Advent is Preparation.

While the world is busy singing Christmas songs, Christians wait in joyful hope during the season of Advent. In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, many people forget, or don’t realize, that the days prior to Christmas are days of preparation and anticipation - the season of Advent.

Advent is a season observed in many Christian denominations, including Anglicanism, in the liturgical calendar. It typically begins four Sundays before Christmas Day, which is usually around the end of November or the beginning of December. The word "Advent" is derived from the Latin word "adventus," meaning "coming" or "arrival," and it is a time of anticipation and preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas.

In 2025, Advent begins on Sunday, November 30th.

Advent serves as a period of spiritual reflection, penance, and expectation, emphasizing both the first coming of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem and the anticipation of his second coming. The season is marked by a sense of hope, joy, peace, and love, represented by the lighting of candles on an Advent wreath, each corresponding to a different theme.

Anglicans, who are part of the Anglican Communion, which includes the Church of England, the Episcopal Church, and various other national and regional Anglican churches, observe Advent as a significant and meaningful season. The importance of Advent to Anglicans is rooted in the broader Anglican liturgical tradition, which seeks to follow the Christian liturgical calendar and the lectionary readings.

During Advent, Anglicans engage in special liturgical practices, prayers, and Scripture readings that focus on themes such as hope, peace, joy, and love. The Advent season provides Anglicans with an opportunity for spiritual preparation, self-examination, and a renewed commitment to living out the Christian faith. It is a time for individuals and the community to reflect on the significance of Christ's coming and to prepare their hearts for the celebration of Christmas.

While specific practices may vary among different Anglican churches and traditions, the observance of Advent is generally seen as a way to deepen one's faith and connection to the broader Christian narrative. It helps Anglicans to center their thoughts on the meaning of the Incarnation and to await the arrival of the Messiah with a sense of reverence and expectation.

Advent at St. Francis

Here at St. Francis we joyfully anticipate the coming of the Messiah - Jesus - into the world by almsgiving (the Christmas Angel Tree), remembering the poor and ministering to their needs, decorating the church with red flowers (Poinsettia Dedications), making wreaths for our homes to mark the four Sundays of Advent (Advent Wreath Making), and, of course, celebrating! (our annual Children’s Christmas Party).