29 November 2026
Bible readings for today
Liturgical Colour: VIOLET |
CollectGod of hope,
When Christ your Son appears may he not find us asleep or idle, but active in his service and ready; through the same Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen. E te Atua o te tūmanako, kia puta mai tāu Tama te Karaiti aua ia e kite i a mātou e moe ana, e māngere ana, engari kia tū mataara i roto i āna mahi; E īnoi ai mātou i roto i a te Karaiti tō mātou Kaihoko. 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 AdventYear B updates coming soon...
Advent 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 (Mark 13:24-37) / Advent 1: Hope (Tumanako)
Leaders InputThese verses are part a longer private conversation that Jesus was having with Peter, James and John, as they sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple. They asked Jesus, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?”
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] |
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 
PohutakawaIn today's passage, the gospel writer says: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.
Here in New Zealand, this image of the ripening fig tree could also be seen in the blooming Pohutakawa trees. When you see these ordinary green trees start to turn red, you know that Christmas, and summer, is on its way... 
Pohutakawa craftPohutakawa Christmas Decoration activity. Print off the template (either page 1 - black and white, or page 2 - colour), trim and add some string for attaching to the tree or hanging. You could print these out larger on A3 if you wanted to get a bigger bloom!
Download template (both) Colour template Greyscale template
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Media
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Bible Project have an Advent poster for Hope, you can download it here
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The Church and Its Leaders (1 Corinthians 3:1-9)
Leaders Input"For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building." 1 Corinthians 3:9
It can be easy to spend our lives following people, other leaders. Perhaps we get in spired by the stories of other Christians, or we follow a particular church speaker or preacher. When Paul was talking to the people in todays passage, he reminds them that they don't need to pick sides and follow Apollos or Paul, but we are all co-workers in God's field. |
Reflective Questions for adults
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Kids talk |
Quick Questions for kidsThink of the biggest tree that you have seen:
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