Advent
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Advent For Everyone Luke
$18.00Add to cartAdvent for Everyone: Luke provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Advent season, from the first Sunday in Advent through the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection, exploring the Gospel themes of faith, repentance, justice, and celebration.
Wright’s engaging reflections take you on a journey of spiritual enlightenment, guiding you toward the wonder and joy of Christmas. This book is suitable for both individual and group study and reflection.
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Focus On Jesus Cycle C
$16.95Add to cartEvery time Rev. Derl G. Keefer preaches a Christmas sermon, he asks himself the same question. Why did Jesus come to earth?
It’s the question that Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, must have asked themselves over and over. They struggled to understand why, when he was 12 years old, he would leave their care to join the scholars of the temple.
His answer served to refocus his own parents on who he really was.”Did you not know,” he asked them, “that I must be about my Father’s business?”
The 15 sermons contained in Focus on Jesus will provide four answers to the question of why he came by revealing the nature of the Father’s business as described in the Gospel of Luke:
*Jesus came to be the fulfillment of prophecy.
*Jesus came to be our Messiah.
*Jesus came to be our Savior.
*Jesus came to be the human face of God.This Advent season, utilize Keefer’s clear, simple teaching style in Focus on Jesus to help those seeking Jesus understand who he is, and to reignite the passion that first brought members of your congregation into his arms.
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Advent Of The Lamb Of God
$20.99Add to cartPreface: Telling A True Tall Tale
Part I: Awaiting The Messiah
1. Behold The Lamb Of God
2. Hear
3. Redemption Amidst The Wreckage
4. Number The Stars Of Heaven
5. God Will Provide A Lamb
6. Jacob And Two Women
7. Walking With A Limp
8. Four Hundred Years
9. Blood On The Doorpost
10. The War Within
11. The Days Of The Judges
12. King Saul
13. The Boy-King Of Bethlehem
14. Cast Me Not Away
15. The Edge Of Ruin
16. I Have Loved YouPart II: The Savior Has Come
17. Herod The Great, King Of The Jews
18. The Silence Of The Priest
19. The Ordinary Overshadowed
20. When Joseph Woke From His Dream
21. The Birth Of Jesus
22. Where The Lambs Are Kept
23. One Star Lit For Them
24. The Hearts Of Many Revealed
25. Son Of God, Son Of ManAcknowledgments
NotesAdditional Info
“A page in history was about to turn. Though Israel’s world was in the throes of upheaval, it was only a matter of time before the sun of righteousness would rise. These people needed rescue, but they weren’t waiting for the stars to align or for the political climate to change. They were waiting for God. They were on his timetable. He was sending his Messiah-Immanuel, God with us.”For centuries God’s people awaited the coming of a Savior. In the midst of a world of trouble, they hoped for one who would deliver them from evil and restore them to true life. Would God be faithful to his promises? Pastor Russ Ramsey narrates anew the greatest story ever told-the true tall tale of the coming of the Christ. It’s more than the story of a baby born in Bethlehem; the story encompasses the whole of the Old Testament and all of human history, unveiling God’s longsuffering, loving pursuit of his people. Rediscover how the purposes of God culminated in the coming of Jesus, in twenty-five readings ideal for Christmas or any season of meeting the Savior.Also including The Passion of the King of Glory and The Mission of the Body of Christ, the Retelling the Story series explores the narrative arc of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation in compelling language that is faithful to the text of Scripture. The stories are told afresh to help readers hide God’s word in their hearts by way of their imaginations. -
Nativity And Me (Large Type)
$12.00Add to cartThe Nativity and Me will take you into the journey of the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ and highlights the profound influence it has in shaping our purpose in life. In this book you will taste Fr Bishoy Kamel’s personal relationship with the incarnated Christ, and how this relationship can transform our everyday actions.
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Wonder Of The Greatest Gift
$34.99Add to cartBased on her bestseller Unwrapping the Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp expands her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree with this beautiful keepsake book that can be handed down and enjoyed for generations. Each December, families can celebrate the coming of Jesus by opening the book to see a stunning 13-inch, three-dimensional Jesse Tree pop up from the page. At its foot are 25 doors, one for each day of Advent, which hide meaningful, beautifully detailed ornaments-including the Christmas star-that are ready to be hung on the tree. Also inside is a simple devotional book with a reading for each ornament. Create precious holiday memories with The Wonder of the Greatest Gift pop-up book and recapture the sacredness of the Advent season as you celebrate the epic pageantry of the coming of the Messiah.
