3rd Sunday in Advent

14 December 2025

Bible readings for today

Liturgical Colour: VIOLET

Collect

Terror and doom, and wrath to come,
John your herald preached
to bring us to repentance;
open our eyes, almighty God,
show us our sin, and grant us forgiveness.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.

E te Atua kaha rawa,
i kauwhautia e Hoani,
kei te haere mai te tūwiri te mataku me te riri
kia tū rīpenetā mātou;
whakatūwheratia ō mātou ngākau,
whakaaturia ō mātou hara, ā, murua.
Whakarongo ki tēnei īnoi i runga i tōu aroha.
Āmine.

3rd week of Advent: Joy / Koa

Leaders Input

Third Advent Candle/Sunday: Joy – “Gaudete Sunday”
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see — I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’” (Luke 2:10-12)

The third candle of Advent symbolizes Joy. As we continue to approach Christmas Day, our joy grows more and more. The third candle takes us back to the joyful anticipation of the shepherds who journeyed to see Jesus in Bethlehem, even before the wise men. On this third Sunday of Advent we light the third candle and rejoice like the shepherds. For this reason, the third candle of Advent is called the “Shepherd’s Candle,” and its colour is sometimes pink, the liturgical colour for joy.

10 Minutes to More Joy (Advent: Week 3)
Joy is something we immediately connect with smiles, friends, happiness, pleasure, fun—basically the stuff that’s been all-but-absent for many us this year. This Christmas, we don’t have to fake joy that we don’t feel: the good news is that we have access to joy even when we’re not feeling like Buddy the Elf. We just need to go in search of it. Start by doing this:
Light three candles: one for hope, one for peace, and one for joy.
Take a deep breath.
Consider this question in silence for 30 seconds:
What’s one time you remember feeling joyful?

For me, the first thing that comes to mind is the birth of each of my kids. Continue reading here...

Joy amongst change
As I re-juggled my “to do” list of Christmas preparations, my thoughts bounced around the changes that have come and how Christmas will be somewhat different this year — good changes, challenging changes, hard changes — the interesting mosaic of life. It’s different for all of us, yet we all share in that changing landscape of life. Sometimes finding joy in the changes is easy. Other time it's very challenging.

As I pondered the changes in my life, and in our world, I thought about Christmas and the birth of Baby Jesus. Sometimes that manger scene seems so irrelevant and so far removed from day-to-day life. Yet an old verse in the Bible brought freshness to my soul this week as I pondered how the Baby Jesus impacts my life today. It truly gives new cause for joy — to stop and listen again. “For unto us a child is born …and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Any need you have in life and in the changing landscape of your mosaic can be answered by Jesus. Continue reading here...

Lighting the Advent candle

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 third week of Advent is Joy.
This week we light the Hope candle and the Peace candle and the Joy candle. Sometimes we use a pink candle for Joy. If your congregation uses a pink candle in its Advent wreath, then you could explain that today is Gaudete Sunday.

Say: This is the candle of Joy. Joy is more than happiness. It’s the deep gladness we feel because we know Jesus is here with us. Today, we remember the shepherds who were filled with joy when they heard the good news that Jesus had been born.

Read: Luke 2:8-14, about the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to the shepherds.

Ask: I wonder how the shepherds felt when they heard the angels’ good news? I wonder what brings you joy today?

Pray: Thank you, God, for filling us with Joy. Help us to share your joy with others and remind them of the good news that Jesus is with us.

Here's another simple liturgy for lighting your candles in the Advent Wreath, from Build Faith written by Rev. Matthew Kozlowski.

Kids Talks

A 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:

Read a story from the Jesus Storybook Bible each week - Get Ready! He's Here, Light of the Whole World, The King of All Kings.
For littles - how about reading a different Christmas picture book each week. Ask around families to see if they have a favourite or visit your local library.

The Bethlehem shepherds - complete lesson plan, game ideas, craft suggestions, and colouring pages.

Looking for joy - very short talk about noticing joy

Joy to the world - complete lesson plan with options for small and large groups.

Advent Fun Sheets

We have put together activity sheets for each Sunday in Advent. Download the Joy fun sheet or the whole series.

