From the Editor

Advent

I still remember a bit of my high school Latin – tidbits such as Plumbum for lead and lupus for wolf; and that "All Gaul is divided into three parts. . ." But at this season of Advent, I remember the daily recitation of The Lord's Prayer.

Three words: Adventia regnum tuum – Your kingdom come. This season of watchful, joyous anticipation is summed up in those words. That is what we seek – the coming of the sacred into the ordinary. With the song of angels the earth is swallowed up in the glory of heaven.

We look forward to the coming of God's kingdom while celebrating the fact that it is here already. In the birth of Christ, that kingdom came among us. As we look toward Christmas, we are remembering that special moment when God came to us – when everything ordinary became sacred.

We also look forward to the completion of God's kingdom in the return of Christ – for that time when the glory of heaven shall overwhelm all creation.

And so, we watch and wait, joyfully, for the song of Angels breaking into our world. And while we wait, we work to bring Christ's kingdom to everyone.

Be alert. Anticipate the joy of heaven come down.

Have a Blessed Advent and a Glorious Christmas.

Pax vobiscum.

Pam Doty is the editor of the East Tennessee Episcopalian.