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Unearthly Beauty : Through Advent With The Saints
$13.99Add to cart“Saints are people of unearthly beauty who show us a deep understanding of the fluid nature of divine grace.’ This warm-hearted book is for those of us who enter Advent longing for spiritual sustenance to balance the worldly charms of the Christmas season. Jesus’ arrival in poverty and vulnerability provoked feelings of unease as well as expectation and hope . . . How will we keep the faith as Christians called to live distinctively in an age of anxiety? Magdalen Smith believes we can be inspired by people from the past – those whose names are familiar or less so – whom the Church calls “saints’. In these wide-ranging devotions, full of contemporary stories and enjoyable cultural allusions, she introduces 24 characters who manifest a mysterious dynamic . . . and enable us to glimpse holiness in a new way. “With heartfelt honesty, clarity and humanity, Magdalen Smith challenges the Church to see the journey ahead with new eyes. This book is a timely prophetic call to be refreshed by our inheritance in ways that renew integrity and hope.’ Libby Lane, Bishop of Stockport “A treasure chest of gems.’ Jill Duff, Director of St Mellitus North West training course
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Wonder Of Advent Devotional
$14.99Add to cartRediscover the heart of the Advent season
As the year comes to a close and the stress and busyness of the consumer Christmas holiday grows, it can be easy to lose sight of what the season really calls us to: worship. In today’s world, is it even possible to slow down, to ponder, to wonder in the coming birth of Christ?
This Advent, recapture the mystery and beauty of the season with The Wonder of Advent Devotional. In this insightful and thought-provoking book, beloved devotional author Chris Tiegreen brings you into a deeper experience of this integral time in the church calendar. After completing a week of short readings to prepare your heart for the Advent season, you’ll journey through December with daily Scripture readings, prompts for reflection, and guided prayer to help you savor this remarkable divine story. With each day, The Wonder of Advent Devotional will reconnect you with what happened in Bethlehem long ago-and experience it anew in your life right now.
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Unwrapping The Names Of Jesus
$13.99Add to cartHelp for focusing on Christ during Christmas
Most Christians agree that Christmas is all about Jesus, but most of us spend little time preparing our hearts to celebrate Him. Why is this? Quite simply, because no one taught us how.
In Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, Asheritah Ciuciu leads readers through the four weeks of Advent (Hope, Preparation, Joy, and Love) by focusing each day’s reflection on one name of Jesus. Each week begins with an interactive family devotional followed by five daily reflections, as well as suggestions for fun-filled family activities or service projects to enhance a family’s Advent experience.
Whether you use this devotional in your own personal worship time or as a tool to engage in family worship during the busy holiday season, you will gain a greater sense of awe and wonder at who Jesus is.
By focusing on the person and character of Jesus throughout the Advent season, your heart will be prepared to rejoice. When you admire a live nativity, sit in a candlelight service, or wake up on Christian morning, you can join the faithful who have gone before us and sing from the bottom of your heart, “O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!”
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Look : A Childs Guide To Advent And Christmas
$16.99Add to cartLook! A Child’s Guide to Advent and Christmas presents Advent as special time for waiting and watching-paying attention-to the ways God comes to us.
Told from the point of a view of a child, the story weaves together familiar Advent traditions like the Jesse tree and the Advent wreath, biblical stories and characters, and reflections on what these stories call us to do and be.
This book reassures children of the presence of God in all times and places and invites them to become part of the holy work of making Christ present in the world.
With this new title, author Laura Alary and Illustrator Ann Boyajian add to the Paraclete Press line of children’s titles that are gaining an extensive following in the Evangelical, Catholic and Liturgical markets.
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Advent For Everyone
$18.00Add to cartAdvent for Everyone: A Journey with the Apostles provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Advent season, from the first Sunday in Advent through the Saturday after the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation and brief reflection, helping readers understand Advent in the wider context of God’s love.
Wright’s engaging and accessible writing and imagery help us see Advent both in relation to the Bible’s message and in our own lives today. Each week discusses key themes for the season: thanksgiving, patience, humility, and joy. This book is suitable for both individual and group study and reflection.
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1 True Gift
$14.99Add to cartChristmas is meant to be full of joy and light; but all too often it is spoiled by grumbling and arguing.
The 24 concise daily readings in this advent book share Paul’s answer to this problem from Philippians chapter 2 -and many many more: the big story of how and why Jesus came into the world. Each day includes ideas for reflection, prayer and application, designed to excite you about the gospel message in the run-up to Christmas Day.
