Do you want to add meaning and joy to your Advent journey, as you prepare your heart for Christmastide in hopeful expectation? Online resources can provide some inspiration in the midst of your busyness
ADVENTWORD FROM SSJE
AdventWord offers a great way to reflect on one little word each day, and respond with images and prayers that speak to your heart. A few ways you can use AdventWord:
- Subscribe by email: sign up here and each morning during Advent, you will receive an email with an image, an Advent word and a short meditation.
- Follow #AdventWord on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and connect with for inspiration and reflections from around the world.
- Help create a global Advent calendar online by posting your visual reflection of the daily #AdventWord on Instagram and Twitter. Upload and tag your individual photo with the hashtag #AdventWord and the word tag of the day.
D365.ORG DAILY DEVOTIONALS
At d365.org, daily online devotions take on a seasonal theme beginning with first Sunday in Advent. Subscribe to the website to receive a daily reminder or download the iTunes app d365 Daily Devotions by Passport, Inc. This service is a collaborative initiative of the Youth Ministries offices of The Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church USA, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
CANDLEPRESS WEEKLY CALENDAR
CandlePress.com offers resources for all seasons, including Advent. You can download a weekly calendar for families to leave on their table or in a gathering space, with tips for getting started, a story, some things to watch for, and discussion starters.
PRAYING IN COLOR ADVENT CALENDARS
Praying in Color offers adults and children a way to mark the day-by-day journey to Christmas by daily praying & drawing with a calendar template. The author says, “When I draw, color, and doodle my own Advent calendar, I feel like I’m building something rather than tearing it apart. It is a countup to Christmas, not a countdown. At the end of the 20-some days, the finished Advent calendar is a colorful reminder of what was in my head and on my heart. It is a record of my spiritual journey through Advent.” Three calendar templates are offered, along with suggestions for ways to pray with doodling. View and download Praying in Color Advent Calendars.
BLACK & WHITE ILLUSTRATED ADVENT DEVOTIONAL CALENDAR
The annual Advent Devotional Calendar designed by Thomas Mousin and Merry Watters and published on their website is a simple calendar that suggests a scripture reading and devotion for each day of Advent. It’s easy to print and use at home.
EPISCOPAL RELIEF & DEVELOPMENT ADVENT CALENDAR & RESOURCES
Episcopal Relief & Development has a printable Advent Calendar as part an Advent Toolkit of resources that center around Gifts for Life.
NOT QUITE SURE WHAT ADVENT IS? STRUGGLING TO EXPLAIN IT?
The video “Advent in 2 Minutes” from bustedhalo.com may be what you need!