For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
As Lutheran Christians, we have an ancient, multifaceted, precious, often half-buried gem in our churches—our practice of the seasons of the liturgical calendar. Every new year on this calendar begins with Advent, which means “beginning,” “start” or “approach.”
Advent is not a single day, but a whole season in the four Sundays before Christmas. In the northern hemisphere, Advent begins counter-intuitively—exactly when the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and the last bits of autumn’s gardens and flowers are withering on the vine.
The four weeks of Advent are a time of preparation. Learn more by downloading the Women of the ELCA resource, Advent: A Season for All Generations
This message was adapted from Advent: A Season for All Generations, a free downloadable resource available from the Women of the ELCA website. If you are reading “Daily Grace” online, sign up to receive it by email.