Worship during Advent
The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God’s actions—past, present, and future. In Advent we hear the prophecies of the Messiah's coming as addressed to us—people who wait for the second coming. In Advent we heighten our anticipation for the ultimate fulfillment of all Old Testament promises, when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, and every tear will be wiped away.
Worship during Christmas
The spirit of the worship service and the visuals of the worship space change dramatically from the Fourth Sunday of Advent to the celebration of Christmas. White, yellow, and gold are the colors of Christmas, and many visual symbols and images—angels, candles, the star of peace, shepherds, the manger, and so on—come to mind. Christmas carols have their own built-in spirit of celebration.
From The Worship Sourcebook Second Edition, p.427 & p.471
Planning Resources and Services
- Resources from Zeteosearch.org
- Advent Resources and Christmas Resources, from the Center for Excellence in Preaching
- Advent and Christmas Worship Service Series Ideas
- Lessons and Carols services
- Daily Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary
- Resources from the Revised Common Lectionary
Song Resources
- Songs for Advent
- Songs for Christmas
- Resources from Hymnary Lectionary
- Singing our Identity in History: Advent and Christmas Songs
Visual Arts Resources
- Church stage design ideas
- Slideshow of visual arts for Advent and Christmas in churches
- Gazing as a Spiritual Practice
- Artway materials for use in churches (Advent through Epiphany)
- Images and the Screen
- Jan Richardson Images
- Eyekons
- Virginia Wieringa
Intergenerational Resources
- Teach Us To Pray: Scripture-Centered Family Worship Through the Year by Lora A. Copley and Elizabeth Vander Haagen
- WE: Expectations, One Event for Advent by Laura Keeley, an event for the whole congregation
- Seeking God's Face by Philip F. Reinders
Children's Books
- What Am I Doing for Advent This Year? by Paul Turner (Liturgy Training Publications)
- God Loves Me Favorite New Testament Stories by Patricia L. Nederveld (Faith Alive Christian Resources)
- Waiting, Waiting, Waiting! The Story of Simeon and Anna by Patricia L. Nederveld (Faith Alive Christian Resources)
- Come Worship with Me by Ruth L. Boling
- Mouse Tales--Things Hoped For: Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany by Ruth L. Boling
Featured Resources:
The Worship Sourcebook
See parts D and E of The Worship Sourcebook Second Edition, pp. 427-498, for sample prayers and other worship resources for each act of worship during Advent and Christmas, including the Call to Worship, Opening Responses, Confession and Assurance, Prayers for Illumination, the Lord's Supper, and Blessing/Benediction.
Reformed Worship
Browse all resources related to Advent from Reformed Worship magazine.
Center for Excellence in Preaching
Browse all resources from our ministry partner, the Center for Excellence in Preaching.