If we see ourselves as part of that big story, then we will all shine like stars…
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What Are We Waiting For
$19.95Add to cart* Both practical and scholarly * Offers a new perspective on Advent, including resources Everyone knows that Advent is about waiting, but author William H. Petersen asks, What Are We Waiting For? In this book, he argues for a liturgical renewal in the life and mission of the Church by proposing an expanded, seven-week observance of Advent, taking its cue from the shape and substance of the Revised Common Lectionary, while noting (and critiquing) the Church’s complicity in the “Christmas culture.” Resources for a more authentic observance of Advent (other than a simple short four-week count-down to Christmas) are proposed and presented. With a renewed emphasis on eschatological formation into the Body of Christ during an expanded season, this counter-cultural approach gets beyond the secular and commercial Christmas preparation madness. Instead, it provides the Church (and the seasonally harried Christians who make up the Church) with the opportunity to enter each new liturgical year not simply as engaging a routine cycle, but with ever deeper understandings, broader horizons, and higher expectations in furthering our life and mission as reflection and agent of the Reign of God/Kingdom of Christ.
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Christmas Gifts That Wont Break Childrens Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$17.99Add to cartGo on an Advent journey with beloved teacher and storyteller James W. Moore, exploring the spirit of Christmas. As you light the candles of your Advent wreath, reflect on the unbreakable gifts that God has given us: hope, love, joy, and peace. And remember God’s greatest gift, who comes to us as a baby and leads us through all the days of our lives. The Children’s Leader Guide contains session plans for younger and older children, including games, activities, craft ideas, and reproducible handouts.
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Come Let Us Adore Him
$19.99Add to cartEvery time the Christmas season comes around, we look forward to putting up a tree, giving and receiving gifts, and participating in other traditions that make this wonderful time of year so special. But sometimes the most significant aspect of the season-remembering and focusing on the coming of Jesus-grows old and familiar. In Come Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional, Paul Tripp seeks to recapture our attention and reactivate our awe during Christmastime. Each day is structured like Tripp’s best-selling devotional, New Morning Mercies‚ with a compelling, gospel-centered thought followed by an extended meditation for the day. Each of the thirty-one readings also includes a Scripture reading and notes for parents and children, equipping us to do the one thing that matters each December-celebrating the glory of the incarnation of God’s Son.
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Christmas Gifts That Wont Break Leader Guide (Teacher’s Guide)
$12.99Add to cartGo on an Advent journey with beloved teacher and storyteller James W. Moore, exploring the spirit of Christmas. As you light the candles of your Advent wreath, reflect on the unbreakable gifts that God has given us: hope, love, joy, and peace. And remember God’s greatest gift, who comes to us as a baby and leads us through all the days of our lives. The Leader Guide contains everything needed to guide a group through the five-week study including session plans and discussion questions, prayers, and suggestions for group use.
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Mandalas Candles And Prayer
$12.99Add to cartSlow down, simplify, and add a burst of color to your Advent this year. The spiritual practice of coloring mandalas, lighting candles, and praying regularly can help us stay centered on God during this busy time of year. Based on the four candles of the Advent wreath, this coloring book for adults weaves together the popular practice of coloring with four simple methods of contemplative prayer. Each chapter includes a short vignette, an explanation of the weekly theme and prayer method, a simple candle lighting liturgy, 7 mandalas for each week of contemplative coloring, and a closing prayer of illumination. Let the candles light the way and calm your spirit. Color and pray. And you will experience the most meaningful gift of all-a peace that passes all understanding as you journey toward the manger.
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In Days To Come
$12.99Add to cartA rich observance of Advent and Christmas that extends into the New Year. Many people end their celebration of Christmas on December 25, but George Donigian reminds us that the celebration is just beginning. Donigian offers meditations that begin with Advent and continue through the 12th night of Christmas-January 6 or Epiphany. The meditations, like the surprises of an Advent calendar, touch on many different subjects. Some topics included are “An Editor,” “A Counting Song,” “Prudence,” and “Chrismons.” Instead of putting away the decorations on December 25, celebrate all the days to come!
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All Earth Is Waiting
$9.99Add to cartAll Earth Is Waiting invites readers to explore the familiar Advent themes of hope, preparation, joy, and peace with the heavens and earth in mind. Through her powerful and personal reflections, author Katie Z. Dawson calls us to consider how all creation longs for the coming of Christ, taking seriously the notion that the good news of Christ is good news for all the world. Anticipating in Christ’s birth the reconciliation of the heavens and the earth, Dawson highlights the responsibility to care for this earth in preparation for Christ’s return. This collection of 28 Advent devotions is the perfect companion piece to the book and includes Scripture, reflections, and prayers for each day to help you prepare your heart during the season of Advent.
