Advent Resource Review: God on the Move
I noted on a walk with a friend today that usually at this time of the year, I already have a lot of my Christmas shopping done, and I’m usually looking forward to choosing Advent practices. This year, I have zero gifts ready, and I had to Google search when Advent began.
In the past, I curated a host of Advent resources. You can access them here:
So much has changed in our world, especially in our country, since last Advent season. With so many moral injuries, I have felt more bruised coming into this year’s preparation season. Just like in the pandemic, it feels like the world feels like a place of waiting and fasting, and that we don’t have to look far to access cries for relief and restoration.
One particular area that feels heavy to me this year is the suffering of my refugee and immigrant neighbors and those displaced around the globe.
One of my favorite shirts (from the Happy Givers) says, “Jesus is the migrant by the barbed wire…how you treat them is how you treat Jesus.”
I was really intrigued when this week I received word from We Choose Welcome that their Advent guide would be focusing on migration and those needing to cross those barbed wire borders.
In their own words, “We Choose Welcome is a grassroots community seeking to mobilize and equip women of faith to build and cultivate a welcome movement from their tables at home to the halls of Congress. We empower our community to have brave conversations about immigration and to take impactful action for the vulnerable in both our personal lives and through advocating for more just immigration policies.”
Their website is an amazing resource full of free guides for allyship, immigration conversations, advocacy, and learning, and I encourage you to check it out any time of year.
Today, I wanted to quickly review God on the Move: Reflections on Advent Through the Lens of Migration.”
You do have to use your name and email to download the guide, but it is free to use. You could use it digitally or print it like I did (double sided it is 11 pages). The reflections are meant to be used weekly, and for each Sunday of Advent, there is a Scripture reflection, reflections on global movement today, full color prophetic artwork by Jessie Payne of Terra and Sage, and a prayer.
We are planning on using these at a meal with our family, but I would recommend this resource for a small group or household or faith community. It isn’t a daily reading or very lengthy, but I really appreciate the ways the questions help folks make connections between the story of Jesus, current people on the move and our lives.
For example, here is one of the questions from week 3: “The magi were not immigrants, but they did have a migration story of sorts as they traveled across nations to discover the long-promised king. In similar fashion, there are people today who migrate temporarily to pursue their dreams or goals. What would inspire you to take a journey like this?”
While the reflections or questions may need some adaptation for families with very young children, one thing that is applicable for all ages is six printable ornaments at the end of the guide.
I particularly appreciate the physical prophetic act of placing these images (and the stories of those migrating around the globe) in the middle of our safe, warm and joyous gatherings and decorations. I like a small step of remembering and inviting our kids to do the same.
I hope you find resources this year (I know at Immanuel, Matthew will send out a long resource guide soon) that help you connect to your own longings, our hurting world, and the stirring of the Incarnation. Maybe this guide will be that for you or someone you know this year.
