Advent is the hope-filled, expectant waiting for the coming of Christ.  Advent, which comes from the Latin adventus, means "coming".  We wait to celebrate what has already happened in history - the birth of Jesus, the Christ - and we wait for what has not yet fully occurred - heaven on earth, which we only glimpse now but which will come to full fruition when Jesus comes again.

The season begins four Sundays before December 25th, when we mark the birth of Christ.  Note that, because we count back from the fixed date of December 25th each year to find the start of the season, the dates for Advent change.  This means those store bought Advent calendars that start on December 1st do not apply!  Often the first Sunday of Advent is the last Sunday in November, but that is not always the case!  A better way to daily mark the days in Advent is to have a Jesse Tree (see below) where the sweep of the biblical story and what God has been up to from Genesis to the birth of Christ is recollected in story, symbol and prayer.

Advent actually began in the church as a time of preparation for the season of Epiphany, the third most important celebration in the early church after the Paschal (Jesus' death and resurrection) and Pentecost.  Epiphany used to include the marking of Jesus' birth, along with the more important marking of his divinity and mission made manifest in the visit of the Magi and especially his baptism.  It would be more than appropriate if our Advent preparations included a view to the season of Epiphany as well as to Christmas.

The colour the church uses for Advent is blue (once purple but now blue to distinguish it from Lent).  Blue is for hope, like the blue that lightens the dark night at the dawning of the day.  Blue is for sorrow, the sorrow of the world that we bring the hope of Advent to bear upon.  Blue is also a colour associated with royalty.

Amongst others, you will find below resources for a candle lighting liturgy for Sundays, suggestions for Jesse Tree stories and symbols and ways to celebrate the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th.  We pray these resources act as guide for you all in marking a holy Advent, to the glory of God.