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Ever since Stephen Cottrell wrote his little book, Do Nothing Christmas is Coming, in 2009, I have found it an anchor each year as Advent arrives and the days approaching Christmas get busier and busier and one prays not to be confounded. Cottrell wrote it as an area bishop a dozen years ago and he must need his own good advice all the more a dozen years later now as Archbishop of York. His advice is plain and simple, but very effective.
The book takes the format of an Advent devotional with a reflection for every day of the season. December 1 is always a good start. There he begins by reminding us of the four stages of Christmas as one grows up:
1. You believe in Santa Claus.
2. You don’t believe in Santa Claus.
3. You are Santa Claus.
4. You look like Santa Claus.
His reflection on what it feels like to him to be ‘between stages three and four’ is followed by some practical advice on how to stay grounded:
- Write a Christmas wish list – not things you want to consume or purchase, but things to believe in, things to hope for.
- Prune your Christmas card list.
- At least make sure it is a charity card you buy.
- Don’t write ‘Must see you this year’ on your cards unless you mean it. And if you don’t mean it, why are you sending the card at all?
- Help the planet and send an email-card, and then a note about which charity the money saved has been sent to.
- And with all the time you’ve saved, put your feet up for an hour!
The December 1 entry, like almost all the entries, ends with a witty or funny quotation. This one is from Ogden Nash: ‘Why is Christmas like a day at the office? You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit.’
Every blessing to you, and to your loved ones, this Advent and Christmastide.
Yours Douglas
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In late August of 386 AD, at the age of 31, the great doctor and apologist for the Christian faith, Augustine of Hippo, converted to Christianity. As Augustine later told it, his conversion was prompted by hearing a child's voice say "take up and read" (Latin: tolle, lege). Sitting quietly in a garden, the voice prompted him to open a book of St. Paul's writings at random and read Romans 13: 12–14: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. . . put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
The same voice of God’s Spirit calls each of us, this Advent, as we hear, ponder and pray the words of the great Advent collect:
ALMIGHTY God, give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness, and put upon us the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, now and ever. Amen.
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Advent: Casting Aside Distractions
By Father Jon Davis, Christ Church, Cedar Key
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Christmas, a moment designed by the Church to remember the miracle of God becoming man, has drifted into an existential consumerism. It is about things and even more so trying to find meaning in the Christmas rush. The activities seem infinite; from parties, shopping, decorating, lights, feasting, ugly sweaters and modern music of All I Want For Christmas is You.
All these distractions serve the purpose of drowning out the deeper questions of life, meaning and purpose. In the mix of all this commotion, we can create an artificial reality offering no authentic solutions for what ails the human heart. We are lost in a make-believe world of Santa, reindeer, evergreen trees, snow and ice that melts away on December 26 and is discarded at our curbs for the next 11 months until we will gear up again for the modern Christmas excursion.
As Christmas has shifted into consumerism, the preceding Liturgical season of Advent has been lost in the shuffle. But what would happen if churches, whether high church liturgical gatherings, traditional congregations, or simple fresh expressions, devoted themselves to waiting for Jesus—not Santa?
Advent comes as a season in the church year that can rescue us from a counterfeit Christmas and deliver us into a place of authentic hope. Journey is a common metaphor for life, growth and even spirituality. The Advent Journey is rich and if we are willing, will help us embrace a genuine understanding of the joy of Christmas.
Growing up in a church anchored in a liturgical sacramental tradition I was taught about the season of Advent. We had an Advent wreath and every night we lit a candle at dinner and we said a special prayer. Each week there was a little more light and with each candle anticipation grew. As a child, I understood Advent to be a countdown to Christmas, a way of marking the days until the most festive day of the year would arrive. Since, I have come to appreciate Advent for being so much more.
In a world so fraught with peril, calamity, division, war, pain, suffering and injustice we need Advent as it recalibrates us beyond the latest viral, trending phenomenon and media spin. In an era where the majority of our culture is unchurched or de-churched, Advent offers an invitation to pause, consider, explore and connect with something beyond our daily routine and our self-centered focus. A rightly celebrated Advent has the power to liberate us from the materialism of the holiday rush and deliver us to a place of peace, purpose and meaning.
