ADVENT AT THE CATHEDRAL
The first season of the church year, beginning with the fourth Sunday before Christmas and continuing through the day before Christmas. The name is derived from a Latin word for "coming." The season is a time of preparation and expectation for the coming celebration of our Lord's nativity, and for the final coming of Christ "in power and glory."
An Advent Service of
Lessons and Carols,
Sunday, December 10, 2023
4:00 p.m.
A traditional service of choral works and congregational singing, our Advent Lessons Carols Service is not to be missed. Presented by our Cathedral Choir and harpist Rebekah Atkinson this service will set the tone for your holiday. A nursery is available for this service and the service will be live-streamed.
Advent Service of
the Simple Presence
Wednesdays, December 6 and 13
at 5:15 p.m.
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Our Wednesday early evening service is a time for quiet reflection in God’s presence in the middle of the business of life. For two Wednesdays in December guest artists will play Advent music for the service. On December 6 Rachel Nozny will play the flute, including An Advent Prelude by Charles Callaghan. Harpist Rebekah Atkinson will be featured on December 13. Please come if you can—and invite others.
Children's Chapel
Reverse Advent
Our youth are participating in a “reverse Advent” where they are giving back. They have decorated baskets in which each day in December they will place the item specified on the calendar. Everything in their baskets will be used to fill our Food Pantry. The baskets will be offered at the altar on the Sunday, December 17—the day of the Christmas Pageant.
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Advent at the Cathedral
Advent begins on Sunday, December 3.
Unlike our culture that promotes the days leading up to Christmas as a time of spending, acquiring, cooking, partying and decorating, the season of Advent is a rich time of expectation. It is a time when we anticipate the incarnation--how God chooses to be present among us. The season’s biblical readings focus on the end time and on God’s promises for the people of Israel and the church of Christ.” {A Dictionary for Episcopalians by John N. Wall; Cowley Publications} Advent is a liminal time. It is also the beginning of the liturgical year.
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At Christ Church Cathedral, our observance includes not only the traditional music and readings appointed for the season of Advent during our regular worship, but the special offerings listed below. But Advent is not about doing things--it may be that this season is a time for you to do less. Take advantage of any of the following offerings, as you wish, but keep in mind that adding more to your to-do list is not the point! As with everything at Christ Church Cathedral, our Advent observances and offerings are open to all, regardless of whether you are an "official member" of this parish.
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To view the designations from last year click here.
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Advent Daily Readings
An email will be sent each day of the season beginning Sunday, December 3, and ending on Christmas Eve. Our hope is that our email subscribers will find them a reflective way to begin each day during this season. If you have received this email, you will receive the daily readings. If someone wants to join us, please ask them to sign up for our emails by clicking the Subscribe link at the bottom of our website landing page.
The Daily Office
Advent is an appropriate time to adopt a new spiritual practice, such as reading the Daily Office at home. We recommend the Forward Day by Day app that offers the daily meditation from Forward Day By Day, daily morning and evening prayer from the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church, and the daily scripture readings from the lectionary. For information click here.
Slow down. Quiet. It's Advent.
Use the poster to mark the days through the Advent season. The 2023 Advent posters are available on the ministry table or by contacting the Cathedral office.
Advent Links
For Children:
For Youth:
For Adults:
ADVENT
Advent means 'Coming' in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.
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There are five candles on an Advent wreath. Four of the candles represent the four weeks of Advent, and one candle is lit each Sunday. The fifth is the white candle which is lit on Christmas Eve.