What is Advent, and how can we engage in the season to grow in our faith?
Advent means arrival and is the four-week season in the church calendar year preceding Christmas. The season is characterized by waiting and longing for God and what God assures the world through Christ: hope, peace, joy, and love.
Advent is the dark before the dawn, the candle burning brightly in a deep forest; the star way off in the black, the contrast and the quiet; a time to grieve and reflect, a time to hope and trust. Advent is the unsteady confidence that God will come through.
Advent is also a wonderful season to spend time in scripture and live more simply. Here are a few resources to consider as you observe Advent this year: