Christ the King - Happy New Year!

 Prop: A noisemaker for each child, or each person in the congregation.  You may want to wait until the end of the story to pass these out.

I have celebrated New Year’s Eve in many different ways throughout my life.  (Share your variety of celebrations.)

·       Ocean-front condo at the Jersey shore with long-time friends

o   Dinner

o   Toast at midnight

·       Watched the ball drop, in Times Square with over a million others

·       Fell asleep by 10pm

·       Favorite—at Gram’s house with family

o   Gram gave all 12 grandchildren and their parents cooking pots, and spoons

o   At midnight, all went out into the front yard, banging our pots with the spoons and shouting “Happy New Year!” at the top of our lungs

You may be wondering why I’m talking about New Year’s Eve when it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet.  For the Church, today IS New Year’s Eve!  As a community of faith, we begin what is called the liturgical year with Advent—the four Sundays before Christmas.  Next week, November 28, is the First Sunday in Advent, and the start of a brand, new liturgical year.  We will begin the year anticipating—getting ready—for the birth of Jesus at Christmas.  Through the liturgical year, we will follow the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection, the start-up of the Church and all the wonderful blessings that this means for the world.

The whole story culminates on this New Year’s Eve, which we call Christ the King Sunday.  On this day, today, we remember that Jesus is not only an amazing teacher, a kind and compassionate healer, one who gave his life for the world, including us, but also that he is our King.  He is the king of Kings! He is ruler of God’s Kingdom and the ruler of all Christian hearts.  For this we are thankful, and we celebrate on this New Year’s Eve.

So grab your noisemaker and join me in wishing one another a “Happy New Year!”