I’ve asked a cross-section of Anchorage pastors to comment upon Advent as an Antidote for Acquisitiveness or Consumerism. Our next pastor featured is Reverend Jim Basinger, Rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church.

Advent means ‘coming’ – the coming of Jesus Christ in his incarnation and also in his triumphal return at the end of the age. And so, I wondered why on two Sundays out of four in Advent, we read about the ministry of John the Baptist? What does he have to do with the coming of the Lord? Just this: he came to prepare the way for the Lord. And how did he do it? By ‘proclaiming a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.’ The good news of Christmas concerns the coming of Christ for the forgiveness of sins, but John the Baptist reminds us that just as we prepare our homes for the celebration of Christmas, so too, in order to enjoy the new life of forgiveness of sins that Jesus brought, we need prepare our hearts by turning away from our idols – whatever they may be – and turning to God who in Christ offers us new and vital life. [img_assist|nid=163047|title=Rector Jim Basinger, All Saints’ Episcopal Church|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=350|height=406]