Advent: a beautiful season of preparation

"Let every heart, prepare him room." This line from the Christmas hymn "Joy to the World" sums up the theme of Advent: preparation of the heart. However, you won't hear that hymn until December 24 when we welcome the season of Christmas and the Christ child. In The Episcopal Church, Advent is its own holy season. Here are a few notes to help you prepare to celebrate Advent.

The Advent wreath. The symbol of the Advent season is the Advent wreath. Each Sunday in Advent (there are 4) we light one more candle until all 4 are lit before Christmas. This symbolizes the Light coming into the world. We fully celebrate this Light at Christmas Eve with each of us holding candles in the service. (You can mark the days of Advent with your own Advent wreath in your home, too. We will be making them together on the First Sunday of Advent following services, in the Parish Hall.)

Advent hymns. If you come from a Protestant background, you may be surprised at the lack of Christmas songs in our services in December. Now, let me assure you, my family and I enjoy our share of Christmas music during December, but we try to do so in the spirit of Advent - as a joyful expectation and preparation for Christ's coming among us. But when it comes to our Sunday services, we really dig in to the spirit of preparation by singing beautiful and unique Advent hymns. (You can search "Advent hymns" or "folk Advent" or "rock Advent" on your favorite music streaming apps to help keep you in that spirit throughout the week.)

Saint Nicholas. Yep, jolly ol' St. Nick is actually a saint, and his feast day is December 6. Nicholas of Myra was a bishop in the 300s in what is now Turkey, and there are many wonderful legends of all the good he did. We honor his feast day with a potluck, bringing cookies to pack for care packages, and for learning a little about him (as well as other fun activities like pictures with Santa). We will celebrate his feast together following the 1030am service on December 8.

Special giving projects. Keep your eyes out for special ways to show generosity this season. This year we will have opportunities to donate to Episcopal Relief and Development and a special Giving Tree for a local school. If you have extra income to share, please consider donating to one or both of these.

However you mark this holy season, let us all undertake to have the spirit of Advent with us each day, preparing our hearts for Christ's coming among us. So that at Christmas, and at his second coming, we may greet him without fear but with confidence and joy.