The Promise of Restoration

Hello, Church!

This past Sunday was Music Sunday, so there was no sermon. If you didn’t catch it live, I highly recommend visiting our website, Facebook, or YouTube—wherever you get your streaming church content—and watching. The Gathering Band, Bell Choirs, and our Vocal Choir were all incredible, singing out their praise! Jenny and Cathy were amazing, as were all our musicians.

I wanted to come to you with this special message because there’s something exciting we’re working on, and I also want to provide some biblical grounding for Music Sunday and talk about Restoration.

Restoration was the Advent candle we lit on Sunday. In Scripture, God promises restoration for Israel through the prophets and fulfills that promise in Jesus.

We hear these themes echoed in the songs of Christmas. This season, our focus song has been O Holy Night, particularly these lines from the first verse:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope—the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!

It’s a song of restoration! And it mirrors the songs we hear in Scripture.

Take Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1, when she visits her cousin Elizabeth and bursts into song:

“My soul glorifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

It’s a song of restoration—God casting down the corrupt and raising up the humble. Mary, a poor peasant girl, dreams of angels and believes she’s carrying the promise of her ancestors—and she is!

Later in Luke 1, we find Zechariah’s Benedictus:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

This is another song of restoration—God remembering Israel and delivering them. Imagine their context: occupied by Rome, governed by a puppet ruler they didn’t trust, surrounded by war, and haunted by memories of the Assyrian conquest, Babylonian exile, and other hardships. Yet, here is a promise of light for those in darkness and a path to peace.

During our Christmas service, we’ll hear the multitude of the heavenly host singing:

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

We’ll also hear the shepherds glorifying and praising God for all they had seen and heard.

When you listen to Christmas music—even as early as Halloween—you’re entering this story! You’re keeping Christmas alive. The songs are everywhere: songs of restoration, peace, and hope for a world where God is close, and there is no more war, corruption, exploitation, or oppression.

Here’s the exciting news—and how you can get involved in some real, tangible restoration:

Ken Zuehlke approached me about an incredible project happening at Castle Noel. Mark and Dana Klaus had an idea to help folks in North Carolina who were devastated by Hurricane Helene this fall, especially around the Asheville area.

Farmers from Medina, along with Keller Meats, Swine BBQ, and others, traveled there in a caravan to deliver food, help with livestock, clear debris, and provide relief. They built meaningful connections and have stayed in touch with these communities.

As the holidays approach, they realized that many families in NC wouldn’t have the Christmas they’re used to—they’re still rebuilding, still waiting for restoration. So, the idea came about:

“What if we brought them to our Hallmark town and gave them a Christmas?”

It’s happening! “The Promise of Christmas” will bring friends from NC to Medina from January 10–12. Castle Noel, the City of Medina, Main Street Medina, the Visitor Bureau, and the Chamber of Commerce are organizing a weekend full of love, laughter, and the magic of Christmas. Around 200–300 people are expected.

Here’s where we come in: On January 11, our church, along with St. Paul’s Episcopal, will host a dinner for our NC guests. We’re working on getting the meal donated, but we’ll need volunteers to serve as hosts and friendly faces to welcome them from 4:30–5:30 p.m. After dinner, we’ll have a brief 30-minute service where we’ll light candles and sing Silent Night. Then our guests will head to the square for a parade and fireworks—a second Candlelight Walk!

This is restoration in action. And like in the Bible, restoration is not just personal—it’s communal. Hosting our friends and neighbors, including some fellow Christians, is a way to restore their spirits after losing so much.

And here in Medina, we’ll experience restoration too. Maybe you’ve felt weary or torn after this fractious election and political climate. This is a chance to connect with real people, to rediscover hope in humanity—and perhaps even inspire you to sing your own song of restoration.

If you’d like to volunteer, please contact the office.

See you next Sunday for the fourth and final Sunday of Advent.

God be with you until we meet again!

Further Information

Link to the Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1b4o7Lfxh0nDbthhTctQuw?si=0V9P7SlwTUWuX6t8Bs6W-w

Link to Castle Noel Promise of Christmas website: https://castlenoel.com/promise-of-christmas/

Link to an Akron Beacon Journal article about this great event: https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2024/12/15/medina-castle-noel-bringing-christmas-north-carolina-helene-victims/76793257007/

 

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