Wonderful Advent Prayers from Scotland

Friend of this blog, David McCarthy (aka Gadget Vicar), vicar of St. Silas church in Glasgow, Scotland has posted a link to an Advent prayer blog created by women of his church. There is a brief Scripture and prayer for each day. It is wonderful.

Check it out!

Here’s Advent Day One’s entry.

Day One

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

Father help me in dark days to see you light and to take pleasure in the day to day, in the moment, and give you praise for my very breath. Make the desires of my heart your desires, whatever is true, pure, lovely, admirable, right, excellent and most worthy of praise, may my desires be. Strip away everything else until I am all those things without even thinking or trying, until they are my very being, in harmony with you.

Amen.

AllRecipes.Com Christmas Cookie Countdown

I love to bake Christmas cookies.   AllRecipes.Com is a great site for cookie recipes.  But this year it’s even better.  I just discovered they are having a Christmas cookie countdown.  25 Christmas cookie recipes from around the world.

It makes kind of a fun Advent calendar… So far they’ve featured recipes from the U.S., Sweden, Italy and Denmark.

Check it out!

Advent Meditation Booklet — daily entries posted at Anglican Mainstream

There are quite a few Advent resources I’ve been remiss in posting. Today I’m trying to catch up a bit.

On Sunday (Nov 30th), Anglican Mainstream posted news of an Advent Meditation Booklet from the Church of the Resurrection in Tampa Florida.

We enclose an Advent Meditation Booklet from the Church of the Resurrection in Florida. The meditations for this week are published here. We will post each day’s meditation each day.

Church of the Resurrection
12720 N. Florida Ave
Tampa, FL 33612

Dear Friends In Christ:

For the last few years we as a parish have published an Advent Meditation Booklet or an Activity Calendar for each day of the weeks of Advent. Again this year we have combined Scripture and Meditation with an Activity that can be done by people of All ages. The lessons are taken from the Daily Lectionary from the Anglican, Roman and Lectionaries along with the Common Lectionary to offer a full flavor of the Advent Scriptures

Typically this will goes out via e-mail each week on Saturday Evening and we hope you will share it as this has become something that is used not just in our parish but by many friends around the world.

May your advent Journey be one where you discover anew God the Father, who is the source of all life, all truth, all hope and all beauty. May it be a time where the Christ, finds a home anew in your hearts and homes and may the Spirit, who gives new life supports us in this journey day by day.

Father Kevin
Advent 2008

The first week’s meditations are posted at Anglican Mainstream, and they are also posting each day’s meditation separately.

Day 3’s meditation is here, and I’m copying it below just so readers can have an idea what this resource is like.

Tues Dec 2

Is 11:1-10 1     Thes 2:1-12      Luke 20:9-18

TUESDAY of Advent I – The image from Isaiah is powerful again as we are reminded that the shoot out of Jesse’s root becomes a branch that then is infused by the spirit of the Lord: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear. Who of us do not need such gifts? This Advent we are reminded that the Jesse Tree has roots which calls us to a kingdom life where there is peace, and children can play in the presence of serpents without harm!

PRAYER: Father, slow me down so I won’t miss what’s important.

ACTIVITY – Let family members or friends know—in person, by phone, by note—how much you care about them.

I’d love to hear about other Advent devotional booklets published by churches… send an e-mail or post a comment!

Advent devotionals at Transfigurations

As regular readers here will know, one of the blogs I love for its devotionals is Pat Dague’s Transfigurations.

Most of Pat’s entries are news stories.  But every day, or almost every day, she will post an illustrated devotional.  Typically during Advent, her devotionals focus on Advent themes and they make a great resource.  You will see some of Pat’s previous devotionals showing up here in our entries.  Unfortunately, Pat’s blogging software doesn’t allow her to set up categories.  So, this year, I’ve decided to start a compilation of all Pat’s Advent devotional entries.  They’re just too good a resource to miss.

Nov 30th:  Blest be the King Whose Coming is in the Name of God
Dec 1st:  He Comes to Us
Dec 2nd: The Season of Advent

I’ll try to update this regularly.  Thanks Pat for the wonderful gems you dig up!

Anglican Advent Carnival – Update

I linked this several weeks ago when I was starting some “preparing for Advent” posts here at Lent & Beyond, but I’ve been negligent to post an update.

Kerry at Ten O’Clock Scholar has posted her 2008 Version of the Anglican Advent Carnival.   Go check out the various links and ideas for celebrating Advent with your family or friends.  Add a comment there about how you celebrate Advent, or a link to an Advent meditation you’ve found encouraging…  Let’s make it an excellent resource!

Also, don’t miss Kerry’s two other recent Advent posts:

Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day

Advent Book Suggestions

A nice online Advent Calendar with lots of family activities

One of the Advent Resources I’ve been most highly recommending is the awesome and incredibly comprehensive online Advent calendar at the Teaching Mom website.  Unfortunately, that’s not been updated for 2008 and some of the links are outdated making it a bit cumbersome to use.

