Ideas for Advent


Christmas Lights, Secularism and the Season of Advent ...

Advent is a great season of the church year! Here are 15 ways you can make the most of it.
  1. Read a chapter of Luke each day. It’s 24 chapters long, so you’ll finish reading the reason for the celebration of Christmas on Christmas Eve.
  2. Get an Advent wreath and light the candles when you sit down to eat.
  3. Listen to Advent hymns: Listening to Christmas music is great, but you’ll find listening to Advent music to be a true blessing! Here are a few worth checking out. “Life Up Your Heads, You Everlasting Doors”, “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”, “Prepare the Royal Highway”, "On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”, "Comfort, Comfort Ye My People”, “Hark the Glad Sound”, and “O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide”.
  4. Fast: Go without breakfast, breakfast and lunch, or fast for an entire day. Fasting is a way to discipline your body and remind yourself that what you need more than food is the spiritual food God gives.
  5. Give alms: giving to those in need is an ancient practice of the church and has traditionally been part of observing Advent.  If you fast, you could use the money you saved on food and give that to someone in need or a worthy organization.
  6. Read through the hymns of Advent for your devotions.
  7. Read the accounts of the birth of Jesus and check all of the cross references in your Bible to see what more you can learn.
  8. Pray: Spend some extra time in prayer!
  9. Attend Advent midweek services: Join your church family in preparing your heart and mind to celebrate Christmas.
  10. Visit a shut in member and read God’s Word with them.
  11. Start (or continue) having devotions as a regular part of the day. Family devotions and individual devotions are important and Advent is a great time to begin this practice.
  12. Ask your neighbors how you can pray for them.
  13. Invite your neighbors to join you at church on Christmas Eve.
  14. Sing! Sing Advent hymns (or Christmas hymns) by yourself or with your family and/or friends.
  15. Stop and look around at the world around you and consider the love God has shown in redeeming us and redeeming all of creation. 

Happy Advent!
Pastor Meyer

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