HCPC Advent Introduction. How to use this guide

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3 HCPC Advent 2018 Daniel & Bethany Headley Introduction We are delighted to be part of your Advent celebration this year! Bethany and I have been celebrating Advent every year since 2002 and the addition of children to our family made our annual celebrations even richer. Because you may be celebrating as individuals, families, or in groups, and on a weekly or daily schedule, this guide will focus on big concepts. If you celebrate daily, as we do in our home, you may simply repeat the portions as you like, breaking up the Scripture readings as you desire. Please consider using candles every time you celebrate. This Advent guide will follow a traditional Advent progression of Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace, though there are many different themes one can use, and many great reasons to use them. For group celebrations, we strongly recommend that you adjust your typical meeting schedule in order to accommodate a weekly Advent celebration. Each week builds off the previous week. How to use this guide Prepared readings, candle-lighting, reading Scripture, nativity sets, songs, prayer, and treats all play a part in this celebration. We recommend that you try to incorporate as many of these elements as possible to add layers to your time together. Each piece communicates truth to us in different ways. Also, we like to dim the lights to make the moment feel more sacred.

4 We begin with a prepared reading and candle lighting. Each week has two prepared readings which are intended to be read by different people. If you don t have time for the entire reading, we recommend you read the Second Reader s part prior to lighting the candle. Include as many people as you can by assigning tasks. Make it a point to say the name of each candle prior to lighting it. The next step is to read Scripture. If you celebrate once per week, there is no need to read all the Scriptures in that one sitting. Consider having different people read the Scripture or Scriptures you choose to read, so everyone plays a part. A short primer is provided to kick-start group discussions. Take some time to share and encourage each other. We want to stimulate discussion so we can learn from each other and grow in fellowship. We like to use a progressive Nativity set. By that I mean that we allow the Nativity set to grow as we draw closer to Christmas and Epiphany, with each week adding a new dimension to the set. You will see instructions for the pieces that can be introduced each week. Have extra fun with the Magi who are present each week as they get progressively closer to Jesus, until they finally arrive on Epiphany. Songs play an important part in our celebration. Sing together and rejoice in God s goodness! Prayer should fit the needs of your group and, if possible, use the theme of the week to guide your prayer time. The included prayers are simple primers intended to give you freedom to make this time unique to you.

5 We believe treats are an important part of this celebration too. We like to use chocolate but you can eat whatever you want. Why is this important? Because God is decadent! God's goodness is sublime and wonderful. And who doesn t enjoy chocolate! The paper Advent calendars with little doors that are opened each day are a great way to help the little ones count the days to Christmas, and they are even fun for adults. Be decadent, buy one for yourself too! However you choose to flesh this out, our prayer is that you enjoy this time together and make memories that will shape your relationships with one another, and with God. 1 Bethany and I hope you enjoy celebrating this wonderful season. We know that this time of year is difficult for many of us who mourn the loss of loved ones and we recommend that you lean in to your friends and family a bit more during this time of year. Have friends over for dinner and say, yes to those holiday dinner invitations. If you are ready, consider taking some risk and sharing your sadness and struggles with people you love and trust. This can be difficult, but it can also be cathartic. Most of importantly, bring yourselves to Jesus. His Holy Spirit is your Comforter, he will comfort those who mourn, and he will rejoice with those who rejoice. Peace be with you, God is GOOD! Daniel and Bethany Headley 1 The last page of this this devotional guide has suggestions for those who wish to celebrate Advent on a daily basis, and for those who will be celebrating with children.

6 Week 1 Hope Prepared Readings First Reader This year we will begin Advent with hope on our minds. The candle associated with this week is often referred to as the Hope Candle, or sometimes, the Prophecy Candle. For the Jews, the Messiah was the hope of a new Kingdom. This hope was fulfilled in Jesus, but the coming of Jesus isn t something to which we only look back. Hope is about looking forward because we believe Jesus will return and make all things right. The Gospel is for us now, it is for us today, tomorrow, and it will always be the center of our message, and the center of our Hope. Second Reader The coming Messiah was the hope of Israel and our hope for salvation. He was prophesied throughout the Old Testament and fulfilled in Jesus. Light the Hope/Prophecy Candle What are some ways that you place your hope in the return of Jesus? John the Baptist grew up in a God-fearing home. The son of Zechariah, the high priest during the year Jesus was born, John was Levite. His mother Elizabeth was a model of faith too, having been entrusted with the message of John s purpose on earth before his birth. What is most amazing about John is that Jesus called him the greatest person on earth. We cannot say for certain what made Jesus say that, but we do know that John s faith and desire to place his own self-interests on the back-burner for the sake of Jesus set him apart. With the limited information John had, he chose to trust in Jesus. We are privileged to have a lot more information than John had and that means we have many more reasons to hope. Our hope in Jesus rests on our faith in God s work, the Spirit s presence, and on his Word left for us.

