Advent is the Latin word for arrival or coming and is the period of four weeks before Christmas that we set aside to celebrate Jesus’ coming into our world.  We remember that Jesus is coming again and eagerly await his return – when he will come as a Mighty King to make all things new; to redeem this broken world from its hurt, trouble, and tragedy. We call out with anticipation – come Lord Jesus, come!

This year we offer Advent fold-outs for you to reflect on scripture and remember God’s redemption in the lead up to Christmas, when we celebrate the amazing and ultimate gift of Jesus’ birth. You may choose to use them as a personal devotion, or to encourage your small group or congregation. We no longer have printed copies available to order, but you can still download a PDF below. Each week starts on the designated Sunday of Advent. We also offer a resource with activities for whānau and tamariki for each week. This can be downloaded below.

For thousands of years God’s people around the world have sung hymns, psalms, waiata and choruses to remember God’s grand story and to answer with the only possible human response: worship. Artists have painted, carved, stitched, and written beautiful compositions and creations to reflect and participate in this particular season of the church year. We’ve prepared a few additional resources for each week right here—including playlists, poems, reflections and other creative pieces. Click on the buttons below for this year’s offerings from Laidlaw students, staff, and alumni.

Join us in reflection and worship through this Advent and Christmas season.

Download your Advent Fold Out PDF here

Miriam Fisher (Location Lead & Lecturer - Education, Ōtautahi/Christchurch), has prepared activities based on the theme of each week of Advent. You can download the full Advent pack here.

These may need amending to suit the age and stage of those in your whānau but we hope they will offer you an opportunity to engage in this season simply and meaningfully with your tamariki. You might come up with new variations!