This Sunday, we will enter the season of Advent. We will step once more into the holy rhythm of waiting. But this year, we’re going to try something a little different—something that invites us to slow down, pay attention, and listen in fresh ways to the story of Christ’s coming. Our new sermon series, All Creation Waits: Advent with Nature, will explore the traditional Advent virtues of hope, peace, joy, and love through the lens of the animals who appear around the edges of the Christmas story.

Why animals? Because Scripture often uses creation to teach us truths we might miss otherwise. From Balaam’s donkey to Jonah’s fish to Jesus’ own words about sparrows, the Bible reminds us that God’s world hums with meaning. Even the creatures in the nativity—often reduced to figurines in a manger scene—have something to show us about God’s work among us.

Each week, we’ll “stand in the straw,” so to speak, and view the coming of Christ from an animal’s perspective. We’ll begin with the donkey, a humble beast of burden whose patient endurance points us toward hope. On the second Sunday, we’ll reflect on the wolf, that surprising symbol of peace in Isaiah’s vision of a restored world. On the third Sunday, our choir will lead us in worship as we celebrate the joy of Christ’s arrival. Then, just before Christmas, we’ll turn to the sheep, those gentle companions of the shepherds who teach us about love and trust.