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Third Sunday Of Advent Pastor: Stephen Fearing

December 14, 2025 "What do you fear" Pastor: Stephen Fearing Fear keeps showing up during Advent—sometimes as a whisper at bedtime, sometimes as a roar in the headlines, sometimes in the tremor you feel right before you do something that matters. We wanted to talk about it honestly, without the tidy slogans. So we followed Jeremiah’s doubts, Mary’s shaking yes, and the angel’s interruption to ask what courage looks like when you don’t get to turn fear off like a switch. Jeremiah says he’s only a boy. Mary is not mildly puzzled; she’s deeply unsettled in a world where her yes carries real risk. God doesn’t scold either of them. Instead, God gives presence and people—words in Jeremiah’s mouth, Elizabeth for Mary’s refuge. That pattern stretches across scripture: Moses with Aaron, Esther with Mordecai, Elijah with Elisha, David with Jonathan. It’s the seed of the ekklesia, the church as a people called out and sent out. We explore how that calling meets real life—motherhood and medicine, classrooms and closets, recovery rooms and kitchen tables—and why fear, rightly held, can sharpen love into action. Along the way, we light the candle of joy as a fierce little yes to goodness. We offer breath prayers to steady our bodies. We welcome new members into shared work. And we take a practical step toward the future by creating an associate pastor role focused on faith formation, naming stewardship as part of calling. From handbell program notes to a congregational vote, the throughline stays the same: name your fear, then name your yes. Do not be afraid. Here I am. If this conversation helped you breathe a bit deeper or step a bit braver, share it with a friend, hit follow, and leave a review so others can find it. What’s your next yes, even with fear? We’d love to hear.