What is advent

Advent is the season of preparation for the coming of Jesus, beginning four Sundays before Christmas. It is a time set aside to reflect on the first coming of Jesus at his birth, and to look forward to his second coming in glory. The word Advent means ‘arrival’ and the season reminds us that we live in the period between the two arrivals of Jesus.

About this guide:

The scripture readings and prayer prompts are meant to help you connect with God in your everyday life.The theme for this guide comes from John 1:9, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.” This verse speaks of Jesus’s arrival as a light in the darkness of the world, and will be part of the Christmas Eve morning sermon at Chapelgate Church. The artwork you will see in the guide was inspired by this verse, and was created by Amy Niewoehener, a new member at Chapelgate. The Bible readings each day trace the theme of light through the history of God’s work in the world, beginning with God’s first words, “Let there be light,” all the way through Jesus’s second coming to bring a new creation where sun is no longer needed because God himself is light for humanity.

The daily prayers and readings can be done silently or out loud, alone or in groups. Some people find it helpful to light a candle to remind them that Jesus is the light of the world. Additional resources, including guided audio readings of the daily prayers are available at chapelgate.org/advent