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All Earth Is Waiting (Large Type)
$13.99Add to cart1. The Source Of Hope
2. Clear The Way
3. Discovering Joy
4. The Peace Of The World
5. The Reconciliation Of Heaven And EarthAdditional Info
All Earth Is Waiting invites readers to explore the familiar Advent themes of hope, preparation, joy, and peace with the heavens and earth in mind. Through her powerful and personal reflections, author Katie Z. Dawson calls us to consider how all creation longs for the coming of Christ, taking seriously the notion that the good news of Christ is good news for all the world. Anticipating in Christ’s birth the reconciliation of the heavens and the earth, Dawson highlights the responsibility to care for this earth in preparation for Christ’s return. This thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during Advent. Each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week that will encourage readers to engage a specific act of creation care that will help them apply the week’s lesson. Also included are Advent candle lighting liturgies, a Call to Worship, a Prayer of Confession that can be used throughout Advent, and hymn suggestions for each chapter. These can be used for small group worship opportunities or in corporate worship. -
Turning To The Light
$21.00Add to cartTurning to the Light draws together a collection of profound and beautiful seasonal reflections from the beginning of Advent to the end of Epiphany, by one of the finest voices in Anglican spirituality. Michael Mayne was one of Anglicanisma(TM)s most compelling and attractive voices, a gifted preacher and writer whose works have remained popular. These unpublished writings come from a large archive and are offered as an inspirational resource for preaching at a time of the year when many preachers seek fresh ways of opening up familiar texts. They are also suitable for individual devotional reading. Rowan Williams provides a forward to the collection.
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Pauses For Advent
$12.99Add to cartIn this beautifully minimalist book, Trevor Hudson focuses on one biblical word of wonder each day of Advent. Pausing for a few moments to read Hudson’s meditations on the word for the day will guide readers to a deeper understanding of Advent. Hudson also briefly explores the lives and thoughts of 4 significant characters in the Christmas story, encouraging readers to immerse themselves in the dramatic story. His simple approach provides a doable daily practice and gently leads readers to discover how they can open their hearts and lives more generously to God.
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Coloring Advent
$12.99Add to cartFollowing up to our bestselling Coloring Lent adult coloring book, Coloring Advent offers four weeks of original illustrations and scripture reflections to draw you deeper into the familiar Advent story. From the prophesies of the coming Messiah to the humble birth of Jesus and the arrival of the Wise Men, Coloring Advent offers a colorful and meditative journey through Advent like no other.
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Some Small Heaven
$14.99Add to cartIn this Advent book with a difference, striking reflections and images combine to teach us to discover light in dark times, open ourselves to the possibility of newness and to become bearers of light ourselves. Daily seasonal meditations focus on: Advent as a time of waiting, which can occur in our lives at any time. Whether we are waiting for a darkness to pass or yearning for a light to come, learning how to wait in Advent will enable us better to understand how to negotiate the waiting times whenever they come, and to give that waiting our care and attention. Christmas and its capacity to nurture within us an openness to new possibilities coming into being, unseen, unlikely, unnoticed. We are helped to capture the wonder of God coming towards us, making a home in us. Epiphany, a time of revealing, invites us to look up and look out and see larger patterns at work in our world, to know that how things seem right now is not how they will always be, to see the holy child Jesus as a gift for all. In seeking light we discover how we too can be bearers of light.
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Celebrating Abundance : Devotions For Advent
$16.00Add to cartTo “prepare for Christmas” in our society is to be sucked into a vortex of indulgence, from decor to gifts to calorie-rich foods. Layer upon layer of tinsel, lights, chocolate drizzle, and wrapping paper create the illusion of abundance, disguising the feeling of emptiness in our souls. The arrival of the Messiah, by contrast, is true abundance disguised by the impression of scarcity. Training our eyes to see through the rough stable, the adolescent mother, and the anxious escape to Egypt, we can see in that poverty and powerlessness the wonder of God’s abundant life and grace coming down to dwell among us.
This powerful devotional by best- selling author Walter Brueggemann includes daily reflections on the Scriptures and stories of Advent in order to invite us to see beyond the world’s faux extravagance and realize the true feast laid out before us. Twelve prayers are also included for the twelve days of Christmas.
