UKirk is excited to offer the sixth annual edition of Words for Waiting: Daily Devotions for Advent and Christmas. Provided in partnership with the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Office of Christian Formation, this free resource includes daily Scripture readings, reflections, and prayers by students, campus ministers, and chaplains representing 30 different Presbyterian-supported student faith communities on 42 college campuses (with some help from neighbors from other areas of the Church, too).
This year’s theme, Where We’re From, leans on some of the ancestors of our faith, gleaning wisdom from the past as we journey through both Testaments and turn toward our futures. What are the places, people, and experiences that have made us who we are? Whether they formed us in good ways or difficult ones, how will they continue to shape who we’re becoming?
There are two ways to read:
Download the PDF and print a hard copy of the whole thing. (Notes for printing: Use ½” margins and set your double-sided printing to short-edge or horizontal binding. Fold in half, add a staple or two, and you’re all set.)
Read online or subscribe for daily emails at ukirkadvent.org.
Also don’t miss the companion guide for the four Sundays of Advent and Christmas. In keeping with this year’s Where We’re From theme, it centers on the Revised Common Lectionary’s Isaiah readings – not to imply that the whole Old Testament is about Jesus, but to wonder together what we might learn from the Hebrew Bible when we hold it next to our own Christian faith. The companion guide includes the same reflections and prayers from the devotional, but also features Advent candle lighting liturgies inspired by this year’s theme, some more context for the Scripture readings, and discussion questions to dig a little deeper into the readings and reflections. While many campus ministries are on winter break during Advent, we hope congregations of many types will be able to use these added resources for worship, Sunday School classes, mid-week check ins, or simply to enhance personal reflection. Download the companion guide here.