The Advent Calendar
Use this calendar to track your progress through Advent. If you fall behind, skip a day, or life is hectic, feel free to catch up or skip days as it fits into the busyness of life. Each weeks structure is similar starting with a focus text, theme, and short devotion. Hymns, Ted Talks, videos, movies, articles, and activities are sprinkled throughout the week for variety. This study may be done individually, as a family (adapted for little ones based on age), or a group of friends to start discussions on difficult topics.
Note: The Button Links in Black Box Outline and Black Font are not live links as of 12-1-2021
Note: The Button Links in Black Box Outline and Black Font are not live links as of 12-1-2021
The calendar above is a photo. For an active PDF of the calendar with the links live, download the file and save it to your computer.
advent_calendar_12-2022.pdf | |
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Daily Downloads and Links
Week 1: November 27-December 3
Envisioning Justice and Understanding Bias
Theme: What is your ideal world? Does bias exist? What, me biased?
Focus Text: Isaiah 64: 1-6
Refection: Things are not as they should be for Isaiah and the nation of Israel. Isaiah wants God to rip open the heavens and come to God's people to save us from our own iniquities. We can feel a sense of what Isaiah expresses in this text when we reflect on what God wants for us and the world. Question: How does bias affect your daily life? How does it affect the world? What would the world today cry out as our "iniquities" to God? Aiming toward the idea that we have a view of the world, yet that view contains bias even when it is not realized because of our backgrounds. Question"
Envisioning Justice and Understanding Bias
Theme: What is your ideal world? Does bias exist? What, me biased?
Focus Text: Isaiah 64: 1-6
Refection: Things are not as they should be for Isaiah and the nation of Israel. Isaiah wants God to rip open the heavens and come to God's people to save us from our own iniquities. We can feel a sense of what Isaiah expresses in this text when we reflect on what God wants for us and the world. Question: How does bias affect your daily life? How does it affect the world? What would the world today cry out as our "iniquities" to God? Aiming toward the idea that we have a view of the world, yet that view contains bias even when it is not realized because of our backgrounds. Question"
Week 2: December 4-10
Comfort and Change
Theme: Through the comfort we have in God, we are renewed and changed like the grass in the fields.
Focus Text: Isaiah 40: 1-11
Reflection: We are like fragile grass. We have a strong example in God and we will find comfort in God's steadfastness and strength. In the comfort, we have the opportunity to change as grass renews itself! Question: What did you discover about yourself and racial bias last week? What about your discovery leads you to thinking about change?
Week 3: December 11-17
Good News and Action
Theme: Through God's love of justice and the oppressed, action is possible. We are called by God to seek peace and justice in word and action.
Focus Text: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11
Reflection: God comes bringing good news to the afflicted, the brokenhearted, the oppressed, and the mourners. God takes action to love justice, cloth with salvation and righteousness. God's action reconciles, heals, and saves. Rejoice!
Good News and Action
Theme: Through God's love of justice and the oppressed, action is possible. We are called by God to seek peace and justice in word and action.
Focus Text: Isaiah 61: 1-4, 8-11
Reflection: God comes bringing good news to the afflicted, the brokenhearted, the oppressed, and the mourners. God takes action to love justice, cloth with salvation and righteousness. God's action reconciles, heals, and saves. Rejoice!
Week 4: December 18-24
Mission and Change
Theme: What are we waiting for?
Focus Text: Isaiah 7:10-16
Reflection: Just as Ahaz was waiting for a sign instead of asking, we have received a sign without asking. There is unrest all around us because of bias. The summer of 2020 was a stark reminder to the country just how deep the biases run seen and unseen. It is easy to fall back into old patterns but Jesus came to create change. We continue Jesus’ mission. What is holding you back? What are you waiting for?
Mission and Change
Theme: What are we waiting for?
Focus Text: Isaiah 7:10-16
Reflection: Just as Ahaz was waiting for a sign instead of asking, we have received a sign without asking. There is unrest all around us because of bias. The summer of 2020 was a stark reminder to the country just how deep the biases run seen and unseen. It is easy to fall back into old patterns but Jesus came to create change. We continue Jesus’ mission. What is holding you back? What are you waiting for?