Advent begins this Sunday. From the songs to the symbols, the lights to the loves, it is by far my favorite time of the year. In years past I've suggested ways to lead your family (church and home) faithfully and meaningfully into the story of the season. I really don't have anything new this year, but I thought I'd list a few links to past posts and some other helpful resources that may stir your imagination.
You may wonder why we should observe Advent at all. Here are a few posts giving reason as to why it is a good practice:
- Why Advent 1
- Why Advent 2
- Why the Church Calendar? (This is not specific to Advent, but very helpful.)
- The Season of Advent (This is my go to website for information on the Church Year.)
If you are like how I was a few years ago, having never observed Advent before and really having no clue what to do or how to lead my family, here are a few very practical resources that may help you:
- Advent Resources (kid friendly)
- (More) Advent Resources (Glenn Packiam's roundup of resources from years past)
And finally, I thought I'd take this opportunity to plug a very fun Christmas music collective that has been gaining some traction the past couple of years.
- Merry Christmas. Good Night. 1
- Merry Christmas. Good Night. 2
- Stay tuned for the release of Merry Christmas. Good Night. 3.
Here is a video of the story behind my song "Glory in the Heights" from Merry Christmas. Good Night. 1. I intended for this video to be a Call to Worship or sorts. May we enter fully into the hope, peace, joy, and love of Advent.