In an era where the majority of our culture is unchurched or de-churched, Advent offers an invitation to pause, consider, explore and connect with something beyond our daily routine and our self-centered focus.
The Advent Journey
There is a map, a guide to direct our steps in the Advent geography that eventually lands us in Bethlehem. This Advent GPS contains themes, focal points, guideposts and voices along the trail that will inspire, teach and reveal to us amazing things about ourselves, each other and the world in which we live.
Advent Hope
Advent is anchored in Hope. Over the years, other themes were added for various candles but this is a more recent liturgical innovation. Advent is a season of hope and anticipation in the Lord’s coming; both in preparation of celebrating his first coming while our yearning is for the 2nd coming of Jesus and the consummation of the Kingdom of God. The coming of Jesus (first and second) changes everything including us. It is a global, universal, cosmic shift and we should all feel the reverberations. Advent reminds us: all we see is not all there is and there is a deeper, more profound reality to grasp and lay hold of in the midst of this life. We could all use more hope in our lives, especially in a troubled world.
Hope is the foundational focus; hope for a changed world, for salvation, redemption, deliverance. It is hope for the ministry of the Messiah, a time of; Good News, binding up of broken hearts, captives and prisoners are set free, God’s favor and comfort for those who mourn. Jesus comes to heal and make things new, to mend a broken world and make things right and just. This is an event worthy of our preparation and more so celebrating.
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Christmas Kids Camp Day
at St. Michael and All Angels, Tallahassee
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Every Christmas you hear people grumble about the commercialization of Christmas and many of us despair that the Christian message of hope and salvation should ever come to the fore in the way people anticipate and experience Christmas.
St Michael and All Angels in Tallahassee, under the guidance of their sixth Rector, the Rev. Hugh Chapman, are doing something vital (and fun) and creative to put the Gospel at the heart of Christmas. The church is hosting throughout Advent (from November 26- December 24) a Christmas Kids Camp. As Fr Chapman notes, the Camp is designed to help the children ‘think again of the Christmas narrative.' What a great gift and legacy to give their children and the future of their church.
The objective of the month long Christmas Kids Camp is to introduce students to the Biblical reason for the holiday season by providing an energetic curriculum and activities that focus on the weeks leading to the birth of Jesus. In addition, the objective is to familiarize youngsters (age 4-13) with the Biblical passages associated with telling the Christmas story and the traditional hymns and carols that impart the story in such a beautiful way.
The camp provides also an excellent opportunity for high school and college students to gain volunteer hours. The involvement of so many--- the participation of kids, volunteer teachers and counselors, and families---provides an opportunity for the church to potentially reach new members through evangelism and community outreach. (If the camp allows parents some free time to shop and prepare for the holiday that is an added bonus and gift).
If you would like to see a copy of the program’s training manual, please contact Fr Chapman at: stmichaelandallangels.org.
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Advent and Christmas at
Christ Episcopal Church, Ponte Vedra Beach
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Catherine Montgomery, Director of Children’s Formation and Family Ministries at Christ Episcopal Church shares with us some of the many Advent and Christmas opportunities for worship and formation offered in her church.
Children and Youth at Christ Episcopal Church
At Christ Church, all that we offer families during Advent is intended to help people of all ages slow down, breathe, and turn our attention toward the mystery of the incarnation. On the first Sunday of Advent, our youth assisted families who gathered in our courtyard as they made wreaths to bring home, with a provided booklet of readings and prayers. On December 7, we look forward to our St. Nicholas service of Holy Eucharist and toy drive.
The real St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, will give the homily, and we collect toys for our partner outreach agencies, including St. Mary’s in Springfield. In Formation, younger children hear the Godly Play Advent story, following the journey of the holy family each Sunday, while older children study the lectionary texts together. On Sunday, December 18 between the main services, parishioners are invited to enjoy “The Littlest Angel Choir,” a special outdoor performance by our children’s choir, Voices of Praise.
