Are you old enough to remember when the color for the Advent season was purple? For many years the color of the season was purple, and the season of Advent was similar in tone and length to Lent, lasting up to 7 weeks. This year we are re-imagining Advent and giving ourselves a little more time for preparation. We will begin the season earlier and once again celebrate 7 Sundays of Advent. Throughout Advent we will prepare to receive Jesus again at Christmas even as we look for Jesus’ return. Our Advent theme is OUT OF TIME, which is likely a familiar refrain. This season we will explore two senses of time. Advent thrusts upon us the reality that time is limited. We run out of time to reconcile, to prepare, to make a change. Yet even as we are running out of time, God is outside of time entirely. God’s infinite being and infinite patience cut through our fear as God enters human time to dwell with us: Emmanuel, God-with-us.