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Liturgical Lessons
Advent
Advent means 'coming.' Who is coming? Advent is the Season of the Church leading up to Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. If we think about what we are celebrating on Christmas Eve we know the one who is coming is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But Advent is also a Season where we are reminded Christ will come again . How do we know this? It's what Jesus promised us.
Advent, An Interactive Devotion
Use this Devotion throughout the Season of Advent. Return each day to read Scripture and learn about Advent. Do this as a family or read it to your children.
Each week of Advent there is a different, interactive, Seek & Find game.
Seek & Find
Find the following symbols from this week's devotion in the seek and find map below.
Seek & Find
Find the following symbols from this week's devotion in the seek and find map below.
Seek & Find
Find the following symbols from this week's devotion in the seek and find map below.
Seek & Find
Find the following symbols from this week's devotion in the seek and find map below.
The Epiphany Star Project
The Epiphany Star Project was started in order to help us engage in the Season of Epiphany. Epiphany begins on January 6 each year. It starts exactly 12 days after Christmas, when we suspect the Wisemen arrived at the stable to see the Baby Jesus. This season starts at the beginning of the calendar year, a time when many of us are making resolutions for the new year ahead of us. Similar to making a New Year's Resolution, the Star gives us something to anticipate throughout the year.
Every year, the Sunday before January 6, paper stars are given out in worship. Each star has a word on it. That is your word of the year. Tape your star somewhere you will see it throughout the year — on your mirror or refrigerator, some people keep them in their wallet. You are also invited to participate in this project online. Below you will find a link where you can click on a star and be assigned a word for the year. Only click once! The word picks you, not the other way around.
Sometime during the year God will reveal to you what that word means for your life. It could be something huge or it could be something small. Wait patiently. Listen for God's voice. Pray about your word.
You don't have to share what your word means to you. You don't have to make any major life changes or even a minor life change. You simply have to listen and pay attention.
Click on the star below and you will receive your Epiphany word of the year. Write your word down and remember it throughout the year. At some point during the coming year, God will reveal to you what that word means. Only click once!
Click Here
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Lectio Divina is a traditional monostatic way of reading, meditation, and praying through Scripture.
The idea is to promote communion with God.
There are 4 parts to Lectio Divina:
read
meditate
pray
contemplate
read
Prepare yourself before you read the Scriptures. Sit in a quiet place and quiet your mind. Invite the Holy Spirit to inspire your reading. Read either or both of the Scriptures provided.
meditate
Instead of analyzing the text, meditate over it, or ponder. Contemplate and wonder. Ask why words were said or why people did what they did. Recognize words or phrases that stood out for you. If you read the texts from your own Bible, circle or underline these words or phrases.
pray
Take a moment to pray, speak with God about the text you have just read. Thank God for being an inspiration to you as you read. Pray about what you have learned and how you hope to use this knowledge.
contemplate
Contemplate the activity you have just done. Think about what it has meant to you. Maybe take a moment to reread the Scriptures. Write down your thoughts and feelings about the text. Remember, don't analyze the text, contemplate, ponder, what it means to you.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
