Advent Snowglobe Devotions-- Day 1

My mom has given me a snowglobe at Christmas every year since I was in high school. Today (Nov 29) was the first Sunday of Advent. My goal is to post a picture and reflection every day until Christmas. I received this one in 1989, my senior year. It once had a light in the steeple. It does not play music, and the church has become detached from its base. Like the church in the snowglobe, at times the Church around the world sometimes seems detached from both its audience and its Lord. In the current climate, where more and more folk self-identify with no religious preference, the gospel message is still vital. This is from today's epistle lesson- it speaks to our purpose: "May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all" (1 Thessalonians 3:12).