Resources for Advent and Christmas

And a reflection on sermon writing

Advent greetings!

It’s that time of year again when our lectionary is full of the prophet Isaiah. Because I’ve written about that before, I’m going to link to some of those things and then use the rest of this newsletter to recommend other things I’ve found helpful.

Here are previous newsletters which will give you some context for preaching on the Isaiah passages:

This digs into the Christmas Day readings:

Also this:

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Next up are some of the things which have been helping/inspiring me as I think about what to say in the many (many, many…) sermons that need to be written in the next three weeks.

https://unsplash.com/photos/pink-candles-on-gold-candle-holder-XURNr0q38x4

Personally, I find sermon writing much harder when I’m not giving myself the space to prayerfully engage with the writing of other people. I need to ‘pay in’ to my creativity account if I want to make lots of ‘withdrawals’, as will be the case in the time between now and Christmas.

It is the case, though, that as I get used to full-time parish ministry I’m struck by the ways that God often uses the things I think are sub-par to speak to people. Often, when I’ve felt that a sermon wasn’t all I hoped for, that will be the time that someone is deeply moved. I find it useful to remind myself that the activity of the Holy Spirit isn’t dependent on how ‘good’ the things I produce are - and thanks be to God for that!

But, nevertheless, it’s good for us to nourish ourselves with things we find inspiring and which turn our hearts towards God. Here are some things which I’ve been enjoying:

1. Celebrating Abundance by Walter Brueggemann - this is my favourite Advent Book and is endlessly quotable in sermons. It’s out of print but you can buy second hand or get the eBook!

   

2. I really enjoyed Sarah Bessey’s meditation on Advent here:

   Advent is for the ones who know longing

3. I’m not a huge poetry person, but I love Malcolm Guite’s Advent collection. It’s called ‘Waiting on the Word’ and here is an example:

   ‘Advent’

   O come, O come, and be our God-with-us
   O long-sought With-ness for a world without
   O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.
   Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken Name
   Come Root, and Key, and King, and holy Flame,
   O quickened little wick so tightly curled,
   Be folded with us into time and place,
   Unfold for us the mystery of grace
   And make a womb of all this wounded world.
   O heart of heaven beating in the earth,
   O tiny hope within our hopelessness
   Come to be born, to bear us to our birth,
   To touch a dying world with new-made hands
   And make these rags of time our swaddling bands.

4. Advent is a time of anticipation, where we look forward to knowing the fullness of God’s love but remain aware of the darkness in our world. I’m doing a ‘Blue Christmas’ service for those who struggle at this time, and have found Barbara Brown Taylor’s book on suffering ‘God in Pain’ helpful.

5. Finally, I’ve been enjoying this newsletter by Laura Kelly Fanucci - it isn’t strictly speaking about Advent but it touches on some of the themes. Her writing is also very beautiful, I would recommend subscribing.

To trust the invisible

That’s all for now! You won’t hear from me again until the new year, so may you have a blessed Advent and a joyful Christmas.