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All Creation Waits
$18.99Add to cartOpen a window each day of Advent onto the natural world. Here are twenty-five fresh images of the foundational truth that lies beneath and within the Christ story. In twenty-five portraits depicting how wild animals of the northern hemisphere ingeniously adapt when darkness and cold descend, we see and hear as if for the first time the ancient wisdom of Advent: The dark is not an end but the way a new beginning comes.
Short, daily reflections that paint vivid, poetic images of familiar animals, paired with charming original wood-cuts, will engage both children and adults. Anyone who does not want to be caught, again, in the consumer hype of “the holiday season” but rather to be taken up into the eternal truth the natural world reveals will welcome this book.
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Daily Guideposts 25 Devotions For Advent
$4.99Add to cartExperience God’s great love in a new personal way with this Advent devotional drawn from America’s favorite devotional, Daily Guideposts.
Advent is a time of preparation for Christ’s birth. This year, rekindle the hope of the Christmas season with Daily Guideposts: 25 Days of Advent. In just five minutes each day, you’ll enjoy a Scripture verse, a personal story, and a prayer to help you apply the day’s message. Travel with Rick Hamlin as he finds joy in the Advent season through small moments. Learn with Daniel Schantz how the little things we take for granted played important parts in the story of the world’s most extraordinary birth. Find out how Brock Kidd and his family celebrate the birth of Jesus. Learn how Patricia Lorenz increases her joy by giving the gift of herself. And join Mary Brown for a special journey as she ponders the seven “I am” sayings of Jesus.
Join the community of over a million Daily Guideposts readers on this remarkable and deeply personal spiritual journey.
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1 True Story
$14.99Add to cartEveryone loves the Christmas story. But the story of the baby in the manger is the culmination of a thousand other stories. It is the focus of the story of the Bible and the story of human history. The book has 24 short meditative readings working through Bible stories from Genesis to Jesus. Each day ideas for reflection, prayer and application, designed to excite you about the Gospel message in the run up to Christmas Day. As you prepare for Christmas, get a fresh insight into the full script of the nativity, the story of our world, and the plotline for the rest of your life…
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Underdogs And Outsiders (Large Type)
$13.99Add to cartThe Bible is full of surprises. At every turn, from the beginning of the Old Testament right through the end of the New, we find God working in unexpected, even strange ways to bring about God’s purposes. During Advent, remembering this strange history of God working in our world helps us look forward to the birth of God’s Son, Jesus. As if to remind us of this, the Gospel of Matthew presents a genealogy of Jesus before telling the story of his birth, including subtle references to the times God worked through unlikely people. Matthew names five women in the family tree of Jesus: Tamar, a forgotten daughter-in-law and widow; Rahab, a prostitute; Ruth, a foreigner; the wife of Uriah, an adulteress; and of course Mary, a young virgin. This Advent study explores the stories of each of these five women, showing how they all played a pivotal role in God’s purposes. By learning about these underdogs and outsiders, readers will uncover new dimensions of the story of God’s people and how that story comes into focus in the hope for the Messiah. Through the Old Testament stories the Gospel draws upon, Matthew reminds us to look for God in unexpected places during this Advent season. This thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during Advent. The font size in this large print version is 14-point for easier reading. In addition to the main content, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week. The weekly focus emerges from the chapter content and encourages the readers to engage a spiritual practice or do something specific that will help them grow in faith.
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Underdogs And Outsiders (Student/Study Guide)
$14.99Add to cartThe Bible is full of surprises. At every turn, from the beginning of the Old Testament right through the end of the New, we find God working in unexpected, even strange ways to bring about God’s purposes. During Advent, remembering this strange history of God working in our world helps us look forward to the birth of God’s Son, Jesus. As if to remind us of this, the Gospel of Matthew presents a genealogy of Jesus before telling the story of his birth, including subtle references to the times God worked through unlikely people. Matthew names five women in the family tree of Jesus: Tamar, a forgotten daughter-in-law and widow; Rahab, a prostitute; Ruth, a foreigner; the wife of Uriah, an adulteress; and of course Mary, a young virgin. This Advent study explores the stories of each of these five women, showing how they all played a pivotal role in God’s purposes. By learning about these underdogs and outsiders, readers will uncover new dimensions of the story of God’s people and how that story comes into focus in the hope for the Messiah. Through the Old Testament stories the Gospel draws upon, Matthew reminds us to look for God in unexpected places during this Advent season. This thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during Advent. In addition to the main content, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week. The weekly focus emerges from the chapter content and encourages the readers to engage a spiritual practice or do something specific that will help them grow in faith.
