INTRODUCTION TO ADVENT

One of the first symbols that floods my mind when I think of Advent is the familiar Advent wreath with its pink and purple candles. During the four weeks prior to Christmas it occupies a prominent place in many of our churches and homes. Those tall, brilliantly shining candles are visceral reminders of what we are encouraged to focus on as we reaffirm once more welcoming Christ into our hearts and lives. This year the Advent Project looks at the enduring themes of the Advent wreath: Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love--concepts that are oh so familiar but at the same time, awash with great depth and fresh meaning. Festivals and holy days with their rituals and symbols are a central component of Jewish religious life. Like Judaism, the Christian faith also incorporates special feast days and sets aside periods in the church year to commemorate how God has wrought our salvation and acted on our behalf. By annually identifying with these Christian narratives as a community, we remember His purposes, orienting ourselves anew to His marvelous ways, as we wholly become His people. This is why seasons like Advent are so meaningful.

Christmas carols proclaim that December is "the most wonderful time of the year," a period marked by generosity and goodwill to all. God's amazing provision to the human race in sending Christ to earth in the form of an infant is what makes Christmas great and life worth living. Hymn writer, Annie Johnson Flint accurately captures the Father's unfathomable gift of His Son with these powerful words:

   "His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
        His power has no boundary known unto men;
        For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
        He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again."

In preparation for this project I reviewed a number of YouTube sermons. In particular, I was drawn to a series that Pastor Rick Warren and his associates preached during Advent last year at Saddleback Church. Listening intently, I was struck with the expansiveness of each Sunday's Advent word. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love are after all, the Advent "Fruits of the Spirit," wonderful presents God has given -- chock-full of His grace. As we open and explore these gifts during the next four weeks, may the Lord touch us anew, filling us with His affirming generosity.
----Barry Krammes, 2019 Advent Scripture Curator

We are most grateful for all of the illustrators, artisans, fine artists, poets, authors, composers, and musicians who have contributed to this year's 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 make these projects possible. Thank you.

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. A special thank you to Christopher Davidson, Associate Professor of English and Chair of the English Department at Biola University, for selecting the poetry for this year and Rachel Glazener, a graduate of Biola's Conservatory of Music, for selecting all the music. 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 2019 Advent Project, as well as lyrics, song/composition titles, and artwork information.