30 November 2025
Bible readings for today
Liturgical Colour: VIOLET
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CollectPraise and honour to you living God;
your coming will be like a thief in the night, like lightning flashing across the sky. Grant that we may be ready, and our hearts answer, Come Lord Jesus. Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen Te whakamoemiti te hōnore ki a koe, e te Atua ora tonu; tō haerenga mai ōrite ki tā te whānako haere pō, anō he hihiko uira i te rangi. Meatia mātou kia tūmau kia whakautu ai o mātou ngākau, Haere mai e Īhu te Ariki. Whakarongo ki tēnei īnoi i runga i tōu aroha. Āmine. |
The Season of Advent
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Advent begins this Sunday! Advent is a four-week season in the Church calendar dedicated to anticipating the hope-filled arrival, or "advent," of Jesus. It's also the beginning of the new church year. This means we are now into Year A lectionary readings.
Advent WreathsBasic Advent wreaths have 5 candles; 1 for each week of Advent and then a white candle for Jesus which we light on Christmas Day (or Christmas Eve). Traditionally the four candles are purple. Sometimes the Joy candle is pink, but you can make each candle any colour. The four candles represent Hope, Peace, Joy, Love.
What you need:
A wreath for all ages (SUNZ) - a lovely way of creating a wreath together in a service or at home. A simple liturgy (Build Faith) for lighting your candles in the Advent Wreath. Advent Candle prayers (Theresa Cho) - Here's a different way to mark the weeks of Advent - an interactive all-age lighting of the candles. Advent Wreath Song
A simple song that can be sung after the lighting of the Advent candle each week (to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Light of Jesus, Light of Jesus, Show the way, Show the way, Shine in us forever, Shine in us forever, This we pray, This we pray. Advent Prayer Stations
Calendars and Countdowns
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Jesse Trees
Intergenerational AdventAdvent to Christmas Intergenerational Series (Year A 2026)
Where God is at work
Advent to Christmas Intergenerational Series (Year A 2023) Walking in the Light of the Lord
Intergenerational Christmas resource (Mainly Ministries). Rags to Riches - An intergenerational all age service (SUNZ) Collected Resources - A collection of Intergenerational Christmas Service ideas from the Uniting Church in Australia. Engage Together - Advent - Lectionary-based Children’s Talk + Multi-age activities for Sundays in Advent All Age Advent (BRF) - An Advent service outline on the theme of preparing the way for Jesus Non-Lectionary OptionsA easy low stress way to travel through advent with your kids is (instead of a talk) to simply to share a part of the Christmas story each week and wonder about it together. Try these:
Art in AdventIf you want to mark Advent in a simple rich way, how about creating a space where your kids can spend some time with Advent art. Three of my favourites advent depicting artists are John Swanson, Julie Vivas, and He Qi.
Try these questions or make up your own:
Advent at Home
Need more ideas?
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Keep watch (Matthew 24:36-44) / Advent 1: Hope (Tumanako)
Leaders Input First Advent Candle/Sunday: Hope
“Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world.” – C.S. Lewis It is only fitting that the first candle on the Advent wreath represents Hope – the first Sunday of Advent not only leads us to anticipate the birth of Christ but celebrate the beginning of a new liturgical season as well. The first candle is [often] purple, the primary colour of Advent and a colour symbolizing royalty. Sometimes called the “Prophecy Candle,” the first candle harkens us back to Isaiah’s foretelling of the birth of Christ and all of the promises God gave us in the Old Testament that would be fulfilled by the birth of Jesus. This Advent, light the first candle on Sunday, December 1, 2024. [From hallow.com] |
Gospel Conversations 2025: And so we begin a new church year! Our first Advent candle is lit, which in many churches represents "hope" - and yet our Gospel reading is Matthew telling us of Jesus predicting the fall of Jerusalem and what have become known as "end times." The world can be dark, and yet we light a candle and we have reason to hope. Join Kara Dodds, with us for the first time, Damon Plimmer, Eddie O'Connor, and Michael Godfrey as they explore what we can learn from this tricky passage.
Gospel Conversations 2022: We start our new church year with a Gospel reading which has been used in songs and films and books, often to create a sense of fear. The panel look past and through this veneer to the grace and promise and HOPE behind it.
10 Minutes to more hope... (Crossroads)
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Lighting the advent candleA lovely way to start an Advent session is with an advent wreath and candles. Each week we gather and light another candle. We see the light growing brighter and brighter as we get closer to the birth of the “Light of the World.”
Here is one way to do it (there are lots of different ways!): The focus this first week of Advent is Hope.
Intergenerational Worship
Advent 1: Hope (Intergen Australia)
Advent to Christmas Series: Year A 2026. Written and compiled by Katherine Ruhle. Bible references: Isaiah, Romans. 