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Prepare The Way
$12.99Add to cartThroughout Advent we read and sing the words Prepare the Way as we make room to welcome the Christ child into our lives once again. We prepare our city streets and buildings. We prepare our homes and workspaces. But sometimes Advent can slip away from us before we can prepare our hearts.
In this 4-week study and prayer book, Pamela Hawkins invites us to prepare our hearts through guided prayer, readings from Isaiah and Matthew, as well as brief reflections on four scriptural themes: Peace, Justice, Fearlessness, and Faithfulness.
Prepare the Way includes these spiritual practices:
Prayers of invocation, intercession, and benediction
Reflection through spiritual reading
Silence
Meditation on scripture
Call to Christian witness and service4 weeks * Includes Leader’s Guide
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Anticipating His Arrival
$12.99Add to cartFamily devotions can be hard to schedule and plan–and doing so in a meaningful way can be especially difficult during the days and weeks leading up to Christmas. As you guide your family through this season, Anticipating His Arrival helps you and your family remember his first advent on Christmas and prepare for his second coming, celebrating and anticipating both events.
Each day’s Scripture reading includes discussion questions with accompanying responses to make it easy for you to engage the themes of preparation, anticipation, joy, and incarnation throughout the season of Advent. The reading schedule–which begins the first Sunday of Advent and ends on Christmas Day–has been adapted from the Revised Common Lectionary and includes devotions for all three years in the liturgical cycle, with every year drawing on the Synoptic Gospels.
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Names For The Messiah
$16.00Add to cartIn Isaiah 9:6, a divine utterance is given to us using four royal titles–Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Names for the Messiah ponders each title and how the people understood it then, how Jesus did or did not fulfill the title, and how Christians interpret Jesus as representative of that title.
Christians have claimed from the beginning that Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. In this study, best-selling author Walter Brueggemann tackles the questions: “What were these expectations?” and “Did Jesus fulfill them?”
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Sent Youth Study Book (Student/Study Guide)
$9.99Add to cart“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them . . . .” -John 17:18 God sent Christ at Christmas. In turn, Christ sends us into the world to be his hands and feet, head and heart. Dynamic pastor Jorge Acevedo leads us on a 5-week Advent journey to discover how, where, and why we are sent. Joining him on the journey are four young clergy including Jacob Armstrong, Rachel Billups, Justin LaRosa, Lanecia Rouse, who challenge us through story, art, and Bible study. The Youth Study Book contains everything needed to conduct a five-week Advent study geared to youth, including current examples that have meaning to young people ages 13-18. Can be used with the adult-level DVD.
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Finding Bethlehem In The Midst Of Bedlam (Large Type)
$16.99Add to cartChristmas or confusion, Bethlehem or bedlam . . . Which will you choose this year? The truth is, we don’t have to choose, because Christmas always happens right in the midst of our chaos. God breaks into our noisy disorder and is made known in Jesus Christ. Christmas and confusion-weren’t they intimately related at the first Christmas when Jesus was born? Sometimes we forget that. That’s what this study is about-how Christ breaks into our chaos and confusion and brings Christmas-how Bethlehem always happens in the midst of bedlam. The re-introduction of this all-church Advent study, which features a new Leader Guide and DVD, has five sessions-one for each Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas. Each chapter includes questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, a focus for the week, and six daily Bible readings for personal devotional time during the week.
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Journey To The Manger Advent Calendar
$12.99Add to cartTake your family on a fun-filled journey to the manger this Christmas season! Learn more about Bible characters related to the Nativity and help teach your children about the true meaning of Christmas. Dive into each day of Advent with devotions and activities that will engage the entire family. Packed full of fun activities, Journey to the Manger Advent Calendar includes an Advent poster, Bible character stickers, readings, kids’ puzzles, and more!
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Advent Presence : Kissed By The Past Beckoned By The Future
$19.95Add to cartAdvent devotion for individuals or small groups, with an Advent poster-calendar sold separately
* Photographs and stories from daily life, for daily Christian living
* Study guide includedAdvent is a time of preparation, of patience, of remembering what grounds and sustains us. Advent reminds us who God is and who we are meant to be. This book offers a new look at Advent by seeing the four weeks through the lens of morning, mid-day, late afternoon and evening, and night. Photographs, stories, and perspectives enrich our travel and invite us to other dimensions of experiencing Advent, as a season and as a resource in our daily living. The book can serve as a devotional for individual or small group study for the Advent season, with a particular focus on the Year C gospel readings from Luke.
