Planning for Advent Presented by Taylor W. Burton-Edwards Director of Worship Resources GBOD

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1 Presented by Taylor W. Burton-Edwards Director of Worship Resources GBOD

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12 Informed Inspired Challenged Moved/SENT Changed/Healed Comforted Initiated/connected

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18 Historically: Scary, thrilling, admonitory, penitential

19 Historically: The Culmination of All Things in Christ (eschatology) including the Second Coming, Great Tribulation and the Last Judgment, with John the Baptist s ministry and Mary s song/prophecy pointing forward to these things.

20 Historically: A secondary season of baptismal preparation, with baptism at Christmas and/or Epiphany

21 Historically: 7 weeks, parallel with Lent, from just after All Saints through December 24 (day), until shortened to 4 weeks in the West by Pope Gregory VII in the 11 th century

22 What Happened to Advent in the West? 1. Catechumenate (and so purpose of extended baptismal preparation) faded away 2. Saints Days overshadowed the Sundays 3. The basic readings were NOT changed so still 7 weeks of related materials 4. Became a penitential season with eschatological overtones (but not center) leading into a joyous season (Christmas)

23 What Happened to Advent in the West? 5. In the US through the 19 th century many Protestants observed days more than seasons (Christmas, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Civic Holidays, Denominational Program Days, Thanksgiving) 6. Aesthetic movement in early 20 th century restored Advent, but primarily as preparation /lead-in to Christmas 7. Christmas Retail-Industrial-Vacation Complex

24 Results: 1) United Methodists have restored Advent in official resourcing as of 1989 hymnal/1992 BOW 2) Many Protestant resources for Advent frame it as a time to simplify or contemplate or prepare one s heart for Christmas a season also typically not kept because of holiday/vacation schedules 3) Themes for American Protestantized Advent often have more to do with winter, childbirth or journey to Bethlehem than the culmination of all things in Christ

25 Results: 4) Congregations, pastors/musicians and end up crossways about music, preaching and the decoration of the church during the four weeks normally designated as Advent 5) Bottom line: We end up often with a lose-lose-lose situation. Pastors and leaders trying to be faithful the the purposes of Advent and Christmas are forced into a compromise position on both. That compromise, in turn, tends not to give either season the time or focus each requires. And this means the congregation gets little if any formation in eschatology or incarnation.

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27 So what can we do?

28 Eschatology: The culmination of all things in Christ as prelude to the celebration of the incarnation Baptismal/(re)affirmational preparation Incarnation and the disruptions/aftermath that entails Baptism or (re)affirmation at Christmas, Epiphany, New Year and/or Baptism of the Lord

29 Apocalyptic: The Age to Come Breaking into This Present Age Joy, Awe, Wonder, and Threat

30 Informed Doctrine Inspired Hope Practicing Change in Light of the End Informed Doctrine Initiation/Deepening of Commitment to Christ Challenge to Live the Way of God s Kingdom

31 Start? Normal OR count back from date of baptism or (re)affirmation as far as Sunday after All Saints Ongoing: Lectionary OR stepwise progress week to week End: Segue into Christmas (Christmas Eve OR earlier) Start? Christmas Eve OR earlier Ongoing: Normal OR Radical Lectionary or your own stepwise plan leading to baptism End: Segue into Season after Epiphany and calling new persons to prepare for discipleship

32 Which of these will be your better focus this year or might both? Realitistically, how much time do you need to develop the basis you choose AND still give Christmas the time it needs for its focus? Suggestion: If you re doing baptismal preparation as part of this season, give yourself at least 6-7 weeks from beginning to when you set the date of baptisms. Eschatology/ Baptismal preparation Baptism Advent Starts Jan 11 Nov 23/30 Jan 4 Nov 23 Jan 1 Nov 16/23 Dec 25 Nov 16

33 Which of these focuses (or both) will you address this year? How much time do you need to address it/them given schedules? Suggestion: Try for at least four services (including Christmas Eve), where you know most folks are likely to be present for at least three INCLUDING the baptisms/ (re)affirmation). Incarnation/aftermath and baptism/(re)affirmation Three Foci: Celebrating the birth Contemplating the Incarnation Recognizing the aftermath All with implications for baptism

34 Regular Advent November 30: God coming down to deliver/restore (Isaiah/Psalm) and make us holy (Isaiah/I Cor), but also with terrifying signs (Isaiah/Mark) December 7: Here Is Your God (Isaiah/Mark) who brings comfort (Isaiah/Psalm) and who sets creation ablaze to make all things new (2 Peter) December 14: Prepare the way (John, Thessalonians) for coming favor, vengeance and comfort (Isaiah, Psalm/Magnificat) Eschatology/ Baptismal preparation Revised Common Lectionary Themes Dec 21: A mystery disclosed (Romans/Luke), the house of David fulfilled (2 Samuel. Magnificat/Luke),

35 Regular Advent Anchor Images/Taglines a) Should be clear on Advent 1 b) Should connect across the season in some way Eschatology/ Baptismal preparation Revised Common Lectionary Themes Tear open the heavens and come down Isaiah 64 Restore us, O God of Hosts Psalm 80 Stay awake, on watch for God Mark 13

36 Regular Advent Anchor Images/Taglines Tear open the heavens and come down Isaiah 64 Apocalyptic: The Age to Come Breaking into This Present Age Desperate hope Where we need to be Restore us, O God of Hosts Psalm 80 Stay awake, on watch for God Mark 13 Sober Confession Where we are Vigilance How we ll wait and get ready

37 Regular Advent Anchor Images/Taglines Tear open the heavens and come down Isaiah 64 Restore us, O God of Hosts Psalm 80 Stay awake, on watch for God Mark 13 Desperate hope to hope revealed Sober Confession to Mary s Song/New life conceived Vigilance to Receiving with Joy

38 Desperate hope to hope revealed Sober Confession to Mary s Song/New life conceived Vigilance to Receiving with Joy Rejoicing in hope to hope amidst opposition New life dawns to new life a threatened threat Receiving with joy to joyous defiance Note: Baptism where it makes most sense in this flow rejoicing/contemplation/threat AND when folks will be there!

