Advent and Christmas is an ideal opportunity to engage with the wider community and refresh the Christian Faith in people who are part of your local Christian Community.
Advent
On the four Sundays before Christmas the Christian church for centuries has participated in the season of Advent. The beginnings of Advent can be traced back to 380AD and the four Sundays of Advent became a regular occurrence in the late 6th Century.
Advent from its original Latin adventus means coming or arrival, and this is the posture we are encouraged to take during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. We are waiting for the arrival to celebrate Christmas (the nativity) and we are waiting for the arrival for Jesus' second coming.
One common tradition that many Christians utilise are four Advent Candles and a Christ Candle. Each Sunday the congregation lights another candle with the Christ Candle lit on Christmas Eve or Day, as reminder that the light of Christ is coming into our dark and sin affected world. The most common name for the Advent Candles are hope, peace, joy and love.
As the posture of Advent is one of waiting for the arrival of Christmas, the focus and mood of the readings and the worship services are a combination of repentance, waiting and a little joy(as we know Christ will come).
Christmas Season
The Christmas season celebrates the arrival of Jesus and all the good He gives us. The Christmas season is from 25 December through to 6 January (Epiphany), the twelve days of Christmas. Congregations are encouraged to keep their Christmas symbols and decorations up until 7 January to remind people that there is much praise God and be thankful for because of the arrival of Jesus.
Advent and Christmas Worship resources
Lutheran Church of Australia - Advent Worship
Lutheran Church of Australia - Christmas Worship
Center for Worship Leadership - Advent and Christmas Resources
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada - Worship Resources
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Advent resources
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 2026 resources
Eastern Synod Lutheran Church in Canada - Advent and Christmas Worship Resources
Contemporary and Traditional songs - Advent
Contemporary and Traditional songs - Christmas
Advent Candle Lighting Liturgies
Candle Lighting Song - tune Be still and know that i am God
Other songs • "We Light the Candle" (Mary Nelson Keithahn & John D. Horman), "Like a Candle Flame" (Graham Kendrick), "Light the Advent Candle" (The Faith We Sing #2090), "Go Light Your World" (Chris Rice), "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" – A classic traditional hymn frequently sung during candlelight or Advent services.
Christmas/Nativity Plays
Disorganised Sunday School resources
Previous Years on Lutheran Mission Blog
Family and Children resources
Advent Christmas Devotions/Studies/Resources
Lutheran Tract Mission - currently offers 9 different devotion books free of charge
North American Lutheran Church devotional
Lutheran Hour Ministries - offers pdf and online devotions
Lutheran Church in Mission for Christ devotional
ELCA - Filled with Good things - devotional, bulletin insert, calendar and action guide
Lutheran World Federation Advent and Christmas Hymns and Carols
Lutheran World Federation Advent Calendar
Social Media and Promoting Christmas resources
The Church of England - 6 ideas for using Social Media
Methodist Church - Don't be afraid resources
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod - media kit
10 Social media ideas for your church
Free or by donation resources
Bible Society of Australia - resource for 2026 has not been advertised as of yet
Lutheran Tract Mission - Advent
Lutheran Tract Mission - Christmas
Lutheran Mission Blogspot previous Advent postings
Lutheran Mission Blogspot previous Christmas postings
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