For individuals, small groups, Education for Ministry groups
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Finding Bethlehem In The Midst Of Bedlam (Student/Study Guide)
$16.99Add to cartChristmas or confusion, Bethlehem or bedlam . . . Which will you choose this year? The truth is, we don’t have to choose, because Christmas always happens right in the midst of our chaos. God breaks into our noisy disorder and is made known in Jesus Christ. Christmas and confusion-weren’t they intimately related at the first Christmas when Jesus was born? Sometimes we forget that. That’s what this study is about-how Christ breaks into our chaos and confusion and brings Christmas-how Bethlehem always happens in the midst of bedlam. The Children’s Study contains five lessons that delve into the Luke account of Jesus’s birth through an ADVENTure to find Bethlehem. They will have opportunities to really experience the story of Mary, Joseph, Gabriel, the shepherds, and Jesus. The guide is simple to use, and includes reproducible activities for each session.
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Adventures In Odyssey Advent Activity Calendar
$12.99Add to cartTake the time this Christmas season to connect with your kids in a meaningful way while enjoying a very special Advent in Odyssey! Prepare for Christmas with 25 Adventures in Odyssey activities, devotions, and prayers. Cut out and decorate the paper craft Odyssey town and even make your own Whit and Eugene characters! This Christmas, start a new family tradition and have fun with your friends from Adventures in Odyssey.
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Sent Devotions For The Season
$9.99Add to cart“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them . . . ” -John 17:18 God sent Christ at Christmas. In turn, Christ sends us into the world to be his hands and feet, head and heart. Dynamic pastor Jorge Acevedo leads us on a 5-week Advent journey to discover how, where, and why we are sent. Joining him on the journey are four young clergy including Jacob Armstrong, Rachel Billups, Justin LaRosa, Lanecia Rouse, who challenge us through story, art, and Bible study. This devotional, offering four weeks of daily reflections, functions beautifully on its own or as part of the church-wide experience. The reflections, ideal for use during Advent, include Scripture, personal insights, daily challenges, and prayers.
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Advent In Narnia
$17.00Add to cartWalking into Advent can be like walking through the wardrobe.
With its enchanting themes of snow and cold, light and darkness, meals and gifts, temptation and sin, forgiveness and hope and even an appearance by Father Christmas C. S. Lewis s “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” fits naturally into the Advent season. As the reader seeks a storied king and anticipates the glorious coming of Christmas, these twenty-eight devotions alternate between Scripture and passages from the novel to prompt meditation on Advent themes. Each devotion also includes questions for reflection. The book also provides several resources for churches, including four sessions for small group discussion and ideas for creating a Narnia Night for families. Readers will ultimately come to know God better while journeying through Narnia.”
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Why This Jubliee
$12.99Add to cartIn this book of 24 reflections, James Howell takes inspiration from well-known carols and Christmas songs to explore the birth of Jesus. He groups the devotions into 4 weeks by these topics: The Place, The Men (Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi), The Mother, and The Child.
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Unwrapping The Greatest Gift
$29.99Add to cartBased on the overwhelming success of The Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp has expanded her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree so families can celebrate together. Each day, families can read the provided Scripture passage (in connection with the original book), engage with a specially written devotion to help children of all ages understand the Advent theme for the day, and participate in suggested activities to apply the theme.
This special edition is beautifully illustrated. It can serve as a precious guide to help recapture the sacredness of the Advent season and to help the entire family understand and celebrate the epic pageantry of humankind from Adam to the Messiah.
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Celebrate Advent : Worship And Learning Resources
$18.25Add to cartPreface
“People, Look East”
AcknowledgmentsChapter 1. Preparing For Advent
Understanding The Season
Introducing The Season
Adapting The Services
The Four Sundays Of AdventChapter 2. Orders Of Worship
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of AdventChapter 3. Sermons
Children
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
Adults
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of AdventChapter 4. Educational Activities
Older Children
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
Youth
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
Adult
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
Intergenerational
The First Sunday Of Advent
The Second Sunday Of Advent
The Third Sunday Of Advent
The Fourth Sunday Of Advent
BibliographyAdditional Info
Imagine the excitement of coordinating every aspect of a church’s life during the Advent season. Older children, youth and adults study coordinated Sunday School lessons. The Sunday morning worship experience continues the theme. Intergenerational activities further unpack the theme on Wednesday or Sunday evenings.Celebrate Advent offers this sort of comprehensive church-wide experience for a church. The emphasis draws from a wonderful old Christmas carol, “People, Look East”. Here’s the first of verse from this carol:
People, look east.
The time is near of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able.
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east: Love the guest is on the way.Other verses play out other aspects of the season, each ending with a new variation:
Love the rose is on the way.
