Welcome to CBC’s Advent Devotional 2015

Lynn Wolcott 

            Advent begins this year on Sunday, November 29^th and lasts through Friday, December 25^th.  This devotional is designed to prepare our minds and our hearts for this Christmas season.  Our society has so commercialized this holy time of year that sometimes we need to make a concerted effort to recognize it as truly a time to celebrate the wondrous birth of Jesus.  The daily devotionals are short and focus on ways to ponder the gloriousness of what God did for humankind by becoming as one of us. 

            A few words about the structure of this Advent Devotional: Sundays are set aside as family days in which both children and adults (!) can learn about how Christmas is celebrated by girls and boys and their families around the world.  Perhaps the parents will light an Advent candle with their daughter(s) and / or son(s).  For the young people and adults, during the first week of Advent (from Monday through Friday) we will focus on the story of Jesus’ birth in the gospel of Luke. During the second five weekdays, the same for the gospel of Matthew.  The third, on the four women in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew.  Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of the last week of Advent, we will look at some Christmas carols that, though very old, were written in the spirit that will resonate with that of our values and beliefs here at CBC.  On Thursday, which is Christmas Eve, the focus will be on hope – the hope that this Advent season has planted in our hearts for a renewed relationship with the babe of Bethlehem.  On Christmas Day, there will be a short devotional on love – the love that moved God as a Parent to send God’s own Child to live amongst us.  Finally, Saturdays will be a “day off” to spend some time reflecting on the Advent season in a way that resonates with your own heart.

          Two last comments: First, this Advent Devotional is set up as an online blog so that people who choose to can respond to it.  However, paper copies will be available for people who prefer that format.  Second, unless otherwise indicated, all Bible verses are from the NRSV, except where gender inclusive terms have been used for God as well as people.