7 Scripture Readings (Memory verse Isaiah 7:14), Isaiah 9:6-7, Ezekiel 37: 26-17, Micah 5:2, Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 3, Mark 1:1-15 Group Discussion Discuss moments in your lives where you have experienced hope by seeing God at work around you. Share how those moments give you hope that you will be transformed and, one day, united with Jesus. Nativity Set Jesus, Mary, Joseph, (the Magi start in a far-away place) Songs O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Come Though Long Expected Jesus Prayer Beloved God, we long to be a people of hope. You are the source of hope. You promised be with us, to transform us, and to redeem us. Help us to trust you and to depend on you. Guard us from despair and keep us from believing the lie that things cannot get better. You will be victorious; you will triumph. Help us to live as ambassadors of hope to a world that so desperately needs you. Amen.

8 Week 2 Love Prepared Readings First Reader Our second week of Advent will focus on God s love for us, and for the universe God created. The second candle is often called the Love Candle, but some people know it as the Bethlehem Candle. When we reflect on the incarnation, we must situate our mental picture in a simple Palestinian village. Homes made of dirt with wood, grass, and dirt roofs, no electricity, no running water, simple meals around simple tables, and rich communities of family and friends. Motivated by love, God the Son entered our broken world at just the right time. Second Reader To rescue his creation, God sent his son, who loved us so much he came from heaven to live in our messy world, broken with sin, and save us. He was born to common parents, who were newly married in scandal, during an inconvenient trip, and in an unlikely place. God the Son became human, entering into all of our frustrations and difficulties, out of love for us. Light the Hope/Prophecy Candle and the Love/Bethlehem Candle Love motivated God to send Jesus to earth to save us from our sins. Jesus left the purity of God s presence to live among us in our broken world, his broken world, rather. We broke the world, and we break it anew every day. Our sin, expressed through our misuse, abuse, and neglect of things within our control, harm people, and our world that God made, and that God loves.

9 Scripture Readings (Memory verse John 3:16), John 10:14-16, John 13:34-35, Romans 5:6-8, Philippians 2:1-8, Group Discussion Discuss the power we have to share God s love with others. How can we use what we have to show God s love to the people in our lives? Nativity Set Add the stable, animals, and the Magi move a little closer Songs O Little Town of Bethlehem Love Came Down at Christmas Prayer Dear God, fill us with your love and enable us to love what you love, this world and everyone in it. You have given us the responsibility to carry your love into the world, but we cannot do it without you. Help us to set aside the things that get in the way of loving you and loving others, our fear, our preconceived ideas about others, and even our opinions. Help us to see as you see and love as you love. Amen.

10 Week 3 Joy Prepared Readings First Reader The third week of Advent commemorates the joy of the shepherds who were given the blessed privilege to welcome the King of kings into their simple world. That is why this candle is often called the Shepherd s Candle. Why did God ordain that the Son would be welcomed by such ordinary people? If we consider ourselves long enough, and honestly enough, we may find that we are a lot more ordinary than we want to admit. Maybe you already accept that you are ordinary, humble, and in desperate need of God; that is good! The shepherds remind us that God came for all people, for the poor, and even for the rich. He came for the outcast, the lowly, and the foreigner. The shepherds also remind us that we are loved and we are not forgotten, so we should enter into great joy! Second Reader The first people called to come and witness the birth of the Savior were not the high and mighty or the religious elite. Instead, God called the common people. The message of Jesus is great joy for ALL PEOPLE! His salvation is a gift that everyone desperately needs. Will you come and meet the Savior of the world? Light the Hope/Prophecy Candle, the Love/Bethlehem Candle, and the Joy/Shepherd s Candle Jesus came for the entire world, but the entire world does not know him. If we are to be like Christ, we need to desire what Jesus desires. That means that we must long for the world to know him as we know him.

11 Scripture Readings (Memory verse Luke 2:11), Luke 2: 8-14, Acts 10:9-18, Ephesians 2:19-22, Revelation 7:9-17 Group Discussion Discuss ways we can share God s love with all people. For many years Christians prayed for people in the 10/40 window to hear the Gospel, now the people from that part of the world are fleeing persecution and seeking asylum and we have a unique opportunity to share the Gospel as the world comes to our doorstep. How can we welcome all people into the Kingdom of God? Nativity Set Add the shepherds, and the Magi move a little closer Songs Go Tell It on the Mountain While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks by Night Prayer Joyful God, you are so good! You understand sorrow, grief, and misery, and yet, you understand joy more than we can possibly imagine. Merciful God, fill us with your joy anew this day. We long to live in joy. Help us to share the joy of knowing you, and being loved by you, with the people in our lives. Amen.

