Advent Resources
As Advent has begun, here is a list of resources to help shape your longing and hope this season:
Advent Resources:
Church of the Apostles has its very own prayer guide for use this Advent. It contains Morning and Evening liturgies for each day of Advent and Christmastide, a special Christmas Day liturgy, and, new this year, a guide to writing your own lament. Pick up your copy at church this Sunday or access it digitally at the link here.
Check out “The Advent Project,” a fabulous source for those who have been observing Advent for decades and those who are new to the Church calendar. Under the “Resources” tab are a Bible reading plan, suggested Advent activities for children, a curated list of poetry (don’t miss Christina Rosetti’s “Sunday Before Advent”), and much more!
My personal favorite Advent daily devotional: Biola University’s Center for Christianity, Culture, and the Arts presents “The Advent Project.”
Few hold the tension between darkness and light like Kate Bowler. Download her past Advent guides or sign up for her Substack for this year’s Advent devotional.
For the art-lovers in our midst, subscribe to the Visual Commentary on Scripture’s “Exhibition of the Week.” Each week of Advent, they will send subscribers seven works of art + commentary for each day of the week.
Books Worth Reading:
Tish Harrison Warren’s Advent: The Season of Hope, from the Fullness of Time series on the Church Calendar.
Fleming Rutledge’s masterful Advent work, Advent: The Once & Future Coming of Jesus Christ.
The collection of short stories, poems, essays, sermons: Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas.
From Anglican Compass, A Thrill of Hope, a book on celebrating Advent in the home with recipes, readings, and traditions for your entire family.
Check out this free PDF of the Advent chapter of Teach Us to Pray: Scripture-Centered Family Worship through the Year.
Combine Scripture, hymnody, and classic artwork in this devotional from Tsh Oxenreider, Shadow & Light.
We picked this one up as an Advent companion to our favorite children’s Bible: The Biggest Story Advent.
Evan Welcher meditates on longing in his Advent devotional, written in the wake of his wife’s cancer diagnosis and ultimate death.
Music Worth Listening To:
Although every loudspeaker you pass over the next four weeks will be blasting Christmas music, there are so many wonderful Advent songs that reflect the expectant waiting and longing for Christ’s coming. To that end, enjoy An Apostles Advent.
Additionally, the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship provides “a list of songs to shape the Advent season.”
Wishing all of you a sacred and expectant Advent season,
Bree+