One of the links at Teaching Mom’s site gives a nice alternative that has been updated for 2008.  It’s the “Christian Christmas Advent Calendar“.  Each day includes a Bible Reading, an Activity, a craft, various recipes, and a hymn.

Here are a few other of the best online Advent calendars I’ve found (all updated for 2008)

EWTN

Annie’s Advent Calendar (this was Teaching Mom’s inspiration…)

A new Advent link

I’m adding this to the sidebar in the Advent section.

Kendall Harmon’s set up an Advent category over at T19.

More Jesse Tree links!

Our “All About Jesse Trees” compilation of links to various resources has been a huge hit and has been far and away the most popular of all our Advent entries and resources so far this year.

I’ve just found another similar list of Jesse Tree resources, (they kindly link to Lent & Beyond, thanks!) which includes some beautiful pictures of Jesse Trees.

Take a look

I especially love the felt Jesse Tree banner pictured here.

You can find out how to make one like it at Festal Celebrations, which has to be one of the best Advent craft sites on the web!

I’ve updated our Jesse Tree resource post, but both these links deserved a separate top level entry.

A blessed Advent to all!

Perfect for Advent: David Ould’s meditations on Handel’s Messiah

(updated with two new entries)

One of the friends of this blog, Aussie Anglican priest and blogger David Ould, has recently been posting a series on Handel’s Messiah over at Stand Firm. We thought it would make a great addition to Lent & Beyond’s collection of Advent Resources and Links. Here are the various posts:

Messiah: Isaiah 40

Messiah: The God who Judges

Messiah – the Promised Christ

Messiah – Annunciation to the Shepherds

Messiah – The Good Shepherd

Messiah – the reason for the Incarnation

Messiah – the cross

Messiah – Resurrection & Ascension

Don’t forget: You can find all of Lent & Beyond’s 2008 Advent posts here.

“Advent is not supposed to be fluffy” – a reflection on Mark 13:24-37

I found the following meditation about Advent on the Center for Excellence in Preaching’s website.  Challenging words, but helpful in reminding us how to put the “hard” Advent readings into perspective.

First Sunday in Advent, November 30, 2008

Gospel Text: Mark 13:24-37

Most people associate Christmas with watchfulness. But to put it mildly, the watchfulness Mark 13 talks about is a far cry from children watching for a glimpse of reindeer in the sky on December 24 or the watchful expectation of children observing their parents putting packages under the Christmas tree and wondering just what might be in a box of that particular size and shape. The month of December may be about expectations and watchfulness but in the popular imagination, what we watch for are happy things: Santa Claus, reindeer, presents, family and friends we’ve not seen for a while pulling into the driveway for a holiday get-together. Advent begins with those passages where Jesus also encourages watchfulness but what he points to would not count as cheery in the minds of most. Jesus points to the end of all things and although believers may regard that return of Jesus as a good, hopeful, and finally comforting reality to which they look forward, many in the world may be simply undone by that return. The church has always insisted that Advent begin not inside a Hallmark card but up on the windswept peak of the Mount of Olives from which Jesus pointed forward to some very ultimate and final things. This is definitely NOT the biblical equivalent of holiday Muzak playing in the background of the mall. But maybe just that has been the church’s point all along—Advent is not supposed to be fluffy and sentimental. Our culture long since forgot that. Has the church?

From here. (emphasis mine)

The CEP website has similar reflections for each Sunday in Advent, following the Year B RCL Lectionary readings.  Very very worth a visit.  You will probably see us post quite a few of their resources.

Why Advent is Important — learning to live in God’s Time

I just discovered  the “Story-formed Calendar” blog, devoted to helping people live in rhythm with the liturgical calendar.  In the “about” page of the blog, there’s a description of what it means to live in God’s time which is just marvelous, and I think describes extremely well why Advent is so important:

In God’s Time

God’s people have always been asked to live in God’s time.

Noah – waited for God’s timing for rain

Abraham – lived in God’s time waiting for a son

Moses – was told to watch for God’s time when the pillar of cloud/fire moved

David – trusted God’s timing to make him king

The prophets spoke forth God’s words, know that the timing of what they said was in God’s hands. The Jewish nation set up a calendar that kept them within the story of what God had done in their history. Celebrations, observances and festivals pointed to the fact that they lived in God’s time.

Even Jesus trusted God’s time. From beginning His public work to “the hour is near” and “it is finished”, He lived within the hours and minutes, days and months of God.

You can read the whole thing here.

Advent helps us to understand God’s time.  We review the prophecies of Christ’s first coming, and those about His second coming.  We are called to step back from the rush of the “holiday season” and reflect on God’s promises and purposes.  May the Lord teach us to trust Him more deeply and live in confidence of His promises and their fulfillment in His time as we wait on Him and spend time apart with Him this Advent.
You can find all the Advent posts at the Story-Formed Calendar blog here.  This looks like an excellent resource!

