As we listen to these readings for the first Sunday of Advent, we may be perplexed by what we hear. First, Paul’s letter to the Romans urges his listeners to put away what is dark and cultivate the ...

Preachers familiar with the Lectionary will not be taken off guard that the very first Gospel reading to begin the church’s year is a potentially anxiety-inducing warning of the end. The Preacher is ...

Wreaths, candles and calendars. These are sure signs of Advent for many Christian groups around the world. But what is Advent exactly? The word Advent derives from the Latin adventus, which means an ...

Despite 2025's global wars and crises, the season of Advent reveals how hope endures through the darkness, drawing on research and real-world examples of transformation.

Here we are on the doorstep of Advent, the weeks of preparation before Christmas Day. For those who make use of the liturgical calendar of the Christian year, this Sunday is New Year’s Day, sort of.

Let's face it, the Christmas season comes at us hard and fast — and early! And once it does, it's full-on immersion: food, songs, shopping, decorations, parties, school concerts and presents — "not ...