Kids Activities

Play a few rounds of “hide and go sheep.” Using cotton balls or pom-poms, hide several around a room and have children hunt for them like shepherds. You may want to use the items for a sheep-themed craft afterwards.
Experience some sheep products. Feel wool or perhaps sample some sheep’s milk cheese.
Think about lights in the dark by playing with glow in the dark toys or tools, or experiment with a “moonlight.”
Look at other instances in the Bible that reference sheep or shepherds. Do a concordance or Google search. Why do you think sheep come up so often?
Make a list of ways to announce Jesus or live out His joy. Post it somewhere prominent and check in with how you have accomplished this goal.

[ministry-to-children.com]

Check out this fun playdough mat from flamecreative

Christmas Craft

The third week of Advent is for joy. Here are a few crafts to remind us:

Joy Baubles - If you can find some clear fillable Christmas ornaments, give the kids an ornament each and set out trays of things that give you joy! Try sparkly pom poms, Christmas shaped charms or buttons, anything you think the kids will enjoy. Let them fill their ornaments and attach a wee tag that says joy! (Thanks to Cath McVey for this gorgeous craft idea).
Easy Paper Christmas Angels
Mini Paper Angels - with template. Just enlarge if you want to make bigger ones.

Kiwi Advent Illustrations

You can download these Kiwi Advent Illustrations over on our Strandz website

Intergenerational Advent

Intergenerational Resources for all the weeks of Advent (Year C 2024)

Advent 1: See
Advent 2: Listen and hear
Advent 3: Rejoice and Act
Advent 4: Feel
Christmas: Celebrate!

5 Week Lectionary-based Advent + Christmas Series (Year C 2021)

Advent is about anticipating
Advent is about getting ready
Advent is about noticing the signs
Advent is about sharing the story
Christmas - something is here!

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 Advent

If 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?

Nativity Triptych - John Swanson

I wonder...?

...what does joy means to you?
...where can you find joy? Why?
...if you can be joyful when things are hard? How?
...how you can share the joy of God with others this week?

Media

Christmas Stories and resources

You can find many Advent and Christmas ideas on our Strandz website, have a look here

Strandz Advent and Christmas ideas

John the Baptist (Matthew 11:2-11)

“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” In the Gospel reading for today, John asks Jesus to confirm that he is in fact the messiah they have all been waiting for.

Who was John the Baptist?

You can find more about John in Matthew 3:1-6, but the words that Jesus uses to describe him in today's reading is fascinating: "“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!"

Is Jesus the Messiah?

Yes! In today's reading, Jesus confirms that all the signs of the messiah have been made fulfilled in him. “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen-- the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”

Interactive journey prayers

What you need:

A notice board (or other board that can accommodate push pins) — the larger the better (note: if you have a large congregation or group having a number of smaller boards could be helpful, or use 2 or more balls of wool)
A large ball of wool - any colour
Push pins

What you do:

Put the board on a table at a height that everyone can reach. Use a step stool or chair that smaller children will be able to stand on if necessary.
Explain what the prayer activity is (see below) and say something like, “as you move the wool on the board, think about the journey that you are on towards Christmas and welcoming Jesus.”
Start by putting a tack through the beginning of the wool. Pass the ball to the next person and allow them to stretch out a bit of wool and put a tack down to hold the wool in place (there will now be a straight line).
Continue passing the wool to each member of the group of congregation. The lines can be long or short. They can double back.
When everyone has finished, conclude the prayer time by thanking God for the journey that each person is on, and asking God to help us keep our hearts open to him during this time of preparation and anticipation.

Gospel Conversations

Thanks to the Diocese of Dunedin for this Gospel Conversation. For the second week we think about John the Baptist, now nearing the end of his ministry and life. What is the significance of the question he sends Jesus? What is the significance of the answer Jesus sends back? How does this fit in our Advent journey? Michael is joined this week by Grace, Peg and Anne.

Visio Lectio

Thanks to Rev Sarah West, from Ordinary Saints in the Auckland Diocese, for this image. Have a look at Visio Lectio for more prints to match the lectionary.
PNG Download
Terms of Us

Mary and Elizabeth (Luke 1:47-55)

In these beautiful words from Mary to Elizabeth, we read of a woman giving a thankful testimony to God's goodness and provision. Mary has just travelled to see her cousin Elizabeth, after a visit from the angel telling her she was going to have a son. Elizabeth was three months pregnant with John (the Baptist), and Mary shares these words of joy.

Luke 1:47-55 (MSG)

And Mary said,
I’m bursting with God-news;
    I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened--
    I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
    the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
    on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
    scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
    pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
    the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
    he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
    beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

Advent Joy