An Advent Liturgy

It has always been our intention to create resources to support spiritual practice, as well as hosting honest conversations and interviews.<br/><br/>This episode is a little different to any of our previous ones, but it is intended to help you experience and enter the Advent season, with your mind, body and heart.<br/><br/>We've created an advent liturgy of sorts.<br/><br/>A collection of poetry, music and scripture, with space to pause, to breathe, to be. <br/><br/>At this time of year, many of us may feel like we particularly struggle to do these things. <br/><br/>And yet, one way to understand the Christmas narrative, is to see divinity, entering human spaces exactly as they are. Messy. Uncertain. Under the shadow of empire. On an ordinary night. Amidst the feeding troughs of animals. <br/><br/>God comes in vulnerability. <br/><br/>And so, as you listen to this short liturgical experience....<br/><br/>...whether you are cleaning up around your house, preparing dinner, driving laps around a shopping centre carpark or whatever the case may be, it is our hope that your awareness of divinity and love might sneak in to whatever cracks it can, in your life.<br/><br/>Almost all of the stunning music in this episode is used with grateful permission from  Bjear. His two Christmas albums ‘a Christmas with Bjear and friends volumes 1 and 2’ are available now. You can go and grab them on Bandcamp here and support an independent Australian artist this Christmas.<br/><br/>Are you ready? Let's begin...<br/><br/>(special thanks to Erin, Leksi, Ellaina, Caro, Emily, Becca, Hannah, Mel, Kerry and Sam for reading on this one, as well as Noah and Leo who had brief cameos).<br/><br/>Scripture:<br/>Luke 1:46-55<br/><br/>Poetry:<br/>Advent: Mary, Will Small<br/>Sometimes I Wonder, Kaitlin Shetler<br/><br/>Songs: <br/>Have Yourself a Merry Christmas, performed by Bjear & friends<br/>The First Noel, performed by Bjear & friends<br/>Christmas Eve, 1818, performed by Bjear & friends<br/>Midnight, Christians, is the Solemn Hour, performed by Bjear & friends<br/>O Holy Night, performed by Bjear & friends