Rev. Drew Weseman

Introduction

When I was a kid, the best days were the ones when I would come home from school and find two sticks if butter sitting out in the kitchen counter softening. It was a clear sign that cookies were on the way. Not being a naturally patient person, it also began the torturous countdown to warm, gooey treats. In many ways, Advent is the Church’s way of setting out a stick of butter and inviting us all to count down to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, but also helping us to anticipate the day when God will be creating a new heaven and earth, sending Christ back again with justice and peace.

This study is about two things. The first is how we live in the in-between time both imagining the future God is preparing and changing our lives today to bring it a little closer. Just as God came to us in the ordinary unassuming means of a baby swaddled in a manger, God is continually breaking into our world in unexpected places when we open ourselves to that possibility. That is why the second part of this study is an invitation to experience God through the practice of baking. For some, baking is a natural part of life, for others it is an intimidating task. My conviction is that God can meet you in both places. For some, it is about discovering God in the familiar habits and perhaps creating new ways of connecting with God on a daily basis. For others, it is the call to step out of our comfortable routines and develop the disciplines of experimentation, and discovery while letting go of the need to be perfect. 

This is a study for all of us. I have tried to select recipes that do not require many fancy ingredients or complicated techniques. Each week, you will have one recipe which was selected to connect with one of the Scriptures for the week. Alongside the recipe will be a short devotion and prayer. I encourage you to read the devotion and prayer first and then as you bake, reflect on what God is bringing to the surface from the reading. And then, as your cookies bake, write down your thoughts in a journal so you can capture your progress through the season. 

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments, I am excited to join you on this journey!

How Do I Participate?