Our youth gather for Advent-focused bible study during formation on Sundays, and weekly youth gatherings include devotions to prepare their hearts for Christmas. The youth will also gather to shop for a family from our “Angel Tree” and go out for a sweet treat together afterward. Also in December, our current students will gather for a Christmas party, and our college students will gather for a reunion dinner and bonfire.
Adult formation and opportunities for support at Christ Episcopal Church
We believe this season is both a time to prepare our hearts for Christmas, and also a season of hopeful expectation and holy waiting, with meaning all its own. This Advent and into the future, Christ Church is focused on the ways we worship, grow, and love together as a community centered around Christ – not just on Sunday, but every day. There are opportunities to be still, like our Quiet Day on December 3. There are opportunities to learn, such as a special session focused on Mary, the mother of Jesus, for our Community Circle for Moms. And there are opportunities to gather in support of one another, like our Blue Christmas service on December 21.
Everyone is welcome
It is a joy to celebrate Christmas with everyone in the Christ Church family – longtime parishioners, newcomers, preschool families, neighbors, and visitors. All are welcome as we celebrate the birth of Jesus! We will have seven services on Christmas Eve – including traditional and contemporary services, and a service in Spanish. The 2pm traditional service will feature our children’s pageant, with scores of little ones dressed as the holy family, angels, shepherds, and animals. We even have a Christmas alligator!
Outreach in Advent and Christmas
Just before the start of Advent, we held our annual “Alternative Giving Fair,” which gave parishioners the opportunity to generously support charitable organizations in honor of loved ones - such as Amistad Mission in Bolivia, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry (BEAM), Foster Closet, and Sulzbacher. In addition to the Angel Tree and our St. Nicholas toy drive, we are happy to spread Christmas joy this year with a special visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus to the precious children at the Rhoda Martin Early Learning Center. Through our worship, learning, and service this Advent, we hope to shine the light of Jesus into every place. Wherever we have come from, we are one in his love. Thanks be to God!
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Rector's Christmas Book List | |
All of these books, suggested by the Rector of the Bishop’s Institute are available for ordering and purchase at the Cathedral Bookstore by clicking here or the button below. | |
Mike Aquilina. A History of the Church in 100 Objects. Paperback, 2017. The history of the Church is demonstrated in ‘how it actually happened and continues to happen through things that we can see and sometimes hold in our hand’. This is an imaginative way to tell the Christian story. | |
Frederick Buechner. A Crazy, Holy Grace: The Healing Power of Pain and Memory. Paperback-October 3, 2017. Frederick Buechner, author, minister, preacher and theologian, died this August, 2022.
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Ken Burns. Our America: A Photographic History Hardcover-November 1, 2022.
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Robert Ellsberg (ed.) Dearest Sister Wendy: A Surprising Story of Faith and Friendship. (Paperback) September 8, 2022. This book is based on several hundred letters, exchanged almost daily, between Sister Wendy Beckett (the nun, art historian and popular tv presenter) in the last three years of her life and Robert Ellsberg, editor-in-chief of the popular Roman Catholic publishing house Orbis Books.
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Henri J. Nouwen and Carolyn Whitney-Brown. Flying, Falling, Catching: An Unlikely Story of Finding Freedom. March, 2022. Posthumously edited by his friend Carolyn Whitney-Brown, this book is the story of Nouwen’s surprising friendship with a traveling trapeze troupe and his reflections on allowing our lives to take flight even within the risk of falling and failure. The story is framed within his account of his rescue through a hotel window by paramedics during his first heart attack. | |
James Runcie. The Great Passion. Hardcover, 2022. By the author of the popular Netflix series Grantchester, this story is ‘a meditation on grief and music, told through the story of Bach’s writing of the St Matthew Passion. | |
David Zahl. Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself) Hardcover- September 13, 2022. Applied theology done well by the author of Seculosity. | |
An audio-book: HarperAudio recently released an unabridged version of C.S. Lewis’ English Literature in the Sixteenth Century (Excluding Drama). The C.S. Lewis devotee will discover his or her appreciation of Lewis’ theological works and fiction enriched in discovering the same mind at work exploring and sharing the treasures of English literature from the Norman Conquest through the mid-17th century. Lewis covers them all from Edmund Spenser, William Shakespeare, William Tyndale, John Donne to Thomas Cranmer. The audiobook is beautifully narrated by John Lee. | |
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As I write this, we are in the first half of Advent, and everywhere clergy, Sunday school teachers, and lay leaders are reminding everyone of the traditions of the season of Advent. At Sunday school and coffee hour, adults and children were making Advent wreaths, the liturgical colors of the church were no longer green, and everyone was remembering candy and tiny toys in their Advent calendars. But what are those traditions and where did they come from?
