1. Advent: Getting ready for Jesus

2. How will you and your family get ready for Christmas?

3. During Advent we get ready for the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Together, we are going to learn about how the world prepared for Jesus’ arrival. We are also going to reflect on what we need to do during Advent to make sure we are ready for our celebrations on Christmas Day..

4. The following reading from this Sunday (the first day of Advent) comes from the Old Testament, written hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus.

5. The LORD said, “The time is coming when I will fulfil the promise that I made to the people of Israel and Judah. At that time I will choose as king a righteous descendant of David. That king will do what is right and just throughout the land.” Jeremiah 33. 14-15 Who do you think God is talking about?

6. So God told his people to get ready for the coming of Jesus hundreds of years before he was even born

7. How do we get ready for Christmas? Prayer and Reflection

8. During Advent, we think about how we can become closer to God and become a better person Think about what you can do this Advent to become a better person

9. Dear Lord, Thank you for giving us the greatest gift: your son Jesus. Thank you for giving us so much to look forward to this Advent. We pray that during this season of Advent we can move closer to you, follow the path you have set us and prepare ourselves for Christmas Day. Amen

10. Advent: A time to right wrongs

11. What do Christians do during Advent? Get ready for the coming of Jesus on Christmas Day This Sunday’s reading from the Gospel of Luke explains how John the Baptist did exactly the same. John wanted to prepare people, to make sure that they were ready to listen to Jesus’ message.

12. At that time the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. So John went throughout the whole territory of the River Jordan, preaching, “Turn away from your sins.” As it is written in the book of the prophet Isaiah: “Someone is shouting in the desert: ‘Get the road ready for the Lord; make a straight path for him to travel! Every valley must be filled up, every hill and mountain levelled off. The winding roads must be made straight, and the rough paths made smooth. The whole human race will see God’s salvation!’” Luke 3. 2-6 “Turn away from your sins.” What do you think John meant by this? “Turn away from your sins.” What do you think John meant by this?

13. We all do things that are wrong. Sometimes these are big things, sometimes they are small.

14. During Advent we can reflect on our mistakes and help to make our lives and the lives of others better. Think about one mistake you have made. What can you do to make things better?

15. Dear Lord, Just as you sent John the Baptist to prepare the world for the coming of Jesus, we hope that we can prepare ourselves for Christmas and the coming of Jesus. Help us to use this time of Advent to reflect on our mistakes and make things better, so that our hearts will be open and ready for the celebrations of Christmas. Amen