In our family, we store our Christmas books in the attic for most of the year. So it is a cause of great delight, near the beginning of Advent, when we bring them out again. In these books, we find wonderful stories to celebrate the birth of Christ. To be clear, these are not adaptations…
Celebrate Advent and Christmas with ACNA Holiday Events
Anglican Compass is excited to showcase a variety of holiday-themed events hosted by churches across the Anglican Church in North America.
Review: Eighth Day Prayers (Volume 1)
Eighth Day Prayers: Daily Hope for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, takes the focus on Christ’s incarnation deep into the heart, inviting us to a place of deep spiritual reflection in God’s presence as we enter the darkest yet most hopeful time of the year.
Waiting & Wonder: Reclaiming the Beauty of Advent and Christmas
What if we reclaimed the seasons of Advent and Christmas as two distinct but deeply connected times of preparation and celebration?
Today in the Spirit: Christmas 1B
The Church’s messaging on the Sundays following Christmas Day might best be summed up as promises fulfilled with more to come, or light shining with ever-increasing brightness. The Christmas 1 readings are the same all three years. It is on this Sunday that we receive as a Gospel selection the famous prologue to John’s Gospel,…
Hymn Guide: Once In Royal David’s City
“Once in Royal David’s City” was written by Anglican poet Cecil Frances Alexander and published in her 1848 text, Hymns for Little Children.
The True Story of Santa Claus
Is Santa real? Yes, he is, and his true story involves a 4th-century bishop, a 19th-century Anglican, liturgical vestments, and an altercation with a heretic. The true story is so fabulous that only the kids would believe it!
Today in the Spirit: Christmas Day A
Two days prior to the delivery of a package Amazon sends you an email saying, “Your package will arrive soon;” then again one day prior, “Your package will arrive tomorrow;” then, finally, on the day of delivery, “Your package has arrived.” It is all exciting; the early notifications play an important role in building up…
Parish Project: Making Advent Wreaths
Advent is a perfect season to connect church and home. Here are ideas for making Advent wreaths together at church, together with ways to use them at home. Why Advent Wreaths? The purpose of Advent is to prepare our hearts to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, both the first and…
Nine Lessons and Carols: A Rookie Anglican Guide
The Anglican tradition has inherited many ancient pieces of liturgy. Therefore, it may be surprising to learn that the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (traditionally held on or near Christmas Eve) is a relatively recent invention. It celebrated a century of the practice in 2018. Born from the profound grief and turmoil of the…
The Liturgical Home: What is Advent?
The following is an excerpt from The Liturgical Home: Advent by Ashley Wallace. What is Advent? All of Scripture is a sacred love story, the love of God the Father for His people. It is a story filled with expectation, longing, and fulfillment. From the beginning, God has lovingly walked with us, called to us, and…
Holy Week: A Rookie Anglican Guide
Starting on Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins. As I put it in my overview of the Church calendar and the Christian liturgical year, The last week of Lent, Holy Week, remembers the last week of Christ’s earthly life, beginning with Palm Sunday’s commemoration of Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Holy Week is the week between…