The name Advent was adopted from the Latin word adventus which means, “coming or arrival.” It's not known exactly when Advent began. However, it was in existence according to Saint Gregory of Tours, when Bishop Perpetuus (Bishop of Tours 460-490) directed new converts and the faithful to fast for three days a week beginning on Saint Martin’s Day for forty days, for the “coming” of Christ. But the “coming” these early Christians had in mind was not Christ’s first coming, as a baby in the Manger, but his second “coming” in the clouds to redeem the world.
A collection of homilies from Pope St. Gregory the Great (papacy 590-604) included a sermon for the second Sunday of Advent, and by 650, Spain was celebrating the Sundays (five at the time) of Advent. So, it seems the liturgical season was established around the latter part of the 6th century and first half of the 7th century. For the next couple of centuries, Advent was celebrated for five Sundays; Pope Gregory VII, (papacy 1073-85), reduced the number to four Sundays. It would be around this same time that the Advent season would be linked to Christ’s first “coming” on Christmas Day and his birthday. Also, during this time (thankfully) the mandatory fasting stopped.
By the time of the Reformation to balance the two elements of “remembrance and anticipation” the first two Sundays in Advent looked forward to Christ's second coming. The last two Sundays looked backwards remembering Christ’s first coming. So, during the four weeks of Advent the scripture readings move from passages about Christ’s return, to the announcement of Christ’s arrival by John the Baptist and the angels.
Further, new traditions would begin to celebrate Advent and Christmas Day. The Advent wreath would first appear in Germany in 1839, when Johann Heinrich Wichern, a Protestant German pastor, made a ring of wood with 19 small red tapers and four large white candles. Each morning a small candle was lit and every Sunday a large candle. Although the custom has changed, it still exists. Today the ring is often adorned with evergreens, and many add a center white candle, to represent Christ. Many others add a pink candle for Gaudete Sunday (the third Sunday in Advent) after the opening word Gaudete meaning “rejoice” and some churches use rose as a liturgical color for that same Sunday, but more on colors next.
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To thee, O Christ, O Word of the Father, we offer up our lowly praises and unfeigned hearty thanks: Who for love of our fallen race didst most wonderfully and humbly choose to be made man, as never to be unmade more; and to take our nature, as never more to lay it off; so that we might be born again by thy Spirit and restored in the image of God; to whom, one blessed Trinity, be ascribed all honor, might, majesty, and dominion, now and forever. Amen.
--- Eric Milner-White, After the Third Collect
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World of Quilts by Jacque Huber:
Dec. 9, 2022- Jan. 1, 2023
St. John's Cathedral, Jacksonville
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Taliaferro Hall at St. John’s Cathedral has been transformed into a World of Quilts, an exhibition by the grand master of quilts and wall-hangings, Jacque Huber. This exhibition will run until Jan. 1, 2023 at 256 E Church St, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Stop by and be dazzled by the hand-pieced quilts made of blazing colors, subdued and subtle designs, traditional and modern patterns, and ingenious quilting in the exhibition.
You may purchase quilts through the Bookstore just in time to take home to put under the Christmas tree! 100% of the proceeds go to the Cathedral Art Guild and St. John's Cathedral Bookstore & Gift Shop.
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