This year, my church community made a giant Advent calendar inspired by the theme of unlikely gifts. The Israelites expected a king to save them, but instead they got a tiny baby - how unlikely, but what a gift!
Each box contains a contribution from a different member of our congregation - an artwork, story, poem or photograph highlighting a gift in their life that they may not have wanted at first. However, it ended up containing something they needed - a gift that allowed for transformation, e.g. a detour in life, failure, boredom, illness, imperfection etc.
I've also created an Advent calendar-opening liturgy that is available for download (please see below). Anyone is welcome to use or adapt it so long as you please include the following credit: © Marianne Vreugdenhil, locustsandwildhoney.net, 2024.
For the full list of gifts we used as inspiration, please see below. You can, of course, come up with your own:
Longing, aloneness, detours of life, barriers, common cold, doubt, beginnings, vulnerability, crossroads, moving house, illness, endings, boredom, imperfection, the unknown, anger, failure, loneliness, grief, loss, disappointment, waiting, rejection, labour pain, change.
This idea originated during my time at The Corner Uniting Church, and has been added to since. It's very adaptable so feel free to make it your own.
Many blessings for the Advent and Christmas season!
Marianne
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