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     Advent and Christmas are coming soon! It can be a crazy busy time for everyone, especially preachers. They’re hustling to serve, as they normally do – with classes, visits, counseling, etc. – but now there’s the extra hours involved in seasonal activities at church. How can a pastor truly prepare something special in the midst of such a hectic pace? Why not accept some help? There are resources that can add high quality to all the messages a pastor will deliver, with a Word from God that will cut through the craziness right to the heart.  

     Many pastors who use the lectionary preach a different theme each week, and basically rely on the moods of Advent and Christmas to tie the messages together. But why not tie the whole season together with an attractive and interesting series? A unified series will keep people ‘with it.’ They need that help because of the incredible distractions of the over-busy holiday. Plus, you can build momentum week by week, leading up to the grand celebrations of the birth of Christ, which then serve as the peak or climax of the whole season. A unified theme will be also appreciated by the music staff, giving assistance as they look for pieces that match the weekly themes and enhance the impact of the sermons.

     Creating a series for a big season is fun! You yourself gain a deeper appreciate for the meanings that run through the weeks, helping your own spirituality to be nurtured while you are nurturing others. But with the time crunch, it will help to have a resource. After 40 years of preaching series during Advent and Christmas, I’m making the best available. For example, this year, 2014, Year B of the lectionary, the series for Advent/Christmas is titled, “Make This Christmas Mean Something!” Advent is a time to ready ourselves for the coming of God–past, present and future. Christmas is a celebration of God’s coming in Jesus, and it is a time to welcome Christ into our hearts, homes, church and world. The weekly themes in this series are based on the gospel readings and will be linked together. Each week will focus on a single word related to the spiritual significance of the season, like “Watch!” or “Prepare!” And the sermon ideas will help call God’s people to counter the culture and focus on the amazing news of God’s entry into the world to deliver us, and also on how we can respond to this news in our own time.

     “Make This Christmas Mean Something!” is available in the Sermon Resources under the store tab, with a photo: check it out at www.sundaycreations.com 

    And may Christ born for you send you a joyous spirit as you proclaim the great, good news of his coming!

                                                                Love, joy and peace,

                                                                 Frank