—about the griefs we carry, the hopes we cling to, and the gaps between them. But it also whispers a promise: There is hope – and you are not alone.
Kate Bowler writes that hope often "bubbles up in unexpected places," surprising us when we thought we had run out of reasons to believe in anything good. It’s not the polished, tidy kind of hope, but the kind that shows up like a gift you didn’t even know you needed. Sometimes it’s in a kind word, a flicker of candlelight, or a familiar song that reminds you that joy is still possible—even here.
Worship during Advent becomes a sacred pause—a place to lay down your weariness and breathe in that unexpected hope, even if just for an hour. It’s a time to sit with the mystery of a God who shows up in the mess, in the waiting, and in the darkest corners of life to say, “I am with you.” Jesus was born into an imperfect world to bring true joy to all of our lives.
Here at First Christian Church Edmond, we want you to feel seen and welcomed just as you are. Even, and especially, if this year you feel weary. That’s why this Advent, we’re exploring the theme Hope in a Weary World. Together, we’ll lean into what it means to hope when the world feels heavy, to find light in the waiting, and to rejoice even when we’re not sure what’s next. Join us. Let’s sing our hallelujahs together