The church has begun the Advent Season, full of all her colors, symbols, anticipation and spiritual hope. There are churches that will have special services that mark this time of Advent, while others will never mention the words Advent in any worship service or call attention to this type of planned season of celebration.
Growing up I was exposed to the Advent Season because of Dr. Harold Wortman.
Dr. Wortman served as Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church Pineville, and through his ministry special music marked the Christian way of faith and highlighted this unique time. While the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt under bitter oppression, experiencing the tyranny of injustice they prayed for deliverance. Today, we long in anticipation and hope of the coming Savior as King, looking for His return. This is the meaning and reasoning for the Advent Season and all the reason to celebrate.
My personal education of this season continued at Cumberland College. Dr. Wortman served as Chairman of the Music Department and his leadership in services like the Hanging of the Green held on campus provided additional learning used still. Doc loved this time of the year, the wreaths, candles, colors, and of course, more especially the music. Written previously I’ve shared I believe Christmas is a great time to advance my favorite week of the years theme, thanks-giving.
A memory of Dr. Wortman in my music education would be the song and prayer “Come, O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel”. I can hear him even now saying, “Think about their longing and desire for freedom. Add that to your personal experience of asking Jesus to come into your heart”, remembering that freedom from sin and he thought adding longing to be delivered and set free with being set free, one should have all they need to celebrate. Doc was right, freedom plus freedom equals freedom and that is a great spirit to have and celebrate. If forgiveness of sin, deliverance from the wrongs of persecution and the promise of Heaven does not give you an emotion of freedom then I would suggest you are still in slavery and I would invite you to ask Jesus to come into your heart.
This is a great time for Churches to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas through Advent Services and emphasis and this is a perfect time for Christians to stop and ask those we meet if they knew why the anticipated arrival of the Christ child was so important and how it relate to us today.
Life has provided many experiences for me in learning about Jesus through church, church programs, Sunday School, children/youth events, people like Dr. Wortman, who had such an influence on my life, and I’m just praying that I am leaving something behind that will point others to the Star of Bethlehem, just as I have been.
Until then
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