We have entered Advent, a time of anticipation and preparation for Christmas. What makes this time sacred is not special promotions at the store, and not even the fact that this is the beginning of our church year. What makes the four weeks of Advent a time set apart and distinct from any other in the calendar is its meaning. Although church services help us to better realize what Advent is about, we can do much more to make this a time to grow in faith and understanding. In a way, Advent is a journey. On any journey it is very much up to us how much we will learn and benefit from it. In traveling to a new city or country, you can spend the whole trip in pubs or discos, shopping or in meeting new people, or exploring museums, local architecture and landscapes. Likewise, during Advent you can focus on decorations, cooking and buying, or you can also invest time in spiritual practices and study that can deepen your knowledge of the Christ whose coming again we await with longing. I have selected and annotated a few online resources that I hope will help you to make this Advent meaningful for yourself, your family, and your congregation. –Wishing you blessings of the season, Alexei Khamin, content editor
Educational Materials Lesson Plans for Small Congregations (Ministries with the Young People, Episcopal Church)
Detailed lesson plans for younger and older children as well as adults. This offering is a result of a cooperative venture between the ECCE (Episcopal Council of Christian Education) and the Ministries with Young People Cluster of the Episcopal Church. Come and See (Ministries with the Young People, Episcopal Church)
This is an Advent Meditation Guide for students. This downloadable leaflet (pdf; however, you can order a hardcopy) contains a meditation and prayer on each day of Advent. Many of the meditations are authored by students. The prayers and meditations are short and should fit into the busy schedule of students preparing for their final tests.
Liturgical Resources Advent Resources (from St Luke's Episcopal, Durham, NC)
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you will find links to Advent sermons, services for home devotion, and resources for young children. Advent Page, (King of Peace Episcopal Church, Kingsland, GA)
Learn about the advent wreath, meaning of the advent candles, and other liturgical customs. Download Jesse Tree ornaments. Find a simple but touching Advent Wreath Service for family devotion. Prayers and Customs of Advent and Christmas
This Roman Catholic website offers prayers, meditations for each week of Advent, and even a recipe of gingerbread.
“Blue Christmas:” Resources for Those Who Are Alone
Advent and Christmas services for those who are grieving or lonely. The Anglican Diocese of Ottawa “offers” these services as resources for pastors seeking a method to help unhappy people through this difficult time when the rest of the Christian community is exceedingly joyful. Promise of His Glory (Church of England, Advent)
Liturgical services of the Church of England. The Advent services include “The Great O’s,” Vigil and Carol Services and more.
Advent and Christmas Publications Advent Publications (Forward Movement)
Advent publications from the Forward Movement (posters, cards, leaflets). It offers reasonably priced “Advent packages” for meditation and spiritual enrichment as well as gift editions.
New Advent and Christmas Books (Episcopal Life)
Review of the recent devotional books on Advent and Christmas. Abingdon Press
A number of Advent books. Especially check out Come to Christmas: The Customs of the Christmas and Advent Season by Pat Floyd; Expecting the Unexpected: An Advent Devotional Guide by Blair Meeks; The Miracle of Christmas by James Moore (an Advent study for adults). Creative Communications for the Parish
Great calendars and other Advent resources. Check out Teach Us Your Paths: Family Prayers for Advent. Waiting for the Coming: The Liturgical Meaning of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany by Bp. J. Alexander Neil. Copies of this concise yet wonderful book are available from www.amazon.com and www.ocp.org. Some of the publications in this section have been recommended by the CFC of the Diocese of Newark and by Rev. Randall Day and Rev. Dennie Bennett of St. Mark’s Episcopal , Teaneck, NJ.
Advent and Social Responsibility A Consumerism-Free Christmas (Simple Living)
Alternative and responsible ways to celebrate Christmas and Advent. Simple Living started in 1973 as a protest against the commercialization of Christmas. Their interesting materials, especially Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?, promote responsible and simple ways of living. Advent Resources (Bread for the World)
These Advent resources (prayers, handouts and calls for action) attempt to remind us that celebrating the birth of one Child we should not forget the millions of hungry children around the world. “If we are to receive the Christ child fully into our hearts, we must allow the Holy Spirit to work within us and shape our lives. We are called to take on God's passionate concern for the world's poor and oppressed people.” Advent Prayer for an End to Global Poverty and Instability
This Advent bidding prayer is provided by the Office of the Governmental Relations of the Episcopal Church. The prayer is based on the Millennium Development Goals.
Visual Arts Advent and Christmas decorations in our churches and homes make this season special and distinct. Visual artists too make their offerings to the new born Jesus, the Messiah. Some of the related resources (Jesse tree ornaments, etc.) are found under “Liturgical Resources” (above). However, the Episcopal Church and Visual Arts website has much more to offer. Here are some of the resources available on that website: Creating an Advent Cross
Read this touching story on how to create an Advent Cross. This can be a great Sunday school project. Advent Banners
Learn about the process of creating Advent banners at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Springfield, VA. And see the result. Venite Adoremus
Celebrate Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in colors. This beautiful online exhibition of the works of church visual artists is not only for enjoyment but also for meditation.
General Advent Resources Advent Resources from The Text This Week
This large collection of the online Advent resources includes materials and suggestions for worship, prayer, church decoration, devotional reading, select sermons and articles. These materials come from various Christian denominations. Lift Up Your Hearts (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada)
A wealth of resources on Advent and Christmas from many Christian denominations. Advent Resources (Anglicans Online)
Dozens of links to the online resources on Christmas and Advent.
More Resources… A Religious Christmas
Browse through this significant collection of Advent resources (scriptural lessons, icons, poetry, and more). St. Nicholas: Discovering the Truth about Santa Claus
It’s hard to imagine a Christmas without St. Nicholas, yet we know so little about him (and almost nothing for sure). On this wonderful and informative page you will learn a lot about St. Nicholas, his relationship to Christmas, the place of Christ in his ministries. This website is so popular that it has several “mirror-sites” in several languages.
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