The season of Advent is here! The word advent comes from the Latin word for “coming”. Who’s coming? Jesus!
For many centuries the church has observed the four weeks prior to Jesus’ arrival as a time of anticipation and preparation. For many of us, December can fly by in such a flurry of activities that we miss the essence of Christmas. Advent helps us redeem the time by inviting us to deeper reflection, letting the stable still astonish us. Once we do, we will sense immediately that Advent marks something momentous: God’s coming into our midst. That coming is not just something that happened in the past. It is a recurring possibility here and now- a yearly opportunity for us to consider the future, second Advent—the promised coming of God’s kingdom on earth. (For more information, click here: why Advent?)
Here are a few ways to observe Advent at ERBF:
Sunday Services
Join us as we unwrap the names of Jesus this Christmas! We will be focusing on the hope given to us through the prophecies of the Messiah, the peace found in the True Vine, the joy given through the Great High Priest, and the love of God revealed in the Lamb of God. We’ll enjoy special music, light the Advent candles, meditate on scripture and sing carols.
Advent Devotional
As We Wait is a collection of readings and devotionals produced and distributed by MB Seminary for the season of Advent. The devotionals are written by pastors, teachers, and other leaders within the Mennonite Brethren family across Canada. Click here to sign up and receive a daily devotional to your inbox: https://www.mbseminary.ca/resources/devotions/.
Christmas Eve Service
The Christmas Eve service will be held at 6:30pm on December 24. Please join us as we light the Christ candle, sing Christmas carols, and celebrate the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us.