“For everything there is a season” (Ecclesiastes 3:10)—I am sure you know the verse well. We are all familiar with it, and yet it is so often misused. People will often quote the verse in response to a bad thing that has happened or a hard time that you are going through. But if you…
How to Practice an Advent “Calendar Fast”
“I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it. I have other plans on the calendar.” It’s an ordinary exchange between friends throughout the year, a response that occurs more frequently in December given holiday parties, concerts, and family gatherings. Most people understand and respect the need for boundaries with personal and family calendars, especially…
The Key Difference Between the Similar Seasons of Advent and Lent
Purple Seasons of Preparation About ten Sundays a year, purple vestments and altar hangings adorn sanctuaries in Anglican churches. Purple signals the season of Advent and the beginning of a new Christian year, either the last Sunday of November or the first Sunday in December. Then follow the seasons of Christmastide, Epiphany, and the season…
The War on Advent
You have heard of the supposed War on Christmas. But the real war is not about whether retailers use the word Christmas during December or not. In fact, it is not even the Christmas season until Christmas day anyway. The real war is happening in many American churches. It’s not a war on Christmas, its…
What They Are Saying About Advent
No doubt, you have plenty of resources for your church during Advent. Still, I thought you might benefit from this little quote collection I compiled during sermon preparation and study over the years. I wish you a blessed beginning to this season of expectancy. Enjoy! (Note: To learn more about Advent and how to observe…
The Incarnation: What is it? Why does it matter?
During the Christmas season, I keep returning to the doctrine of the incarnation. St. John writes in the opening verses of his gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” John 1:1, 14 The Doctrine of the…
What Is The Christ Candle?
Each December, we ask for gifts to our TRUE NORTH campaign. Help us point to Jesus through the riches of the Anglican tradition. This year, every gift up to $12,000 will be matched, for a total of $24,000! Our matching fund is put up by David Roseberry at Leaderworks, who both contributes to Anglican Compass and writes on…
Giving Even When You Receive
Last week, I talked about how to encourage generosity at the end of the year by making growing generosity a part of your teaching ministry, and teachers need to be creative. We’ve talked about getting creative by making a Christmas Wish List for your church. It’s a way to engage the people directly with the…
Slow Down This Advent
Advent is a time of waiting. As one who didn’t grow up but had to grow into the church calendar, the movement from increasing anxiety as Christmas approached to cultivating patient anticipation refreshed my hectic heart. December is a hard time for church leaders to slow down. But the always-on, always-connected world we built with…
What’s on Your Christmas Wish List?
At LeaderWorks, we are all about helping church leaders do their work. To that end, we posted a new idea for helping your church give in the final month of the year: make a Christmas Wish List for your church! Still, you deserve more than a lump of coal, so take a break and write…
The Church Calendar: A Rookie Anglican Guide to the Christian Year
What time is it? At first glance, it might not seem like it, but this is one of the most important questions a human being can ask! Thankfully, there’s an Anglican answer! Or, better, there is a Christian answer that the Anglican tradition helps proclaim! While the secular calendar organizes life around civic holidays, national…
Four Meditations for the Nine Lessons and Carols
Here is a question about the wonderful parish tradition of Lessons and Carols: Is there room for a brief homily or meditation during this service? Is there an opportunity to present the gospel from the lectern (through the nine lessons) AND through the pulpit? John Yates III thinks so. He has done so for the…