Love the bird is on the way.
Love the star is on the way.Each Sunday, the theme is drawn from a verse in this carol. The included Sunday school lessons offer a Bible study for older children, youth and adults. Fully developed worship outlines are also provided, complete with prayers, litanies, children’s sermons, and even a sample sermon for each Sunday. Then, instructions for a intergenerational Bible studies and gatherings are offered for use on Wednesday or Sunday nights,.
Celebrate Freedom provides a warm and wonderful way to draw your congregation together during this meaningful season.
Materials included:
1. 4 fully developed worship outlines, including prayers and litanies
2. 4 children’s sermons
3. 4 sermons
4. 4 Sunday School lessons for older children
5. 4 Sunday School lessons for youth
6. 4 Sunday School lessons for adults
7. 4 Plans for intergenerational gatherings & studies -
Feasting On The Word Advent Companion
$34.00Add to cartThis new volume in the Feasting on the Word series provides an all-in-one pastor’s companion for Advent, including worship materials as well as sermon preparation tools. A complete order of service is provided for each of the four Sundays in Advent, plus Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hymn suggestions, sermon illustrations, and children’s sermon suggestions make this an invaluable resource for the Advent season.
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Travel The Highways Of Advent (Student/Study Guide)
$13.99Add to cartThis thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during the Advent season. The book, written by Stan Purdum, is based on the particular pathways to Jesus during Advent. In addition to the main content, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week. The focus emerges from the chapter content and encourages the readers to engage in a spiritual practice or do something specific that will help them grow in faith. On the whole, this thematic seasonal Bible study series is designed for transformation and for applying the study of the Bible to everyday, practical life experience. It is intended to nurture and encourage faith development and spiritual growth.
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Every Valley : Advent With The Scriptures Of Handel’s Messiah
$18.00Add to cartUnlock the spiritual magic of Handel’s Messiah this Advent season!
Delve into the hidden treasures of Scripture that inspired Handel’s timeless masterpiece. This elegant volume offers forty captivating reflections that harmoniously blend the libretto from Handel’s Messiah with corresponding passages from the NRSV, accompanied by insightful commentary from respected scholars and pastors. Whether you savor it at your own pace or follow one reflection per day during Advent and Christmas, this transformative journey will enrich, challenge, and inspire your spirit.
This devotional balances the musical and biblical aspects of Handel’s masterpiece, inviting you to explore its profound story and its impact on your daily life. It’s a perfect companion for the Advent season, offering deep biblical scholarship that challenges you to re-think, work for justice, and embrace the marginalized. Every Valley is a must-have for classical music enthusiasts and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Scriptures that inspired Handel’s magnificent opus. Share this book with friends, family, or church leaders, and embark on a shared journey of spiritual growth and reflection this Advent season.
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Mary Had A Baby (Revised)
$14.99Add to cartIn this 2014 revised edition, Mary Had a Baby has four sessions, one for each week of Advent, and is perfect for small groups, Sunday School, mid-week sessions, and choir workshops. Each lesson utilizes Scripture, song lyrics, devotional and contextual information, and discussion questions to stimulate deepening faith and a sense of community. The four spirituals featured are “Mary Had a Baby,” “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow,” “Children, Go Where I Send Thee,” and “Go, Tell It on the Mountain.”
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Taste And See
$11.99Add to cartJan Johnson offers an innovative Advent small-group study built around a careful contextual reading of scripture combined with the imaginative reading approach introduced by St. Ignatius. The title Taste and See hints at how readers are invited to experience the stories of the season with their senses. Drawing on that experience of scripture, participants then consider how these stories speak to their own lives.
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Light Of Lights
$9.99Add to cartThis Advent book invites readers to commit to the practice of daily prayer. The collection of meditations from The Upper Room daily devotional guide is arranged to coordinate with the themes of the four candles on an Advent wreath: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Meditations are included for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the Sunday after Christmas. A complete Leader’s Guide for small groups and instructions for making an Advent wreath are included.
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Embodied Light : Advent Reflections On The Incarnation
$11.99Add to cartEmbodied Light invites readers to ponder our Creator’s daring adventure of taking on human flesh and coming to earth to live among us. Melissa Tidwell’s penetrating reflections for Advent reveal how to follow this fully human, fully divine Jesus with our full selves – mind, spirit, and body. Readers will embark on a 4-week journey filled with scripture readings, illiminating stories, penetrating commentary, and prayers that guide them to open their eyes to the mystery of the Incarnation – God with us.