The first Sunday of Advent typically occurs the weekend after Thanksgiving – not true for 2017. This year it was Christ the King, or the last Sunday after the Epiphany, between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (which seem to each last a week now). So the Christmas rush to shop seems to have preempted the time to slow down, pause, and prepare for this season of waiting and hope. But perhaps, all the shopping will be complete and we can truly settle in for a reflective Advent.

As Advent 1 (December 3rd) approaches find a way to set aside some time each day to reflect upon this holy season. Whether your practice is a solitary one or one to do with some faithful partners, here are some ideas that have crossed my desk these past few weeks:

• An Online Calendar for Adults is from Loyola Press, offering a reflection each day.
• Download the leader guide for Preparing to Become the Beloved Community from the Episcopal Church. This resource invites the church to prepare to embrace Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation and healing. On this site you will find a poster and a full set of resources to guide community prayer, reflection, and action.
• The Anglican Communion, the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA, and Virginia Theological Seminary have partnered to share #AdventWord again this year. You can sign up for the daily Advent Calendar reflection and participate in the Facebook postings and other social media sites.
• Plus Building Faith is a one-stop-shop for plenty of Advent ideas.

Every Monday I will be posting reflections on the coming Sunday’s lections, along with reflection questions. You can find (and subscribe) them on my other website, The Prayer Book Guide to Christian Education. 

Lastly, here is my annual Advent Ideas & Activities resource for Year B.