39 Extended Advent Use complementary series (rather than semi-continuous) for OT/Psalm November 9: Get ready for the day of the Lord (Amos/1 Thessalonians/Matthew) Eschatology/ Baptismal preparation Revised Common Lectionary Themes November 16: Dies irae, dies illa is coming (Zephaniah), so live as in the day, not the thick darkness (I Thessalonians, Matthew) November 23: Christ the King upon his Final Throne (Matthew, Ephesians) as shepherd (Ezekiel/Matthew)

40 Extended Advent Anchor Images/Taglines a) Should be clear on Advent 1 b) Should connect across the season in some way Eschatology/ Baptismal preparation Revised Common Lectionary Themes Why do you want the Day of the Lord? Amos 5 We do not want you to be uninformed I Thessalonians 4 Be prepared/get ready Matthew 25

41 Extended Advent Anchor Images/Taglines Why do you want the Day of the Lord? Amos 5 From paralyzing fear to joyous awe We do not want you to be uninformed I Thessalonians 4 Be prepared/get ready Matthew 25 Ignorance to revelation From Getting Things in Order to Receiving with Joy

42 From paralyzing fear to joyous awe Ignorance to revelation From Getting Things in Order to Receiving with Joy From awe to encountering the threat to and from Christ Contemplating the mystery to countering resistance Receiving with joy to joyous defiance Note: If you do extended Advent you may want to use John rather than Luke for Christmas Eve

43 Other Options: 1: A Modest Proposal -- Start Advent two weeks early (November 16), then start Christmas celebration (at least music and decorations) on regular Advent 3 (December 14, Joy Sunday) Pro: Four full weeks of celebrating BOTH Advent AND Christmas (more or less) Pro: No changes to any lectionaries. Con: Christmas Season is still shorted on doctrinal and formational content because of Christmastime

44 Other Options: Pro: 4 full weeks each of Advent and Christmas Season 2. A Radical Proposal: Start Advent 2 weeks early, Start Christmas December 14 with Epiphany readings, then After Christmas, the Christmas Eve/Christmas (but flip them), then use Advent 3 and 4 readings after Christmas (after Christmas and former Epiphany Sunday). celebrate-advent-and-christmasseason.html Pro: Full content for Christmas Season, and chance to reframe Advent readings Con: Messes with the calendar and lectionary significantly. If you do this, find other congregations to try it with you.

45 Other Options: 3. Spin Your Own Develop your own series for Advent (and Christmas Season) to address the basic themes of each season Eschatology/Fulfillment of all things in Christ for Advent, Birth/Incarnation and the Threat that brings to the powers that be for Christmas Season. Pro: You create series that seem coherent for your context and do what each Season calls us to do Con: You won t find much resourcing that does this yet. Stay tuned to GBOD.org in 2015! Con: You may not be much in sync with other Christians during these seasons

46 Keep the regular seasons, letting each do what each is supposed to do but this may shortchange Christmas Season. Modify the timing for keeping the seasons : Extended Advent more time for eschatology and baptismal preparation, but doesn t address Christmas Season issues Modest Proposal adds two weeks to Christmas up front using Advent readings, but may miss core readings Radical Proposal Advent gets full treatment and Christmas doctrinal materials are frontloaded to reduce vacation loss, but this may effectively de-emphasize Christmas Eve/Day. Spin Your Own May make great sense locally, but be sure to inform selections via lectionary readings (especially OT) to maintain theological richness

47 Bringing It All Together 1. Start with the end in mind: forming folks in eschatology to strengthen their discipleship and adoration of the Coming Lord whether baptismal preparation/baptism is part of the mix this year or not 1a. If baptismal preparation IS part of the mix, recruit and train sponsors now!

48 Bringing It All Together 2. Figure out how much time you need to accomplish the purposes of Advent and Christmas Season (given local realities) and set your schedule accordingly. Once schedule is set, notify music leader and other related artists (if you ve not already been working with them) and invite them to start the active planning process.

49 Bringing It All Together 3. Determine which kind of plan you will follow for Advent and Christmas Season this year regular, extended, modest, radical or spin your own

50 Bringing It All Together 4. Develop (or find) an anchor image and/or tagline that best captures the connections in the particular texts you have chosen to use for each season. 4a. Once you have the images/taglines, start publicizing them to build interest for the series even before the plans are complete!

51 Bringing It All Together 5. Use the anchor image and/or tagline as a thread to guide your focus on the scriptures week TO week and then week BY week. Plot out together how each service contributes, step by step/week by week, to the progress of the series. Remember: The conclusion of Advent is also a segue into Christmas Season.

52 Bringing It All Together 6. Keep mood in mind for each service and across the series this will help you narrow down on visuals, the sound of the music you sing or hear, and the way leaders use their voices in worship.

53 Bringing It All Together 7. We re here for you. Advent Resources: (108 items) and click on the Advent checkbox Advent Music: (173 downloads) and click on the Advent checkbox Preaching/Planning/ Music helps: ctionary-calendar (most current) ctionary-planning-archive (previously posted)

54 Copyright Copyright 2014 The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, PO Box , Nashville TN Website: This may not be reproduced, sold, republished, altered, used for profit, or placed on a website not under the auspices of The General Board of Discipleship without written permission from worship@gbod.org. 54