Welcome on this last Sunday of the church year. As most of you are aware, the church calendar is not the same as the calendar we use in our normal lives. Rather than beginning with January 1, the church calendar begins with Advent which begins next Sunday. Advent is, of course, when we celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world at Christmas and anticipate his return at the end of time.

After we celebrate Jesus’ birth, the church calendar follows his life--beginning with Epiphany--his baptism, his temptation and the beginning of his teaching ministry. Then we enter the season of Lent when we begin focusing on his death, then his resurrection at Easter. That is followed by the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then we, the church, seek to live out our lives following the teachings o…