Advent at Home

This Advent, in our waiting for Jesus to come, you are invited to pray the Prayer of Examen. Together we will use this prayer tool to help us to become more aware of God’s presence in our everyday lives. Click here to find instructions on a downloadable Prayer of Examen bookmark.

Click here for to see Pastor Carla offer a short teaching summary on the Prayer of Examen.

Week One: HOPE

Scripture Readings on HOPE

The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 'In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land.' - Jeremiah 33:14- 15

See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.

Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn. - Isaiah 60:2,3

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

As you light the first Candle declare, Jesus is our HOPE.

Suggested discussions and activities:

Plant an Amarylis plant. Watch and wait as God brings life

Week Two: PEACE

Scripture Readings on PEACE

He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace. - Micah 5:4-5

Zachariah speaking of his son John.
"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.” - Luke 1:76-79

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace. - Ephesians 2:13-14a

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Light the first candle saying, Jesus is our HOPE then today’s candle declaring Jesus is our PEACE.

• What is peace? Describe it in terms of what it looks like when it is absent and what it looks like when it is present.
• In what way is Jesus the “Prince of Peace?” When have you experienced Jesus’ peace in your life?

Week Three: JOY

Scripture Readings on JOY

Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
    from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.
5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
    let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
    for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Isaiah 12: 2-6

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Philippians 4:4, 5

Light the first and second candles saying, Jesus is our HOPE, Jesus is our PEACE then today’s candle declaring Jesus is our JOY.

• The angels comforted the frightened shepherds out on a dark hillside with Good News of great joy. How was this a message of joy for them?
• How does the coming of Jesus bring you joy?

Advent Calendar

Looking for more ways to celebrate Advent?

Cick here to download our Advent calendar.