Advent 1: Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. (Intergen Australia)
Advent to Christmas Series: Year A 2023 Written and compiled by Alison Knox. Bible references: Isaiah, Matthew, Psalm. Kids TalksMatthew 24:36-44 (Gary Neal Hansen) - Advent reminds us to get ready
Advent and Jesus keeps us awake (RFour) It's a surprise! (Sunday School Works) - links to Advent and uses a gift to talk about be ready while waiting for Jesus. Be Prepared: Advent and the second coming of Christ (Ministry to Children) Being ready for Jesus return (Kids Bible Lessons) - uses a clock to talk about being ready for Jesus return. What time is it (Sermon 4 Kids) - Getting ready for Christmas and getting ready for Jesus God of the Impossible (Rev Teri Johnson-Frow)
Has anyone here ever hoped for something? (Wait for responses). Today is the first week of Advent. The first week in Advent is about hope. What are some things that you hope for? Advent hope is a little bit different. It’s not just about hoping for a toy or a sunny day; it’s about hope in an amazing God, who loves us so much. Even when things are really tough we can have this kind of hope because, our hope is not about us or our situation, but in a God who can do the impossible!” I wonder if you know of any impossible things God has done? Share the story of Mary and the angel from your favourite kids bible and wonder together about the story, about how Mary felt, about all the things that must have seemed impossible! Sometimes we are faced with problems that seem impossible. Have you ever felt like that? The Bible says that all things are possible to God (Matt 19:26, Mark 10:27). If we remember this and put our hope in Him he can do amazing things. (If appropriate, share a time you had a problem, and how trusting God helped you). Ask - How has God shown you that he cares and is helping you? Try these followup activities:
Games and ActivitiesBe Ready Relay Race
Role Play
Fun Sheets / Colouring
Christmas Craft - Stars The first week of Advent is for hope, expectation, and preparation. Why not make some stars! The Christmas star was the sign the wise men waited for that told of the coming of Jesus. Try these:
Pray it!Hope Prayer Ribbon - an active, interactive, all age way to bless each other.
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Help families celebrate AdventYou might like to make some of these together for kids to take home to their households.
Questions
Preschool PlayTell the story - To explore advent with preschoolers, consider reading a part of the Christmas story each week from your favourite kids bible. Or read a different children's book about Jesus birth each week. Try one of these or head to your local library and see what they have!
Nativity Set Kids often don't get to touch nativity sets as they are too 'precious'. Have a kids-friendly, play safe Nativity set available. Or make your own. A simple way to do this is print some pictures and mod-podge them onto a variety of old wooden blocks. Talk about - who are each of the characters, how this story really happened, going on journeys, new babies, and Christmas. Why do we still tell this story today? Salt Dough Ornaments / Playdough station (The Imagination Tree) You will need Homemade White Clay Dough and christmas cutters.
Starry Night Sensory Bag (Playground Park Bench) - you can use thick clear dishwash liquid or handsoap instead of hair gel if wanted. For extra strength tape the edges of the plastic bags. Kids can help put these together too! Art in AdventIf you want to mark Advent in a simple rich way, how about creating a space where your kids can spend some time with Advent art. Two of my favourites advent depicting artists are John Swanson, Julie Vivas, and He Qi.
Try these questions or make up your own:
Annunciation - John August Swanson 
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Media
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Lovely worship song about hope.
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Bible Project have an Advent poster for Hope, you can download it here
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Keep watch (Matthew 24:36-44)
Call to worshipUsing an alarm clock for the call to worship (or to introduce the children’s talk) Use an alarm clock for the Call to Worship. Begin with it ringing. Then launch into a call and response something like
Leader: Wake up, you sleepy Christians! People: The night is gone. The day is here. Leader: Be ready because God is at work in the world. People: Let us worship and serve God together. From Worshipping with Children Assemble a Nativity SceneIf you have a community-facing noticeboard or window, you can assemble the nativity scene over the weeks of Advent, building a sense of anticipation.
Perhaps you can start with the stable standing empty, add Mary and Joseph the following week, shepherds the next week and fill the sky with angels on the fourth week. These could be simple figures, coloured by the congregation (see here for several options). If you have a crib service or other Christmas Eve worship, this is great timing for adding Baby Jesus to the scene. Alternatively, you might be using the new Strandz ‘Christmas on the Move’ resource. In which case you would start with the stable, and maybe add more things to the stable each week (animals, manger) as Mary and Joseph make the pilgrimage closer and closer. Visio LectioThanks to Rev. Sarah West for this print for the 1st Sunday in Advent, from Visio Lectio
PNG Download Terms of Use 
Intergenerational litanyHere’s an intergenerational litany inspired by Matthew 24: 36-44. It comes from the Liturgy Center website.
