Today’s newsletter is an introduction tothe Christmas season of Advent. We do this not to imitate or join any otherChristian tradition. We do it for three simple reasons:

1.    There is muchto learn from each other and so we have asked several people to share.

2.    We want totake back from the commercial concerns and frenzy of Christmas and recentre itback to Christ

3.    We recognizethat despite what personal or historical Christian affinity you may have, thelanguage of the church year and the season of advent is the spiritual languageand framing that over 22 million Canadians understand.

One doesn’t have to embrace advent or otherspiritual languages to learn them for their own sake and frankly for sound misiologicalreasons. Let me spell it out a little more forcefully than that – if we do notlearn the other Christian languages in our country from traditions that are insteep decline, then we will not be able to invite those leaving thosetraditions to our own. It is as simple as that - unless we start robbing oursense and welcome and worship to others, then what we are saying is that you  can come to our house for dinner, but youcan’t eat that dinner you have been invited to until you learn how to speak ourlanguage. I find the examples here to be wonderful, welcoming, historical andfaithful examples. Hope we all learn from this.

If you wish any of the resources mentionedin these examples, please contact my associate Shelby Gregg at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 604 225 5916.

Warmly,

In Christ,

Jeremy

Mark McKim – First Baptist ChurchRegina, SK

What I'd like todo is describe a wee bit of what we are doing for the Advent season thisyear:.... 

One of theproblems, I fear, with many churches is that we buy into the attitudes ofour culture often without thinking much about it.  The idea ofobserving Advent, the four Sundays preceding Christmas, as a time of deep,reflective preparation, doesn't jibe with our culture, which isn't much intowaiting.  Everything is to be instant - immediate - if notsooner.  But the reality is, very few things of worth are accomplishedwithout practice and patience.  You do not become a great pianist withoutyears of lessons and rehearsals, or a great football player withoutthousands of hours of drills.  Michaelangelo took four years to paint theceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Bach kept revising his "St. John'sPassion" for over a quarter century!  Why should we expect it tobe any different with matters spiritual?  For me, seriously observingAdvent is a profoundly counter-cultural action.  It's a way of saying"I will wait on God's timing, NOT mine."   

Each year duringAdvent I have followed the practice of choosing a particular theme or subjectwhich might be elaborated through the four Sundays.  This year our focusis "The Christmas Story According to......"   Scripturegives us four accounts - gospels - of the life of Jesus.  Whilst agreeingon the core of the story, each author, addressing a different audience, choseto emphasize different aspects of the life of Christ.  It's much likelooking at the different facets of a diamond.  Each Sunday of Advent then,we will consider the Christmas story as told by one of the evangelists. We start with Mark (not because of my name!) as it was almost certainly thefirst of the gospels to be penned.  Mark doesn't have the "traditional"Christmas story with angels and a manager and no room in the inn. Instead, this gospel begins urgently, suddenly - with a roar - as John theBaptizer cries "Prepare the Way of the Lord."  Now then, whatdoes it mean, in our culture, to prepare the Lord's way?  In like fashion,we will consider in turn, the Christmas story according to Matthew, Luke, andfinally John, who gives us the "cosmic" or "big picture"perspective on who Jesus really was - and is.  On the Sundays of Advent,we observe the custom of using the advent wreath - BUT - we rename the candlesdepending on the theme for the season.  This year, each candle will benamed after one of the four evangelists.  As good teaching practice, wemake every effort to insure that the sermon's theme is supported by the hymnsand anthems, as well as any artwork used on the bulletin cover.  Forinstance, on the first Sunday of Advent one of our hymns will be "OnJordan's Bank, the Baptist's Cry" and the bulletin cover will undoubtedlyfeature the winged lion - the symbol of Mark in Christian art for manycenturies.  The second Sunday of Advent, being the first Sunday of themonth of December, means we will celebrate Holy Communion.  That means ourtwo congregations - Karen and anglo - will be worshiping together.  (We'llalso be together on December 21st and 24th).  On that Sunday, in additionto involvement in serving the elements and prayers, Karen folk will participatewith us in the Advent wreath customs....... 

One other element of observing Advent atFBC, Regina is that I use my Christmas pastoral letter both to explain themeaning of the season AND to suggest some concrete actions folk may take toobserve the season. 

Callum Jones – First Baptist Church,Penticton, BC

Being sticklersfor tradition we hold our Christmas Eve service on December 24th! ;)

Christmas Eveservices at First Baptist Penticton, held at 7.00 pm in the evening, are"traditional" Carols by Candlelight services. Our services areusually a sequence of darkness and light as we make the most of our theatrequality sanctuary lighting. Scripture readings telling the story are alternatedwith appropriate carols. We begin the service, once everyone is seated, incomplete darkness. Even the Christmas tree lights and other decorative lightingare on a controlled dimmer giving us complete control of lighting atmosphere.As we progress through the story the lights are blacked out with a sole spotlight on each person who reads the next biblical passage of the Gospel story.We may also introduce a brief drama skit, or a movie excerpt, or a specialmusic presentation that helps provide variety and a different way"into" the story. Finally I will bring a Gospel message that pullsall the components of the service together and inviting all present toconsider Jesus, his birth, death, and resurrection. And being good Baptists,appropriate Christmas refreshments are served afterwards. 

Some resourceswe've used include a PowerPoint, entitled "Maybe?", which invites usto consider what Christmas is about (appropriate CD music accompaniment at yourown choice). Movies we've used include: Pirates of the Caribbean II - the scenewith the two pirates in a small boat on the open sea discussing the value ofthe Bible; The World's Fastest Indian - the scene with an initial speed trialwhere the aged New Zealand motorcycle enthusiast shocks others at the SaltFlats by virtually leaving them standing in his old Indian motorcycle (the ideabeing that perceptions are deceiving and when we look at the baby in the mangerdon't think that's the whole story!). Graham Kendrick's "Make Way forChristmas" material (it's dated, British, and probably out of print) canprovide some different music selections for Christmas songs - "From heavenYou came" is probably the best known song from this selection. 

A recent prayerbook (pub. 2007) from the Institute of Mennonite Studies entitled "Takeour moments and our days - morning and evening prayers for Advent throughPentecost" provides some fresh liturgical thoughts from a cousin toour own Baptist tradition. 

Tim Colborne –Kitsilano Christian Community, Vancouver, BC

KitsilanoChristian Community's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service is in the traditionalformat of Lessons and Carols. The readings or "lessons" are taken directlyfrom scripture as we follow the story of the nativity. The service begins intotal darkness and each person lights their candle during the prelude until theentire place is bathed in light. The service ends, as it began, with eachperson lighting her or his candle during the singing of Silent Night. Many ofour "regulars" are out of town, but the sanctuary is packed withvisitors and the "once or twice a year" attendees. This is animportant rite of passage for many in our culture and we provide a meaningfuland beautiful expression of the mystery of "Emmanuel, God with us".

LongestNight Service:We advertise this as a service of prayer and meditation for those for whom theChristmas season is a time of sorrow and a reminder of loss. This service is ideallydone on the Winter Solstice (the shortest day or, Longest night) but we do iton the Wednesday closest to that day. We offer this service because many peoplefind Christmas difficult because of painful memories or recent the recent lossof a loved one. This service attempts to create a safe place to acknowledge andexpress the loss and sorrow they feel at this time of year. This contemplativeservice culminates in the invitation to light votive candles that represent aloss or sorrow and then float the candles in a bowel of water. Many find thisthe most meaningful service they will attend during the Advent and Christmasseason. We have a liturgy available for those who wish it.