And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
Revelation 21:3
Click here for introduction to this Advent series; Weaving tunes, composing symphonies: The Sacred Story incorporates our own sacred stories.
Some ideas for a daily Advent reflection to use with children
Click on this link to download and print out a Jesse tree. We have collected readings for the stories from various children's bibles, symbols to cut out and colour in and ideas for prayers and questions. Click here for this week's sheets to print out. Below are links to the same stories from the CEV bible.
Sunday 16th: Nehemiah Nehemiah 1,2 Walls of Jerusalem
Monday 17th: Isaiah Isaiah 35 Flowers in the desert
Tuesday 18th: Jeremiah Jeremiah 38 Well
Wednesday 19th: Daniel Daniel 6 Lions
Thursday 20th: Jonah Jonah 1-4 Big fish/gourd/worm
Friday 21st: Habakkuk Habakkuk 1-3 Watchtower
Saturday 22nd: Zechariah Zechariah 8 Old people/young children
New Testament/Christmas narrative continues: Luke 1:57-80
Opening prayer
Bright star maker God, travel with us through Advent
Shine in our dark corners, lead us into ways of justice
Warm us with joy and wonder, bring us to new birth.
Ruth Burgess, Candles and Conifers
Meditation
Stories make us, they say. We live within them, they infuse meaning and 'give potency to the most ordinary of acts'. 'Yes' is a primary word I associate with the advent of Jesus. Yes to being human, to planting our feet on this earth, to the full and awesome cycle of gain and loss, to finding our own place and way, to being alive. The Gospels do not give the sense of a Jesus in turmoil, of merely visiting and enduring his time on earth. We are enfolded in His story and his story of epiphany, life on earth and his return to heaven, is replete with a big fat Yes!
First Coming
God did not wait till the world was ready,
Till…nations were at peace.
God came when the Heavens were unsteady,
And prisoners cried out for release.
God did not wait for the perfect time.
God came when the need was deep and great.
God dined with sinners in all their grime,
turned water into wine. God did not wait
till hearts were pure. In joy God came
to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.
To a world like ours, of anguished shame
God came, and God’s Light would not go out.
God came to a world which did not mesh,
to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.
In the mystery of the Word made flesh
The Maker of the stars was born.
We cannot wait till the world is sane
to raise our songs with joyful voice,
for to share our grief, to touch our pain,
God came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!
Madeleine L’Engle
God Says Yes To Me
I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic
and she said yes
I asked her if it was okay to be short
and she said it sure is
I asked her if I could wear nail polish
or not wear nail polish
and she said honey
she calls me that sometimes
she said you can do just exactly
what you want to
Thanks God I said
And is it even okay if I don't paragraph
my letters
Sweetcakes God said
who knows where she picked that up
what I'm telling you is
Yes Yes Yes
Kaylin Haught, from The Palm of Your Hand. © Tilbury House Publishers, 1995.
Questions
As I sit what do I imagine Jesus saying Yes about me and my story?
If I am with my family and/or friends, what do they say Yes to of me and my story?
Closing blessing
May the smile of God warm us,
may the light of Jesus lead us,
may the Holy Sprit blaze into our lives
and fill us with love.
David Coleman, from Candles and Conifers