It is the last week of the church year, and Advent begins this Sunday, November 28th. It is a beautiful time, and there are so many resources available to help us stay focused throughout this season of waiting and hope. Below you’ll find a few resources and ideas for your church, or for home, to make Advent festive and Christ-centered.
Advent Home Worship Booklet
Every year, Anglican Church of the Redeemer in Chattanooga creates a home worship guide for its members. They have graciously offered to share it with anyone who might find it beneficial to their own church or for their own personal use. The booklet guides its users, whether a young family with children or a single person, in Morning and Evening Prayer from The Book of Common Prayer 2019. As well as a daily prayer guide, each Sunday a hymn, catechism question, and piece of artwork are introduced to enhance your time of worship throughout the week, making it an even richer experience.
The Booklet can be downloaded here to be used as a PDF, or printed to be printed and distributed:
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Make an Advent Wreath
Making an Advent Wreath is a fun project for a family or anyone looking to enhance their home worship time and have a symbolic reminder of the season on their table. Some churches gather after the first service of Advent to make their wreaths for a time of fellowship. If you’re not a florist, don’t worry! It’s easier than you might think.
Supplies needed:
- Floral foam in a wreath form, or any preferred wreath base
- Candle stakes (4 per wreath base)
- Advent candles (You can also place a white candle in the center to light on Christmas Day if you wish)
- Fresh evergreen cuttings (Christmas tree lots will usually give you cuttings, or ask church members to bring pine, cedar, holly, or any evergreen cuttings from their yards to share)
- Garden shears
Making the wreath is easy and each one turns out unique and beautiful. This is a great video on how to make your wreath once you have all the supplies set up: DIY How to Make an Advent Wreath
For a detailed description of everything the Advent wreath symbolizes, feel free to use this free printable insert to hand out or to use for yourself:
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Celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6th!
Saint Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra, is a fascinating and fun saint to learn about. There are so many fun activities for children that will teach them about giving to others and making Christ the center of the season. Saint Nicholas Center is an excellent website to learn more about him and how to commemorate this feast day at home or with your church. Some churches have a St. Nicholas Celebration for families – make St. Nicholas crafts, make blessing bags, have an older church member dress up as St. Nicholas and visit the party with small gifts, and more!
Make a Jesse Tree
A Jesse Tree is a fun visual for children to count down the days until Christmas. Each day of Advent, you place a new ornament on a tree that will go along with a scripture reading that tells the story of how God prepared the way for Jesus. You can create your own, or a quick Google search will lead you to so many printable Jesse Trees, or a pre-made one, like this beautiful Jesse Tree Sticker Kit from Gratia Design Co.
These are just a few of the many ideas, traditions, and resources available. May we all take advantage of this special time in the Church year to prepare Him room.
What are your favorite Advent traditions? Comment below – we’d love to hear them!
By Ivy Swann
ADOTS Communications Associate
news@adots.org