2021 Advent Resource: “The Way of Love: Practices for Jesus Centered Life” is an intentional commitment to a set of practices. It’s a commitment to follow Jesus: Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest. This curriculum provides a pattern for understanding how we can live the Way of Love as individuals, as families and friends, as community, and out in the world. https://www.episcopalchurch.org/way-of-love/

A special gift of the Anglican tradition to the Christian world is the annual festival of Scripture lessons and Christmas carols, both for Advent and Christmas, which originated in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge, UK. Many congregations across Canada will be using various versions of these original services but it is also important that we gain some perspective of the origins. This set of festivals is one of the many benefits of ecumenical and inter-church sharing.

I am grateful that—even in almost two years of COVID-19—the blessings of anticipation and celebration of Christ’s coming remain the same. 

I would like to end by sharing with you a quote from the Primate’s Christmas message, Advent yearning for God’s kingdom to come, however, is met with the paradox of the birth of Christ. He comes not in power but in the vulnerability and weakness of a baby. His coming is not in triumph but hidden amongst the stories of Elizabeth and Mary and Joseph, ordinary people of faith in God.