The Wating is almost over...

Advent Sunday is almost upon us. To help us get the most out of this holy season of preparation, I'd like to suggest tome resources below that might help you.


Firstly there is the St Albans Diocese Advent Challenge: Me, You, the World and God. You will receive a daily bible verse by email or text. The verses, which begin in Genesis and go through to the Nativity, offer an opportunity to reflect on our relationship with one another, with the world and with God. The themes of the weeks are Beginnings, Relationships, Visions and Encounters.

You can also download a leaflet for each week listing the verses. The leaflet, like the email, offers brief comments, questions for reflection and pointers for prayer. Sign up here. Tell your friends.

Secondly there is there is the Church of England's own initiative called 'Ready, Steady, Slow' which begins on December 1st. Daily reflections and an accompanying book can be accessed here.






Thirdly you might wish to take part in another online activity - a retelling of the Nativity. The Natwivity (the Twitter Nativity) takes advantage of social media’s unparalleled capacity to engage people as they go about their everyday life to re-tell the Christmas story in a fresh, personal way. Available on Twitter and Facebook, people will be able to pick up the ‘tweets’ online in their homes, in the high street using their phones and at work.

The Natwivity will give this famous story an immediate, real-life feel, transforming them from people 2,000 years ago to friends of the user, who are going through the drama now. Followers will be able to read Mary’s angst as she tries to come to terms with the birth of her child, and hear from the stunned shepherds after their encounter with an angel.

Each 140-character entry will be a thought or comment from Mary, Joseph, collective wisemen and shepherds, with further entries from Herod, an Inn Keeper (and his wife) and friends of Mary and Joseph.

Through this project we aim to…

• Reinforce the story of Christmas
• Allow the 21st century audience to engage with the story in a new way
• Create a space for Christians during a cluttered time of the year to remember the story
• Create a way for Christians to engage their friends with the story in a thought-provoking, yet fun way

Online Advent calender

The CofE are really trying with their web resources again this Advent. The materials are gathered this year under the banner of 'Ready, Steady, SLOW.' The material clearly ties in with concern for the environment, our place in it and our impact on it.

As ++ Rowan said recently: "We hope for a world in which we have learned to live with the grain of things, to live patiently, to live respectfully, to live in a way that takes our environment seriously..."

There are some excellent resources over at their Advent website including an online Advent calendar and the opportunity to receive daily emails with thoughts, prayers and challenges.

So go on, take time out this Advent with a go-slow lifestyle and let us wait patiently this Advent for God...