INTRODUCTION TO ADVENT

Welcome to the 2018 Advent Project. This Advent season we are going to be pondering relationships between God and humankind. God sent Christ into the world because he wanted an everlasting, loving relationship with his creation. This is the deep incarnational truth of Advent and Christmas, a message of the most profound nature. Christ was born to die so that we might experience restoration and fellowship with the divine. Colossians 3:11 states that “Christ is everything and in everything” dwelling in perfect relatedness to his creation as the head and center of all things. It is God’s very nature that calls us to himself, arousing in us a desire to seek him. St. Augustine in his Confessions wrote, “Through him you sought us when we were not seeking you, but you sought us that we might begin to seek you.”

Likewise, being in right relationship becomes the great desire of every believer, to have a deep personal connection with Christ, and to experience his limitless love. “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). These declarative words of the Apostle Paul echo down the corridors of time as we cry out in unison with this wise saint. Oh to know Christ and to allow him to come and transform us into his image. Throughout the New Testament there are two phrases that describe this unique relationship--we are “in Christ” and “Christ is in us.” English author Evelyn Underhill wrote in the early part of the 20th century, “Union with God means every bit of our human nature is transfigured in Christ, woven up into his creative life and activity, absorbed into his redeeming purpose, heart, soul, mind and strength.” “Knowing Christ” is indeed a lifelong process, an arduous journey finally culminating with our entrance into eternity. Yet the ongoing wonder and beauty of “God with us” is that Christ works in and through his children in a wide variety of ways, never failing to support and love us.

Trust is the key to intimacy. The more we allow ourselves to trust, the closer we get to the person we are in relationship with. Author and teacher John Piper writes, “We draw near to God through faith in Christ who alone gives us access to him, and we put our trust in all of ‘his precious and very great promises’ which find their Yes to us in Christ.” What freeing and life-giving words. And with these wonderful notions of “God with us” in our hearts and minds, we invite you on this Advent pilgrimage, where we join thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ from many sectors of Christendom! May we travel well together over the next five weeks and with great anticipation prepare ourselves to evermore adore and magnify Christ on the festival of his holy and life-giving birth.

We are most grateful for all of the illustrators, artisans, fine artists, poets, authors, composers, and musicians who have contributed to this project. The multiplicity of styles, cultures, and wide range of denominations represented, creates a full-bodied meditation on the marvelous things that God has done and is doing in the hearts and lives of those who seek him. We are also most grateful to those readers who have contributed financially to this unusual endeavor. It is your support that continues to makes these projects possible.

Our curatorial team has spent dozens of hours culling through hundreds of musical compositions and works of art and poetry in an attempt to bring a heartfelt worship experience to our participants. Additionally, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab, that give you biographical information on the artists, poets, composers, and musicians used in the Project, as well as lyrics, song/composition titles, and artwork information.

The CCCA would like to thank Stacie Schmidt for her video introduction to the Advent Project and the curators for this year’s Advent project: Professor Emeritus of Art Barry Krammes for his work on selecting the Scriptures, poet Amy Munson for selecting all the poetry, art hsitorian Dr. Rachel Hostetter Smith for curating the artwork, and Rachel Glazener for selecting the music for the project. Through the layering of Scripture, prayers, and the arts, The Advent Project offers a wonderful opportunity for daily reflection, an occasion for us to pray with our eyes and ears as well as our hearts and minds. We hope you are blessed.