Another creative homemade Advent calendar

This one is made of toilet paper tubes and finger paints.

I’ll keep adding to the list of Creative Advent Calendars whenever I come across something that looks fun and unique… feel free to give us links or ideas in the comments!

If you browse around the “Bringing Good Home” blog I’ve linked in this post, you’ll find lots more Advent ideas.

I liked this paper plate Angel craft idea

Preparing for Advent: A reflection on Isaiah and Simeon

One of my favorite new Advent discoveries is the Story-Formed Calendar blog. I know nothing about its author, but there are some lovely reflective meditations on this blog, and some excellent prayer resources for those who seek to follow the liturgical calendar.

Here is an excerpt from a meditation there on Isaiah & Simeon:

Last year, after reading through passages in Isaiah and then Luke 1 & 2 with our small group, I was struck with these two men – Isaiah and Simeon. They stand out to me almost as bookends of the Advent story.

One a prophet
One a devout man
Both looking.

One tells of the Messiah’s coming
One reads those prophecies
Both groan to see the fulfillment.

One lived under numerous rulers
One lived in the empire of Caesar
Both awaited a new King.

One spoke the words God gave him
One heard the words God gave him
Both lived with silence.

One told a nation
One blessed a mother
Both longed for Shalom

Read the full text here.

Lord, strengthen in our hearts a desire to wait on You, to listen to Your Word and to hunger for Your return this coming Advent season. Teach me to live in hope and expectation of all You have promised.

More on Jesse Trees

A follow-up to my previous compilation of Jesse Tree resources.

I was going through the comments at Simple Mom – a site I linked in my previous post on Jesse Trees.  There are 40+ comments on the Jesse Tree post with a lot of great ideas there about Jesse Trees and family Advent traditions.

One comment in particular caught my eye.  A family was having trouble finding a Jesse Tree devotional that was well suited to their children, so they wrote their own devotionals and blogged it.

You can find the blog and the daily Jesse Tree readings / devotionals here:  Our Jesse Tree

It’s really fun to see how blogging leads to sharing resources and ideas.  I love it!

Advent Links: the Lent & Beyond Advent Resources Compilation

Last updated: Dec 1 2008, 19:00 GMT

Update: Here’s the 2008 Advent Carnival post at A Ten O’Clock Scholar. Head over there for some links to nice Advent meditations and ideas about how to celebrate Advent as a family. Don’t miss also Kerry’s posts on Celebrating Saint Nicholas Day, or Advent Book Ideas

Wishing all of our readers a truly blessed Advent! — KB

***

Some new links for 2008:

I’ll soon be adding more links and putting them in proper categories, but this is a start. Most of these are not new sites, just new to me.

TeachingMom’s Advent Calendar you MUST-VISIT!

Reformed Church in America’s Advent, Christmas & Epiphany Page — includes Daily Jesse Tree Family Devotions

An online Jesse Tree Advent calendar

O Night Divine blog, see especially the Preparing for Advent & Christmas post and the Celebrate with Crafts page

Center for Excellence in Preaching: Advent 2008 Resources

Prayer & Worship Resources for Advent

Holiday Cookie Recipes – over 600 cookie recipes! Scary… (for one’s waistline, that is!)

Subversive Influence blog – had a special Advent 2007 blog series. Some of the material looks like it might be very good, but I’ve not yet checked it out too carefully. Nor do I know if there will be a 2008 Advent series.

Our Grace Journey: Inductive Bible Studies for Advent (looks very good!)

American Bible Society Advent Resources page (includes short Advent devotional series for Matthew, Mark & Luke)

Full Homely Divinity: Advent

Advent 2008 blog — the entries will be focused on Isaiah

The Story-Formed calendar blog (Advent entries). I just discovered this blog devoted to resources for the liturgical year. There are some lovely Advent meditations and resources. Very worth a visit!

***

Here are some new L&B compilations posts that link to excellent Advent resources:

New Advent Links for 2008 #1 (this includes a number of the links above, plus some others)

Creative Advent Calendars

Advent Links & Resources: All About Jesse Trees

A Cool Family Advent Idea: An Advent Chain

David Ould’s meditations on Handel’s Messiah

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ADVENT LINKS: the Lent & Beyond Advent Resources Compilation

This is a compilation of some of the best online Advent resources I’ve found in the past three years as well as some new discoveries in recent days. Enjoy! Please leave a comment or send an e-mail (AnglicanPrayer@gmail.com) to let us know what you find helpful (or not), or especially if you have other resources to suggest.

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Table of Contents

1. Lent & Beyond Links

2. Lectionary Resources, Advent Prayers & Liturgies

3. Online Advent Calendars

4. Advent Worship Resources and Online Devotionals

5. The Advent Antiphons

6. Other Advent Resource Compilations (lots more lists of links!)

7. Advent Resources for Children and Families

8. Articles about Advent

9. Blogs and Bloggers

10. Miscellaneous (especially music and art links)