Wednesday, November 28, 2007

advent in 2007: updated

It’s Advent, four weeks when the church starts to prepare for the Christ. It’s probably my favourite season of the church year. This year our preparation as a church will include;

a) giving everyone a wee glass bead, one per week, with the words “hope”, “joy”, “peace”, “love” glued onto their base. Beautiful enough to hold and tend, small enough to carry in one’s pocket.

b) digging out the advent journals again (8 journals, each journal is numbered and different and released into the church community for the first week of Advent. When you get a journal, you have 3 days to write in it what preparing for Christmas means to you, and can then pass it on to anyone you like. If you have them on Sunday, you’re invited to bring them along to be read in community).

c) using these short Advent videos.

d) offering a Blue Christmas worship experience, Wednesday, December 18, 7:30 pm, in the church foyer, for those who need to explore life’s blues in the presence of a babe about to become a refugee.

e) using this on-line Advent calendar at family meal times. (Hat tip to Olive Drane aka Clown Barni.

Posted by steve at 09:22 PM

5 Comments

  1. This sounds great. Any chance of releasing an advent journal as an e-mail to be forwarded or as a blog.

    Comment by Jack — November 30, 2007 @ 6:59 am

  2. jack,
    a few years ago i initiated the advent gridblog, but this year i find it hard enough to do advent well among my local community. so i need your help. tell me more about your idea and how you could see it going?

    steve

    Comment by steve — November 30, 2007 @ 7:25 am

  3. Steve,
    Not sure what gridblog is/was, but I simply thought you could have an electronic journal in that you release a journal by e-mailing anyone who uses this blog with the instructions and they add their advent relections etc then forward it to someone else. After 8 contributions the last person could send it back to you and the whole thing be displayed on this site perhaps? I guess it does rely on people taking part and forwarding it on, but then I guess so does a hard copy. Maybe you could send out several people initially to increase the odds of one getting back? Just an idea, I know you must be really busy – must be full on keeping up with daily posts, marking I gather and looking after your own parish. Enjoy the weekend and don’t work too hard, Jack

    Comment by Jack — November 30, 2007 @ 5:31 pm

  4. I just recieved the card and ‘hope’ bead in the mail. It arrived this morning when I was really needing some hope. Please thank the Mrs for thinking of me. It is amazing how an idea can spread outside the bounds of church and touch someone.
    Blessings to you.
    Marion

    Comment by Marion — December 7, 2007 @ 11:42 am

  5. steve – thanks for the links. i’m a bit late to the party but great videos and have been enjoying paperless christmas which i had come across via another source. hope you are well

    Comment by jonny — December 11, 2007 @ 9:01 am

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