Advent for Ordinary People in Not Ordinary Times

The Bible is full of ordinary folks. In fact, that’s who mostly makes up our extraordinary holy scripture. Ordinary people trying simply to live, and to figure it all out, in the midst of marginalization, fear, oppression, and uncertainty…of Empire. But also in the midst of hope and wonder and love and beauty.

This Advent, we ordinary people who are trying to figure it all out, will hear their stories.

It’s so easy to believe we are helpless and powerless in the midst of societal and environmental upheaval.  We may feel so small, invisible, and ineffective. We may feel we don’t have anything to contribute to “making the world a better place.” And it is true that most of us won’t ever make the headlines, or be the one figure around which The Movement gathers, influencing thousands, changing systems. But whatever we have to offer, whoever we are, we are called to do our bit. We are living in not ordinary times, in crisis times. Every piece of what we can do goes into the wider and larger movement towards building up a new world of justice and joy. We can be part of the healing of Creation!

This Advent resource, Advent for Ordinary People in Not Ordinary Times, proclaims the ordinary power that each of us has to contribute to God’s good work of healing and transforming all Creation. So as an Advent people, this season we follow the ordinary ones of the Christmas story and know that we are part of that story that moves on through time.

And we will know two things:

• We are not alone! Others have gone before us. Others are with us still. This is community, AND
• We can do this! Together.

This document, covering all four weeks of Advent, is in a PDF file.