ADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk we did several times at church on our college campus. It includes scriptures and short meditations combined with an activity at each prayer station designed to help ponder the true meaning of Christmas.
The church is set up with four candles around the outside of the room to represent a traditional Advent wreath. Another candle is positioned in the middle of the room to represent the Christ candle. These candles become the prayer stations where there are scripture meditations and supplies for an activity associated with each scripture passage.
Each week in worship we lit the Advent wreath (on stage), as well as the candle(s) at the prayer stations around the room. As we did, we read our scripture meditations aloud. One year we even kicked-off the ADVENTure walk (and Advent season) at church with a candlelight processional dance on the first Sunday of Advent. At the end of the dance, all five candles were set in place at their respective prayer stations. Another year our resident poet wrote a poem to accompany each station.
I have posted all meditations, as well as activity ideas for ADVENTure each week for your use. Feel free to use these meditations and ideas for your church, ministry or personal prayer life this most blessed CHRISTmas season. Here’s an Advent devotional schedule with links to each week’s meditations and creative activities:
- 1st Sunday of Advent: Candle of HOPE: the Wise Men
- 2nd Sunday of Advent: Candle of PEACE: the Shepherds
- 3rd Sunday of Advent: Candle of JOY: Mary
- 4th Sunday of Advent: Candle of LOVE: Joseph
- Christmas Eve or Day: CHRIST Candle
I encourage you to adapt this for your own purposes. Allow this to simply be the framework as you work with the creatives and artists in your church or ministry. If you click on the following links, they will take you to .pdf files of the hand-out we had available for the prayer walk and a list of supplies you will need: ADVENTure Instructions and ADVENTure Supply List.
Let me know if you have any questions by commenting below.
Blessings of ARTistry, CREATivity & BEaUty, Jody
P.S. Missed previous posts? Click here.
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Reblogged this on God's Creative Gift — Unleashing the Artist in You and commented:
I originally posted this in 2015 as a creative resource for Advent. I wanted to post it here as well as a Creative Spiritual Practice. ADVENTure is a creative and interactive prayer walk to contemplate the reason for the season. Designed to accompany the four weeks of the Advent season, each weekly devotional includes a focus on a “character” of the CHRISTmas story, as well as instructions for a creative or sensory experiential to accompany the meditation. This can be done within a church, ministry, small group, or family context. Kid-friendly and engaging.
This post includes links to all five devotionals and instructions to assist you. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
Merry CHRISTmas, Jody
Thanks for including me here!! Merry CHRISTmas!! Jody