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illustration of Bethlehem with two white doves flying in the foreground
November 25, 2024

Advent and Christmas Resources

Are you looking for resources for Advent and Christmas? You are sure to find something at ReformedWorship.org with hundreds of resources from series that provide services for each week, to lessons and carols, Longest Night or Blue Christmas services, children’s pageants, to advent candle lighting—we have it covered. All of these resources are a gift to you and available for free.

We’ve picked a few examples in each category to provide you a place to start.

Advent and Christmas Series

When Advent Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas: a series for Advent and Christmas Using Texts from Year C of the Revised Common Lectionary. This series includes daily devotions that can be shared with your congregation. 

Be Not Afraid: A worship series for Advent with additional services for Christmas Eve, Longest night, the New Year, and Epiphany

Angels, Help Us to Adore Him: An Advent series form Revelation with Advent candle readings

Longest Night/Blue Christmas

Christmas Mourning: A service for those who experience loss

Blue Christmas: An Advent candlelight service for all who grieve

A Time to Weep—During Advent: An article supporting the act of lament during Advent along with some resources.

Lessons and Carols

Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmastide: An introduction to Lessons and Carols with a simple service outline that includes song suggestions.

Wisdom of God, Word of God: A service of lessons and carols

From Eve to Mary: A service of lessons and Carols on the lineage of Jesus, the Christ, according to the Gospel of Matthew.

Children’s Pageants

Mary Remembers: A children’s Christmas drama

An Angel Appeared to Them: A Christmas drama for children and adults

Preparing the Way for Jesus: A Christmas drama based on Luke’s gospel

Advent Readings for Candle Lightings

Waiting for the Light: Advent Candlelighting Readings for Lectionary Year C
 

Lighting Up Advent: Three sets of scripture readings to use with the lighting of the advent wreath

Candle Lighting Litanies for Advent and Christmas

Linking the Advent Wreath to Our Faith Stories: Readings on the themes of hope, joy, love, and peace with ways to include testimonies and a “Take It Home” for each week that can be handed out or put in a bulletin.

Rev. Joyce Borger is senior editor of Reformed Worship and a resource development specialist at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. She has worked in the area of worship for over 20 years and has served as editor of several musical collections, including Psalms for All Seasons, and Lift Up Your Hearts: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs (Faith Alive Christian Resources, 2011, 2013). She is an ordained minister, teaches worship at Kuyper College, and is involved in the worship life of her congregation.