Advent Resources for 2011

Here you can find a variety of resources for keeping a holy Advent in 2011.  These include on-line calendars, thought-provoking websites, and materials from the St. Peter’s Advent Adult Forum.  More resources are still being added, so check back again soon.

St. Peter’s Advent Booklet 2011 (a .pdf of the booklet mailed to parishioners)

This booklet includes a calendar of events for Advent at St. Peter’s

Online Advent Calendars

• Full Homely Divinity This one features longish Scripture readings, art work, and a classical/sacred musical selection (not auto-play)
• Love, Revealed From Trinity, Wall Street, focusing on social justice.  (Warning: it plays music when you click on “flip for Scripture.”)
• On BeliefNet, with different material every day.  More casual than high-brow.
• A really ambitious one from Creighton University in Omaha, Praying Advent includes pages of prayers and material for instruction and reflection for every day.
• From England, a calendar with a reading, meditation, and prayer for each day (summaries on Sundays).  Based on Mary’s journey from the Annunciation to the birth in Bethlehem.
• A really brief one from St. Mary Margaret Catholic parish in Naperville, Illinois: just an image and a snippet of Scripture.
• Love Blooms Bright From Scotland, in the form of a blog, contributions by a different (clergy) person each day

St. Peter’s Contemplative Advent Program

Advent is a time of spiritual preparation–for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Yet too often we get caught up in the secular things we need to do for Christmas–shopping, decorating and baking. Christmas arrives and we find that our spiritual life has once again gone “unattended to.” This year, make a point to attend to your spiritual life and growth by spending a few hours each week, with others from the St. Peter’s community, learning about and practicing different forms of contemplative prayer in preparation for Christmas. Jayne Shontell, a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and currently enrolled in the Shalem Institute’s Leading Contemplative Prayer Groups and Retreats Program, will lead a six week series on contemplative prayer — with prayer practices tied to Advent and Christmas. Travel a spiritual journey this seas with fellow sojourners. Join us in the St. Peter’s chapel on the following dates and times over a six week period:

Sunday, November 27 7pm – 9pm

Monday, December 5, 7pm – 9pm

Saturday, December 10, 9am – 11am

Saturday December 17, 9am-11am

Contact Jayne Shontell if you plan to attend. It’s not too late to join.

Here is a sample devotion that we will use in one of the sessions.

Other websites of interest: sermons, mission projects, etc.

A compendium of different seasonal resources from Anglicans Online

An exhibit of The Art of Advent at EpiscopalCafe.

Summary of the Great O Antiphons from Speaking to the Soul at EpiscopalCafe.  Brief meditations on each one, along with a link to a recording of it being sung, are also available:  O Sapientia, O Adonai, O Radix Jesse, O Clavis David, O Oriens, O Rex Gentium, O Emmanuel, O Virgin of Virgins.

Elements of a Jesse Tree (including daily Scripture readings)

This chart shows the main character, the theme, a Bible reading,  and a description of the symbol for each day of Advent. By following the story all the way through Advent you will be treated to a condensed version of the story of God’s relationship with his people from Creation to Incarnation. The scripture readings are here, already looked up and compiled for you.  The symbols that can be colored, cut out, and glued to cardboard shapes, are here.