What is Advent?

The word Advent means “coming.” It is a time of preparation, expectation and celebration of the coming of Jesus through his birth at Christmas. For most of us Christmas, with all the gift buying, decorating, cooking, baking and family get-togethers, can be a busy, stressful, and exhausting season. Advent helps us to focus and prepare our hearts to remember the birth of Jesus and what his coming means for us. To look at Jesus from the manger to the cross. During a hectic and distracting time, we hope Advent can help you receive Jesus, and find hope, love, joy and peace in him this Christmas.
How to Use our Advent guide:
For Advent this year, we have scripture readings, discussion questions, Christmas movie suggestions and ideas to help you connect with neighbours and friends, all designed to not just get you in the Christmas spirit but help you see and share Jesus this Christmas.
For Advent, we are following the four themes of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Each week we will look at one of those themes, and the readings, discussion questions, movie suggestions and connection ideas will go along with that theme.
There are lots of different resources to use each week to help you focus, on the theme and Jesus. You can do all of them or the ones that work best for you.
Each week there are four different types of resources to use
1. Bible Project Advent Reading Plan
We are using a devotional on Youversion called Bible Project Advent. You can find this on the Youversion Bible App for your phone or tablet. In the app search Bible Project Advent, and you will find it under the Plans section. You can also find it online at www.bible.com. On www.bible.com in the search bar type Bible Project Advent, and then on the right hand side click plans to find the devotional plan. The plan is weekly, and each week there is a video on the theme to watch and scriptures to read.
2. Reading through Luke
For Advent we are reading one chapter of Luke each day. You begin on December 1, and end on Christmas Eve. There are discussion questions for each week’s reading to help you think through the passages and connect them to the theme.
3. Christmas Movies
Each week we are suggesting a Christmas movie to watch with your family or friends. There are also some discussion questions to talk about after the movie to help you have a conversation about some of the spiritual themes in the movie.
4. Christmas in my Neighbourhood
This year we want the Christmas season to be about reaching out to your neighbours, and sharing the good news of Christmas and Jesus . We want to challenge you to use your time, energy and resources for your neighbours. To reach out to the person(s) God has laid on your heart. We have some suggestions of ways you can reach out and connect with your neighbours, friends, and church family. In the bag we have also included some items to help you reach out and connect with neighbours, friends, and church family. Enjoy these items with others as you share the hope, love, joy and peace of Christmas.
Bonus: We want you to share your Advent experiences and reflections
On the Journey Community Church Facebook page we have set up a group called Advent 2021 which you can join. Use this group to interact with other people participating in our Advent 2021 and share pictures or messages of what you have been doing to connect with your neighbours and some of your reflections on the advent readings or movie discussion questions. Comment on each other’s posts and encourage each other through Advent.

Advent Guide

Week 1 – November 28-December 4
Theme: Hope
Readings: Youversion – Bible Project Advent Day 2 and Luke 1-4
Questions to ponder: In the passages, where do you see examples of people having hope? Where do you see hope being realized?
Christmas Movie: Home Alone
Discussion Questions:
1. If you were home alone what would you want to do?
2. Kevin was alone even before he was home alone. Do you ever experience loneliness even when the house is full of people? Is Christmas a lonely time for you?
3. In the movie even though Kevin gets his wish and is home alone he ends up missing his family and is lonely and hopes for them to return. What are you hoping for this Christmas?
4. The movie ends with everything working out and Kevin being reunited with his family. But real life rarely works out this way. How can you experience hope and not feel lonely this Christmas? Think about what Jesus has done in your life, his faithfulness and his promises to you, how does that fill you with hope?
Christmas in my Neighbourhood:
I. Have someone over for a bonfire and hot chocolate.
II. Have a games night.
III. Invite someone over to watch a Christmas movie.
Week 2 – December 5-11
Theme: Love
Readings: Youversion – Bible Project Advent Day 4 and Luke 5-11
Questions to ponder: In the passages, how does Jesus show love? Count all the times Jesus shows love to someone hard to love, or in a way that is sacrificial, or difficult to do. Jesus tells us to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-36), not just the people we want to love, or are easy to love. Who are the people in your life that are difficult to love? How can you show love to them this Christmas?
Christmas Movie: The Star
Discussion Questions:
1. Which character did you connect with the most? Which one is the most like you? Which one is the most different from you?
2. Where do you see the theme of love in the movie? The movie repeatedly shows us that true love is not easy, is costly, and reminds us that this is the love God showed at Christmas. How have you been shown that love by God and others? Come up with some ideas of how you can show God’s love to others this Christmas.
3. In the movie, even though Bo (the Donkey), abandons his friends and Thaddeus and Rufus (the Hunting Dogs) try to kill Mary, at the end, they are welcomed into the stable to be with Jesus. It is a picture of the love Jesus shows and how he forgives, and welcomes us into his family. How can you show that same love? Is there someone you need to forgive and reconcile with this Christmas?
Christmas in my Neighbourhood:
I. Give the Christmas cards you received in your Advent bag to some of your neighbours.
II. Enjoy the outdoors, invite someone to go sledding, skating or snowshoeing.
Week 3 – December 12-18
Theme: Joy
Reading: Youversion – Bible Project Advent Day 3 and Luke 12-18
Questions to ponder: In the passages, where do you see people experiencing joy? Why are they experiencing joy? How do they express their joy? What passages did you read that filled you with joy? Why did they give you joy?
Christmas Movie: Elf
Discussion Questions:
1. What was the funniest moment in the movie? When did you laugh the most?
2. Buddy the Elf is always joyful. Do you find it easy or hard to be joyful? Is Christmas a more or less joyful time for you?
3. Buddy’s joy through most of the movie is childlike, and naive, and contrasts with the other adults who are much more cynical and lack joy. How do you avoid being cynical but also find a joy that is not naive? How can you find lasting joy in Jesus?
Christmas in my Neighbourhood:
I. Make some cookies and give them to a neighbour.
II. Invite someone over to watch the Grey Cup (The Grey Cup is on December 12).
III. Invite someone to walk through your neighbourhood to look at the Christmas lights and decorations (post a picture of best decorated house in the Advent 2021 Group on Journey’s Facebook page).
Week 4 – December 19-24
Theme: Peace
Readings: Youversion – Bible Project Advent Day 1 and Luke 19-24
Questions to ponder: In the passages, where can you see peace or hints of peace? Contrast the disciples’ emotions and actions before and during Jesus’ crucifixion, and after the resurrection. How did their emotions change once they saw the risen Jesus? How does Jesus’ death and resurrection give you peace?
Christmas Movie: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Discussion Questions:
1. Are you more like the Grinch, or the residents of Whoville during Christmastime?
2. Do you ever feel like the Grinch and want to get rid of all the stuff you have to buy, and things you have to do at Christmas? Do you find Christmas too chaotic, and think not having it will bring you peace?
3. In the end, The Grinch realizes that Christmas is about more than just gifts, decorations, and all the stuff we think we have to have and do at Christmas, and he celebrates Christmas with the residents of Whoville. What do you need to get rid of to make Christmas less chaotic? What do you need to make Christmas more about so that you can have a more peaceful and celebratory Christmas this year?
Christmas in my Neighbourhood:
I. Invite someone over to wrap Christmas presents together.
II. Invite someone to go carolling through your neighbourhood.