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Mark D. Roberts

Adam McHugh, who has become one of my favorite writers, has just put up a thoughtful column on Advent at the Patheos website. I encourage you to check out “A Counter-Cultural Quiet in Advent.” Here’s how Adam’s column begins: For some people, the Advent season on the church calendar is one of the most anticipated…

Each year, I put up an online Advent calendar, with photos and brief passages of Scripture. The pictures vary from the sublime to the ridiculous. This is meant to enhance your celebration of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ. Click here for today’s Advent calendar entry. May you have a blessed…

Earlier in this series I spoke of discovering Advent. Of course I didn’t discover it in the way an explorer discovers a place no one has been before. Millions upon millions of Christians have observed Advent for centuries upon centuries. (Check this short history of Advent.) I’ve been a Johnny-come-lately. My discovery of Advent was…

So far in this series I’ve explained what Advent is and why I have found it helpful to observe Advent. If you’re at all convinced, you may wonder what to do about it. In this post and the next in this series I’ll outline some practical suggestions for how you might experience Advent. Pay Attention…

I have a new collection of Christmas music and I love it. Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning have teamed up once again to produce a stellar album of Christmas music. Their earlier Christmas collections, A Quiet Knowing Christmas and Stars in the Morning East – A Christmas Meditation get plenty of play around my house…

In my last post in this series, I told the story of my Advent beginnings. When I started out as pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in 1991, for the first time in my life, I began to see Advent as a distinct season of the year and to experience its richness. Before too long I…

Please listen, O Shepherd of Israel,     you who lead Joseph’s descendants like a flock.O God, enthroned above the cherubim,     display your radiant glory     to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.Show us your mighty power.     Come to rescue us! Psalm 80:1-2 Introduction to Advent Reflections This is the first Sunday in Advent, the beginning of the season in…

In yesterday’s post, I explained the timing and purpose of Advent, as well as its unexpected color scheme. I closed by noting that Advent is growing in popularity, especially among Protestant Christians who, in many cases, did not grow up with much awareness of Advent. Liturgically sophisticated Protestants, such as Lutherans and Episcopalians, generally are…

This coming Sunday is the first day of Advent. If you’ve been reading my blog for more than a year, you know that I generally make a big deal out of Advent. If you’re new to my blog, however, you may wonder why I bother. My goal in this post is to explain what Advent…

Colossians 3:12-17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17 Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day set apart by the national government so that American might express their thanks. The roots of this holiday…
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