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. |
1st Sunday of Advent - Hope / Tumanako
For general Advent Planning Resources see our Advent Section here.
Leaders InputA quick 2 minute intro to Advent.
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] |
Take a few moments...
Each week this month celebrates something unique that Jesus brought to earth when he was born: hope, peace, joy, love. This week, we are thinking about HOPE. So... Take a deep breath. Consider this question in silence for 30 seconds: What is something you are hoping for right now? So what is it? Maybe you’re hoping for healing or a cure, the reopening of your business, getting to see people you love, or for a job that feels out of reach right now. It’s natural for our hopes to turn to the things we want to take place in our real life, right now. The idea of hope in the Bible, though, is a little bit different than where our mind tends to drift at the word “hope.” Biblical hope isn’t hoping for better circumstances: it’s waiting for God Himself to show up—right in the middle of all that stuff. It’s the tension of living through the crap while holding onto the expectation that God can somehow come into it. Biblical hope doesn’t mean we gloss over what’s wrong—as a matter of fact, real hope insists we recognize that the odds say we probably shouldn’t have much hope at all. But—God. When He shows up on the scene, there’s no telling what might happen. Read the very beginning of the Christmas story about what happened to a teenage girl when God showed up: Luke 1:26-35. Basically, the angel says to Mary... God is here and has a plan. The impossible is possible. Your hope in this plan going down is that God Himself will show up. Your job? Be a servant of God who says yes. The hope that Jesus brings doesn’t require you to see any light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn’t require you to imagine a real situation where things could possibly improve. The kind of hope we celebrate in Advent is about the arrival of Jesus into the world and how he can arrive into anything in our life as well. At the first Christmas, when Jesus was born, Israel was waiting for a king, a Messiah, the Savior, the Redeemer who would change their circumstances, make them a great nation and throw off the tyranny of Rome. They were waiting for a person but what they really hoped for was a change of circumstances. So most of them missed him, disbelieved him, and then killed him—because their hope was in the wrong place. So let’s ask ourselves this first week of Advent: do we want God’s plan or our own? Is our hope really in Him, or is it simply in the change of our circumstances? Are we willing to listen and say yes even if where He’s leading feels impossible? |
Lighting the advent candleA lovely way to start session in Advent is with an advent wreath and candles. Each week we gather together 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. Light one candle to symbolise Hope. Say: This is the candle of Hope. This kind of hope, isn't just about wishing we had something. No, this kind of hope, the kind that Jesus gives us, is when we know something is going to happen. We hope that he's coming soon and we know he will because that's what God promised. Jesus is coming and we need to get ready. Read: Luke 1: 26-38 about the angel Gabriel coming to tell Mary she would be the mother of the Son of God. Ask: I wonder what Mary hoped for? I wonder what you hope for? Pray: Thank you God for giving us Hope and for helping us know that something wonderful is coming even when things are hard. Help us to remember that we can always have hope because you are always there for us. Here's another simple liturgy for lighting your candles in the Advent Wreath, from Build Faith written by Rev. Matthew Kozlowski. 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. Kids TalksThe Hope of Advent - a talk which focuses on the hope and waiting of the first Christmas, and how it relates to hopeful anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming, as well.
The Branch - an object lesson for the first week of Advent. [intermountainministry.org] This would tie in well for families doing a Jesse tree activity at home. Elizabeth and the birth of John - full session plan from ministry-to-children.com 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! Try these follow up activities: The following tasks are considered (near) impossible for humans to complete. See if your kids can do them.
Sometimes we are faced with problems that we don't know how to solve- things that seem impossible to us. Have you ever felt like that? Did you know the Bible says that all things are possible to God (Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27). If we can remember this and put our hope in Him he can do amazing things. If appropriate, share a time you faced a problem, and how trusting in God helped you. What ways has God shown you that he cares and is helping you? Advent Fun SheetsWe have put together activity sheets for each Sunday in Advent. Download the Hope funsheet or the whole series.
ActivitiesImpossible tasks - a selection of very difficult tasks - can you do any?
Paper cutting illustration - a clever way to help children to think about nothing being impossible to God. The very difficult puzzle - a challenging puzzle to illustrate sometimes things seem impossible but do have a solution. Hope Playdough Mat - a playdough mat to explore the idea of hope as a sign of God. Hope Prayer Ribbon - an active, interactive, all age way to bless each other. 
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Kiwi Advent Illustrations
You can download these Kiwi Advent Illustrations over on our Strandz website
Help families celebrate AdventYou might like to make some of these together - for your kids to take home to their households.
Advent Journey Spiral - a journey towards the birth of Jesus, echoing the journey that Mary and Joseph take to Bethlehem and our own waiting for Jesus to come again. You can also make a more traditional advent wreath in using a small salt dough circle and 5 birthday candles. Advent Prayer Bags - a little prayer bag and prayer ideas which will take households through some of the main Advent themes. Advent Candle Another option is to use a candle, and mark off 24 sections (leaving a stub big enough to put in your candle holder and safely light the candle on Christmas Eve). Burn the candle each day. A taller, thinner candle will work better than a pillar candle as children can easily see the candle getting shorter each day. Example here, though just writing the numbers with a sharpie also works! Advent Lanterns - another lovely alternative to a traditional advent wreath. 
Intergenerational AdventIntergenerational Resources for all the weeks of Advent (Year C 2024)
5 Week Lectionary-based Advent + Christmas Series (Year C 2021)
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 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: What do you see? What is different from the bible story? What is the same? What might this show us about God? About people? About our world? What do you think is important in this picture? Does anything in this picture have more than one meaning? I wonder what God might be saying to you through this picture today? The Annunciation - He Qi 
Christmas CraftThe 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:
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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
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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
