Seasons - Advent & Christmas
Seasonal Prayer material
Designed to provide prayer ideas for specific times of the year. Some will also have a wider relevance so could be used at any time e.g. during advent we reflect on the themes of waiting and hope, summer provides input on healing and retreats and Harvest focuses on prayer for evangelism.Advent & Christmas
Our first season looks forward to Advent and Christmas, though there are a number of resources already there as the season progresses this will be added to.
Prayer Station for Advent
Here is a group of ideas, which can be used together; stand alone or as part of a bigger event during advent that will help you set up a series of prayer stations.
Download advent-prayer-station.pdf
Ipswich Road URC, Norwich have produced a small 3 fold card to go with the Advent Prayer Stations
Download AdventPrayerStationsCard.pdf
Advent Reflection
A reflection for Advent based on material from the Iona Community.
Download advent-reflection.pdf
Imagine a Nativity
Here is a simple activity to encourage participants to use their imagination while praying. Most people will be able to imagine a nativity scene. Here are some ideas to get people started.
Download imagine-a-nativity.pdf
Waiting
This provides some thoughts about waiting during advent including stories, prayers and activities that fit with this theme.
Advent Hope
This material encourages us to reconnect with God in prayer even particularly where we have been facing personal difficulties. It is suitable for personal use but could be used with a group provided all the members understand the issue of confidentiality and listening. The material is based on some Bible readings and reflections.
The Walk – Advent
This is part of the series The Walk of Encounter with Jesus Christ. It incorporates bibe verses and reflections into a short walk and is part of a larger series which you can find here
Download prayer-walk-advent.pdf
Prayers to use in Advent
Prayers that could be used by individuals or groups during the Advent season.
Download Prayers-to-use-in-advent.pdf
Bible studies by John Campbell for Advent and Christmas from the Bible Year are duplicated here. Further Bible Year Christmas resources are available under the Bible Year menu above.
advent special – one – The story we all know
Re-examining the Christmas Story and the GospelsThis is an ‘advent special’ Bible conversations that probably should have been available at the start of Bible Year but didn’t seem to have made it onto the website, so here it is now at the start of Prayer year, to help groups that are still engaging with the Bible even whilst they are extending their explorations in prayer.
Download v4l-advent-special-one.pdf
advent special – two – Mary’s Yes
This Bible study is about Mary, as she is presented to us in the opening chapters of Luke’s Gospel, but also her other appearances in that Gospel and the Book of Acts. Mary’s story lays before us just how costly saying “Yes!” to God can be. We are invited to place our own story alongside hers and see what we can learn about the effects of an intervening God let loose in our lives.Download Mary’s Yes, PDF version
Telling peace
Stories of peace and worship resources for Advent
“Telling Peace” is a collection of liturgical resources for the four Sundays of Advent. It is the second of a collection of worship materials from different regions of the world, prepared in the framework of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation 2011.
You can link to the WCC website with these advent resources including liturgical ideas for each Sunday in Advent by clicking here or the WCC logoAll Age Advent Resources
Donkey sings the blues
How we feel about Jesus coming amongst us: is he welcome or a nuisance?
Download donkey-sings-the-blues.pdf
The Grumpy Angel
This all age resource explores the story of the angel visiting Mary (Luke 1:26-38) in a way that can be used with participants of all ages. One is a story-telling method and in the second the same material is presented in the form of a sketch for three characters.