Advent 2024 begins Sunday December 1. As we prepare for the coming of the Christ child, many of us will begin to think about a special Advent practice. Here are some resources you might want to consider. These are all free but require either having an email address or access to the Internet to download materials.

Advent Wreath Video The Advent wreath, a visual symbol marking the Advent season’s progress, originated as a domestic devotion opportunity for household prayer and is now often included in community worship spaces. While there are many different ways to make an Advent wreath, Jerusalem Greer from Good News Gardens created this video making a wreath using items found in creation. Gather with friends, family, a small group, or others to watch this video and build your own wreath. You can find more information here.  An Advent wreath blessing is available here.

AdventWord is a global, online Advent calendar. Join an international community in prayer to explore the mystery and wonder of Advent! In its eighth year, Christians around the world are joined together as each day of Advent invites a focus on a particular word drawn from the lectionary. (https://adventword.org/#)

Advent Calendar Check out this awesome calendar which offers daily suggestions for engaging in the seven practices that encompass the Way of Love: turn, learn, pray, worship, bless, go, and rest. Use it as a standalone resource–keep it at your desk or on your fridge and refer to it every day!
( https://www.episcopalchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/EN-2024-Advent-Calendar.pdf )

Journeying the Way of Love, an Advent Curriculum from the Episcopal Church, explores the first two chapters of the Gospel of Luke which offers pattern for understanding how we can live the Way of Love as individuals, as families and friends, as a community, and out in the world. Although designed for small groups it could be adapted for home study with family. (https://www.episcopalchurch.org/journeying-way-love/)

Forward Movement offers several Advent meditation guides. It might be a too late to order thehard copy version, however, most are available in Kindle and Apple Books format. Check here for the Advent and Christmas offerings:
(https://www.forwardmovement.org/Products/CategoryCenter/FMCHR/Advent__Christmas.aspx)

Episcopal Relief & Development Advent Toolkit Join Episcopal Relief & Development this Advent to create, learn and pray. Their Advent Toolkit includes DIY projects for families and communities that will take you from Advent to Christmas and through Epiphany. (https://www.episcopalrelief.org/church-in-action/faith-formation/advent/)

Letter to Santa from United Thank Offering If you’re looking for a way to help a child you love think about their Christmas list differently then we’ve got a printable letter for you! This one-page letter offers fill in the blank areas. One way to show Santa how Nice you’ve been this year, is to tell him what you’re grateful for! Next, there are categories for gifts the child might like. (We love that it asks them to think about something to share…this can be a gift they donate or something they can share with a relative or neighbor.) (https://saintmarksjohnstown.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/letter-to-santa-with-gratitude-section.pdf)