Advent Help for Families and Adults

Advent comes from the Latin adventus and simply means, "coming." This liturgical season has served the church through the centuries as an intentional time for Christians to try to sense what it was like to anticipate the coming of the world's Savior - as predicted as far back as the Book of Genesis - and to anticipate the time when He will come again to restore all things. 

Advent began yesterday and culminates on Christmas Day. 

Here are a couple ways to intentionally celebrate the Savior with your kids during the Advent season and one way to go solo:

http://www.vergenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/AdventBook2013.pdf. Advent 2013: The coming of the Rescuer is a FREE resource from the Austin Stone Community Church. It can be done alongside your regular Bible but also with The Jesus Storybook Bible, which we have available from the church. It also includes a coloring for each day which can be cut out and transformed into a Christmas Ornament to hang on the tree. It does say "2013" but don't let that worry you. It pretty much works the same and Christmas wasn't in beta all the way back in 2013. 

http://www.stewardship.org.uk/downloads/Studies%20and%20Sermons/advent-wonder/advent-wonder-family-15.pdf. The Gift: Family Bible time and activities for families. Two advantages to this one: 1) It's highly interactive - like break out the pencils and crayons, get your hands moving interactive. 2) There is a generosity focus - ie. Jesus is God's ultra-generous gift to us so the most natural response during Christmas is: How might we be generous to others?  Only disadvantage: One week at a time (but that might be an advantage as it makes it more "do-able" for many busy families).

Advent for adults: https://itunes.apple.com/cz/app/advent-devotions/id737013885?mt=8