Christian Pipe Smokers

The Advent season began last Sunday.

My church unfortunately doesn't do anything (that's a gripe for another thread) but as I lead music I do what I can to follow the church calendar.

At home, for each Sunday evening of Advent, I've written up a simple little family worship service involving a brief explanation of what that particular week's candle symbolizes, a prayer from the BoCP, and a hymn.

And we typically go through an Advent devotional throughout the season.

This year we're using this one:



I want to hear what you and your church does during this time of year.

The Orthodox fast (by which I mean we abstain from meat and dairy) from November 15th until Christmas Day in preparation for the Advent. The first week looks more forward to the Presentation of the Theotokos on November 21, but the Eve of that feast is when we start singing the Nativity canon during Matins. We honor St Andrew the First Called (or the "introducer" as I like to think of him- man was always introducing people to Christ) on November 30. December 6 we celebrate St Nicholas- this is also the traditional day to put up Christmas decorations.

On Sundays, aside from the Canon, you won't hear much about the season, as we continue our cycle of readings that resets every year at Pentecost. That is until two Sundays before, when we celebrate the ancestors and prophets focused on Abraham, then the following Sunday we read the genealogy from Matthew and focus more on the rest of the Old Testament relatives and prophets from Adam on.

At my parish we also do an Advent paraklesis (think a 30 minute hymn) every Friday in the lead up.

My personal practice is to reread the Chronicles of Narnia through December accompanied by Fr Thomas Hopko's The Winter Pascha.

O Come O Come Emmanuel, it doesn't get any better than that

tuttle wrote: ↑02 Dec 2022, 12:53 The Advent season began last Sunday. . .

I want to hear what you and your church does during this time of year.

Great stuff Rich! I know some days (most?) it will feel forced. Like wrangling cats. But if you let it be what it is - that may involve restless kiddos who seem to have no interest at all - it will soak in. It's worth it.

Here's a pic one of my girls sent last night of the family gathered for Advent.

I simply can't explain how happy it makes an old man to see his children carrying on family & church tradition, even after Mrs FredS and I are, literally, out of the picture. None of my daughters married particularly religious spouses (at best they were raised CEO - Christmas and Easter Only) but they've brought them into the Church and church tradition. Each of the three families do their own thing, using our church's guide, on weeknights, but gather together to do it corporately on Sunday evenings.

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FredS wrote: ↑05 Dec 2022, 06:31

tuttle wrote: ↑02 Dec 2022, 12:53 The Advent season began last Sunday. . .

I want to hear what you and your church does during this time of year.

Great stuff Rich! I know some days (most?) it will feel forced. Like wrangling cats. But if you let it be what it is - that may involve restless kiddos who seem to have no interest at all - it will soak in. It's worth it.

Here's a pic one of my girls sent last night of the family gathered for Advent.

I simply can't explain how happy it makes an old man to see his children carrying on family & church tradition, even after Mrs FredS and I are, literally, out of the picture. None of my daughters married particularly religious spouses (at best they were raised CEO - Christmas and Easter Only) but they've brought them into the Church and church tradition. Each of the three families do their own thing, using our church's guide, on weeknights, but gather together to do it corporately on Sunday evenings.

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Fantastic!

The big dude reading the devotional (on his phone because that's how they roll these days) is 14 year old grandson #1.