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Advent Devotional 2021
BIG BOOK OF ADVENT
The Seminary’s 2021 “Big Book of Advent Devotionals—Year 2” gives you a valuable resource for personal and corporate Spiritual formation during the Advent season. Each section includes multiple biblical passages from the daily lectionary, reflections based on those passages, and accompanying prayers based on each reflection.
DOWNLOAD THE BIG BOOK OF ADVENT—YEAR 2 (WORD Doc)
Renaming the Advent Candles
In this liturgy, the Rev. Jeff Eddings '08 renames the traditional Advent candles of hope, peace, love, and joy to spaciousness, contemplation, commitment, and imagination. Consider using these weekly readings this year as you light the Advent candles in your church.
Awaiting His Advent Actively
In her blog post "Awaiting His Advent Actively," Dr. Edith Humphrey, William F. Orr Professor Emerita, writes "Advent, or the Fast of the Nativity, is a time of waiting: preparing for when we will joyfully celebrate, yet again, Christ’s nativity (His first Advent!) and waiting with patience for when He will come again in glory at his second promised Advent. Consider this stirring and demanding passage from Colossians 3:4-11, prescribed for Divine Liturgy this week, that captures the kind of “active waiting” to which we are called."
Advent Hymn
The Rev. Dr. Graham D. S. Deans '06 has written a new Advent hymn to the tune of Menuet Gothique. Use this as a congregational hymn, sung by your church choir, or even special music.
We also encourage you to use these resources, previously included in our Advent Resource Kits.
THE BRIGHTEST STAR: CHILDREN’S SERMON
The Rev. Jeremy Collins ’14 shares this children’s sermon for use in your Christmas Eve or Christmas Day worship service.
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT! A STUDY OF MICAH
Just what kind of savior is Jesus—the kind we want, or the kind we need? In this brief lesson from the prophet Micah, James A. Kelso Professor Emertus of Hebrew and Old Testament the Rev. Dr. Steven Tuell helps us understand the kind of distance Jesus bridges in order to set us on the right path. Consider incorporating it into your celebration of communion during Advent.
ADVENT MUSIC FOR GUITAR
The SYI Guitar Hymnal is available for a wide range of guitar players and musical environments. The SYI Guitar Hymnal coordinates with the 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal. This resource presents as many as five versions of 33 different Advent/Christmas hymns and facilitates guitar accompaniment of congregational hymns in neo-traditional worship, in addition to blended or contemporary settings. Visit this music resource to see all that's available! This free resource is a service of the Seminary's Miller Summer Youth Institute. .
ACCESS ADVENT MUSIC FOR GUITAR
"WHAT IS ADVENT?" VIDEO
Share this video with your youth group, Bible study, or congregation to help answer the question "What is Advent?"
A PICTORIAL NARRATIVE OF THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JESUS
This Advent slideshow contains many historic lantern slides of Christmas-related scenes from the Holy Land collected by former PTS professor of biblical archaeology Melvin Grove Kyle. Use this PowerPoint slideshow, which includes captions from the Bible, as a background for your Advent worship services, Christmas fellowship gatherings, or Sunday School classes. Pairing the show with the Borys Heade Wassail Quire Christmas carols provides a festively meaningful atmosphere at your Advent and Christmas services and celebrations.
DOWNLOAD THE POWERPOINT After clicking "Download the PowerPoint," be sure to "Save As" to enable editing and picture viewing.
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