In many Moravian churches, the fourth Sunday in Advent is known as "Morning Star Sunday." The large multi-pointed paper star hangs from the ceiling of the Sanctuary, filling the darkness with light. The congregation sings, "Morning Star, O cheering sight; ere thou camest how dark earth's night! Jesus, mine, in me shine; fill my heart with light divine."

For us who stand at the threshold of Christmas, the morning star points to both an end and a beginning. The morning star appears on a clear night in the East just before sunrise. It signals the end of the night and the dawn of the new day. (D. Wayne Burkett, "What Sort of Greeting," Pulpit Digest, November - December, 1987, page 74).

So we gather on this Morning Star Sunday -- this eve of the birth of our Lord. We've been looking at the n…