Litany: Matthew 24:36-44 Jesus said to his disciples ... Be ready! Whatever you are doing ... Be ready! You could be eating or drinking, just ... Be ready! Be ready to do what God wants, just ... Be ready! Like Noah was! God told Noah to ... Be ready! You never know what might happen, so ... Be ready! Be ready to do what God wants, just ... Be ready! Be ready to help others. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to forgive. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to be kind and friendly. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to think about others. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to say you are sorry to those you hurt. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to accept people. Are you ready? We’re ready! Be ready to do what God wants … We’re ready! ~ from Children’s Liturgy of the Word, First Sunday of Advent Year A. Posted on Liturgy Centre. http://www.liturgycentre.org.nz/ Alternative CollectCome, O come Emmanuel,
you are the way, the truth and the life; Come, living Saviour come to your world which waits for you. Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen |
Gospel ConversationsWe start our new church year with a Gospel reading which has been used in songs and films and books, often to create a sense of fear. Our panel look past and through this veneer to the grace and promise and HOPE behind it. Lisa and Nicki are joined by Joel, who happens to be on the ordination retreat Michael is leading - so there are thoughts here about listening for God's call as well. (Note that although the reception at the B&B where the retreat is being held gives Mike's voice a bit of an echo, the other voices are clear, so persevere!).
The Unusual JourneyOn Your Marks
The time of Advent gives us the opportunity to get ready for the celebration of Christmas. Not, however, the getting ready of buying presents, making the cake, sorting the travel, and so on, but of preparing ourselves to hear afresh the miracle of the incarnation. How do we highlight this aspect of Advent with our children’s groups, who are under so much pressure to think only of the commercial side of the season and who are targeted to become ‘consumers of Christmas’ not pilgrims on the way to a mystery? The following idea suggests some possible approaches that could be used over the four weeks leading up to the Feast. Get Set You will need four key objects: a blank map, a magnifying glass, a compass and a black postcard. Each of these is developed in different ways as described below. Go! Advent has its origins in the Latin for ‘coming towards’ or ‘the approach’. The idea of travelling towards something special is the true meaning of this season. Over the next four weeks invite your group to become travellers or pilgrims on an adventure, as they set out on their journey towards Christmas. Begin by packing a suitcase together (or maybe packing individual rucksacks) with some unusual items, namely: a blank map, a magnifying glass, a large compass and a mysterious black postcard. Each of these different items will help us on our way through Advent. Focus on one item for each week, along with the accompanying Bible story/stories, games, craft ideas and worship activities. Week 1— A Map Hand out a series of ordnance survey maps—perhaps of the area where you live—and discuss the sort of things that you find on these maps. It will include streets, rivers, woodland, mountains and hills, important buildings, railways and so on. However, the map we need for our journey is rather strange. Produce a piece of A1 paper that folded up to be like a map but that is blank. Our Advent map does not have any streets, rivers, woodland and so on. Instead there are arrows. Draw on six large arrows, all pointing from the bottom of the map to the top, coming in from different directions. These arrows have names on them. Write on the names of Abraham, Judah, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel They are all famous people from the Old Testament, who show us the way to go on our Advent journey. In the space to which all the arrows are pointing now draw or attach small pictures of the following, linked to each of the names:
These are the strange directions we have.
On our Advent journey, we’re following arrows. Play the game where the children walk around your meeting area but when you call out ‘freeze’, they must stop still and then all turn towards the object you call out, becoming human arrows pointing the way. For the Bible story, read about the strange map that we need to make to find our way through Advent as outlined in Isaiah 40:3-5 What would this map look like? A straight highway in the desert and all the valleys and hills flattened out; no uneven paths and beautifully smooth roads! This would make an unusual map. It is the route we need to travel to see God’s glory revealed on earth, which is the mystery of Christmas. Throughout these Advent sessions ask the children to draw around one of their feet onto card and create a group set of footprints. Today the footprints should be put together to create a massive arrow, which is the direction we’ve been set on our journey. As a craft idea, why not make some small scrolls to represent the stories of Abraham, Judah, Moses, David, Isaiah and Daniel. These scrolls could be put together in the form of an arrow |
Psalm 122:1-9
Call to worship: People of the light
I was glad when they said unto me,
“Let us go into the house of the Lord!”
We are standing in God’s presence,
alert and ready to receive God’s word.
The night is passing. The day of salvation is near.
We seek to live as people of the light.
Come, Lord Jesus!
From re:Worship
“Let us go into the house of the Lord!”
We are standing in God’s presence,
alert and ready to receive God’s word.
The night is passing. The day of salvation is near.
We seek to live as people of the light.
Come, Lord Jesus!
From re:Worship
