Preparing for Advent

Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year. This year it begins on Sunday, December 2, and concludes on Monday, December 24. Advent is a season of preparation. Not only is Advent about preparing to celebrate the first coming of Christ as a baby, but it’s also about preparing for Christ’s second coming as judge. In Advent we are reminded that the Christmas story began thousands of years before the birth of Jesus, with the people of Israel. In Advent we are reminded that the Christmas story is not over; Jesus will return. On that day we will sing the old carol “Joy to the World! the Lord is come; let earth receive her King” in a whole new way.

Advent is a rich season with many ancient customs for individuals, couples, and families to observe. Sadly, many Christians fail to celebrate Advent meaningful. This is because observing Advent is counter-cultural. Advent challenges us to wait, to hold off on celebrating Christmas until we’ve prepared ourselves rightly. I believe that a real observance of Advent by individuals, couples, and families would transform our faith, making it a part of our daily lives. In order for this to happen we have to prepare ourselves for Advent. If we don’t plan for Advent our lives will be shaped by the frenzy of the holiday season.   

Today, and certainly no later than this week, take time out by yourself, with a friend, or with your family to plan for Advent. Think of planning now as a deposit on an investment, an investment that will profit in transformed lives as you and yours observe this ancient and wondrous season of the Christian year.

Here are some resources to help you get started.

Feel free in the comments section to share your own resources and ideas.

The Advent Conspiracy

The Spirituality of Advent by the Archbishop of Canterbury

How to Make and Use an Advent Wreath

What is Advent? An Introduction

Advent Customs

Lots more Advent Resources from the Anglican tradition

Advent Preachers Challenge

The historic season of Advent is near; it begins Sunday, December 2. As you know, Advent marks the beginning of the Christian year, also called the liturgical year. The liturgical year is a rich resource for Christian life and practice. These riches are not exhausted by Sunday color coding and Sunday lection appointments. The real power and beauty of the liturgical year only begins to unfold when Christians begin to observe it outside of the Sunday celebration. The Christian year’s formational dynamic sizzles when individuals, friends, and families find ways to weave its themes into the ordinary fabric of their lives.
 

Preachers are often discouraged by the low-levels of faith literacy among their congregants. Preachers (especially ordained ones) sometime complain about the lack of attendance at educational offerings and special services. We complain because we care. We wonder if our work is contributing to the growth of Christian disciples or whether we’re perpetuating an institutional form of Christianity that is doomed to fade away in the foggy future of post-Christendom and post-modernism. Advent is an opportunity for each of us as preachers to trust that despite the fog, hope is coming.

What better way to proclaim this hope then to challenge our people to observe Advent at home. If we could restore observance of the liturgical year to the home, we would see faith-literacy increasing organically in our congregations. If we could restore observance of the liturgical year to the home, we might find there is greater interest in educational offerings and special services. If we could restore observance of the liturgical year to the home, our preaching would be heard in the context of Christian life and practice instead of being heard as a strange blip on the ordinary radar of popular culture.

How do we do this? I’d suggest three starting points:

 

1.      Preach about it in general

Preach boldly and repeatedly on the key themes of Advent. Scripture is rich in resources here (including the Lectionary readings for those who use them). Make sure to explicitly link the themes of Advent (judgment, repentance, restoration) with the season of Advent.

2.      Provide resources

People’s lives are so rushed that they don’t always have time to research ideas on their own. Provide your people with web links, ideas, and other practical resources to observe Advent at home. Sunday school, adult forums, committee meetings and any other gathering could be used for this purpose.

 

3.      Preach about it in particular

Be specific in your application. Don’t only tell your people that need to repent or have hope, but how they are to embody repentance or hope in their lives.

Advent is near.

 

How will you encourage your people to weave the observance of this season into their ordinary lives?