Advent Daily Reflections

Advent Daily Reflections

To sign up to write a reflection please click here

Advent/Christmas Daily Reflections 2021

We are once again undertaking the Advent Daily Reflections.  For 27 days of Advent (29 Nov to the 25th Dec), we will be publishing on our Facebook page a short Christmas Bible passage as well as a reflection written by one of our church members.   We are looking for a number volunteers from our church to write a short reflection.  This Advent our theme is “Near”, so we will be encouraging you to not only reflect on the reading but share a story of year experience of Christmas around the broad themes of hope, peace, joy and love. 

In recent years there have been plenty of people wanting to be involved, so we are asking that you just choose one reflection!

The task is simple:

  1. Choose a day for your reading and sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0849afa82ca57-adventchristmas2
  2. Have a read of the allocated bible passage – each has a Christmas connection
  3. Write a short reflection on the passage as well as share a part of your story of Christmas.  Each week has a theme (based on the advent candles) and some prompter questions to get you started (these are listed below).  Where you take it from there is up to you – we trust your judgement.  The reflection should only be one or two paragraph long.
  4. Write a short sentence prayer to go at the end of the reflection
  5. If you have a particular image that goes well with your reflection (either found on the internet or even one of your own Christmas snaps) send that through too and it will be included in the daily reflection graphic.
  6. Send it to Dave Cornford (cornford.david@optusnet.com.au) at least 3 days before your reflection day.  That way he will have time to put it into the format for reflections and schedule it for 7am on your morning.

How does that sound?  We would to love to have as many voices in this 25 day reflection as we can.

HOPE prompter questions:

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you really hoped for something – especially if it was fulfilled.
  • Does Christmas inspire you to feel hopeful?
  • Advent is a time of anticipation … did you get excited about Christmas a child?  What did you hope for?  (Stories are great!)  Now that you are older, have those hopes changed?  What do you hope for this Christmas?
  • The people at Jesus time where hoping for a saviour to come and rescue them – they were anticipating the Messiah.  How does this feeling of hope connect with our Christmas experience?
  • What do you hope for our church this Christmas?  Our local community?  Our nation or our world?

PEACE prompter Questions:

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you found a sense of peace amid the Christmas Chaos?
  • When you think back to Christmas as a child, what was it like?  A small gathering with just immediate family or the huge, noisy, busy family gatherings?  When did you find a sense of quietness or peace in those childhood Christmases?
  • Does Christmas inspire you to feel peaceful?
  • What does it mean for you for Jesus to be prophesied as the “Prince of Peace”?
  • How do you need peace this Christmas?  Where does our church, our community, our nation, our world need peace this Christmas?

JOY prompter questions:

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you were overjoyed or when you experienced the “good news of great Joy” that they angels proclaimed.
  • When you think back to Christmas as a child, what was it like?  Was it a time of joy?  Or was a mixture of feelings?  Or maybe sometimes it was not joyful at all?  How do we hold these experiences together with the promise of Christmas joy?
  • Does Christmas inspire you to feel joyful?
  • Why do you think that the Magi were “overjoyed” when they saw the star and drew close to Jesus?
  • How do you need joy this Christmas?  Where does our church, our community, our nation, our world need joy this Christmas?

Love Prompter questions:

  • Share a Christmas story of a time when you experienced great love at Christmas.  Or even better, when you felt God’s love at Christmas?
  • What do you love about Christmas?
  • How does the Christmas story / incarnation speak to you of God’s love for you and for the world?
  • How do you need love this Christmas?  Where does our church, our community, our nation, our world need love this Christmas?