12 Week 4 Peace Prepared Readings First Reader The fourth and final week of Advent is a time for us to rejoice in the peace that Jesus brings to his people, and eventually, to the whole world. The Peace, or Angel Candle, is meant to remind us that Jesus was heralded by the angles who gloried in his coming to earth to do the unthinkable, to become a man, save humanity, and bring everlasting peace. Second Reader The angels who proclaimed the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds declared peace to those who follow God. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of our path to peace with God, our chance to be cleansed from our sin, and be reconciled to God. Light the Hope/Prophecy Candle, the Love/Bethlehem Candle, the Joy/Shepherd s Candle, and the Peace/Angel Candle Jesus came to bring peace to earth. But as much as we desire peace, none of us are able to create the kind of peace that God will eventually establish. As God s people, and the current manifestation of God s Kingdom on earth, we have an immense responsibility to reveal God s Kingdom in our lives. This is done in our homes, with our loved ones, and in our vocation. We manifest God s Kingdom when we choose to live for Christ by bearing each other s burdens, by choosing the way of sacrifice, and by choosing the path of love and joy. Rejoice! Christ has gone before us and has prepared a way for us to follow. Follow in his steps and live in peace.

13 Scripture Readings (Memory verse John 1:29), Isaiah 11:1-10, Ephesians 2:11-18, Colossians 1:15-20, 1 John 2:1-2 Group Discussion Can you recall a time when someone helped you to be at peace? What did they do and why was it so effective? Ask the Spirit of God to place someone upon your spirit that needs the peace of God and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom on how you can bring them peace. Nativity Set Add the angels, and the Magi move a little closer Songs Angels We Have Heard on High Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Prayer God of peace, we know you can bring us peace in any situation. Our world needs peace so badly and we must confess that we do not always help to bring your peace into the world. We want to be peacemakers, but our spirits are often full of strife, and we are prone to do harm, instead of good. Help us to bring peace into our homes, peace into our workplaces, and peace to wherever you send us. Help us to receive your peace with open arms and offer that peace to all who will receive it. Amen.

14 Christmas Day Prepared Readings First Reader The time has come to light the fifth and final candle, the Christ Candle. Everything builds up to this moment. Rejoice! The King of kings came to live among us to save us from eternal death. Carve out a small space in your evening to sit with those you love and rejoice that you belong to Jesus. Second Reader Jesus is the light of the world! Jesus came to bring peace, to reconcile us to God, and he will come again to make all things right. Rejoice, our God has come! Light all the candles! Scripture Luke 2:1-40 Songs Joy to the World O Come All Ye Faithful Prayer Beloved Father, we thank you and praise you for sending your perfect son to rescue us. Help us to delight in your wonderful gift more deeply this year. Epiphany January 6th Prepared Reading After hundreds of years of watching and waiting, like the Magi before them, the Magi who saw the star finally arrived to meet the King of the Jews. Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph felt to be greeted by such a company and to receive such wonderful gifts? The Magi remind us that Jesus came for the Gentiles too. This is great news for those of us who aren t Jewish! Scripture Matthew 2:1-12 Nativity Set the Magi arrive! Song We Three Kings Prayer Thank you God for including us Gentiles in your great plan of salvation. Thank you for remembering us. Epiphany Tradition In memory of the faithful Magi, it is traditional to give a small gift to a child in your life. Rejoice in the Great Giver of Gifts!

15 Suggestions for daily observance For those new to celebrating Advent in your home, remember that Sunday marks the first day of the week, from the Church perspective. Therefore, Week 1 begins on Sunday. To celebrate every day, use this devotion as it is presented, and simplify as needed. Several Scriptures are included each week to provide you with the opportunity to vary things up a bit from one day to the next. To further simplify things, simply restate the candle s name prior to lighting each day. As the weeks progress, you can cheerfully quiz each other of the meaning of each candle. The important thing is to keep your observance manageable, if you pace yourself this celebration will remain a joy, instead of a burden. Finally, consider inviting friends and family to join you at least once per week! Suggestions for celebrating with children Make it fun! In our opinion, the most important thing about this time is to celebrate the goodness of God, but we grown-ups often forget to have fun when we get caught up in important tasks. Give the kids little jobs like setting up the candles and the wreath and adding figures to the nativity set. If you are using a progressive Nativity set, challenge the kids to find the Magi each week. If they are old enough, allow them to light and extinguish the candles, and empower those who are able do some of the readings. If you are going to celebrate daily with children, it may be necessary to simplify things a bit more, so as to not overwhelm the younger ones. If that is needed, simply read a single Scripture verse, light the candles, have a treat and pray together. The memory verse is meant to encourage your little ones to love God s Word. If you keep it fun, your kids will delight in the time together, and they may even remind you to celebrate on the days you forget! Celebrating alone Advent provides a great opportunity to invite people into your life. But if you find yourself alone, you can still celebrate. Use this guide in whatever way suits you best and consider reading aloud. It may feel strange to read aloud by yourself, but you might find that it helps you to hear what you are reading and to remember that you are never alone, God is with you.

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