'Tis the Season!

Advent is a sacred season of anticipation and reflection — a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus. The word Advent means “coming,” reminding us that we wait not only to celebrate His birth in Bethlehem but also for His promised return as King.

Advent always begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and spans the four weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Each week, we pause to remember the gifts Christ brings — hope, peace, joy, and love — lighting candles and lifting our hearts in worship as we make room for Him anew.

In 2025, Advent begins on Sunday, November 30, and continues through Sunday, December 21. May these weeks draw you closer to the One who is Emmanuel, God with us.

The Advent wreath holds four candles — one for each week of the season — and a fifth Christ candle in the center, lit on Christmas Day.

Each candle carries a beautiful reminder of what Christ brings into our lives:

• Hope — the light that shines in our waiting.
   
• Peace — the calm that comes from trusting God’s promises.
   
• Joy — the gladness that fills our hearts as we draw near to Him.
   
• Love — the gift that led our Saviour to the manger and the cross.
   
• Christ — the Light of the World, who fulfills every promise.
   

Lighting the candles week by week helps us slow down, reflect, and let His light shine brighter in our hearts as Christmas draws near. 

The Jesse Tree (Isaiah 11:1) is a beautiful way for families to prepare their hearts for Christmas. Each day of Advent, you read a Bible story that tells part of Jesus’s family story and hang an ornament that represents it on your tree.

As the days go by and your tree fills with symbols, you’ll see how God’s plan for our Saviour unfolded through many generations — from creation to Christ’s birth.

You can make your Jesse Tree in many creative ways — with a small branch, a felt or paper tree, or even a tabletop Christmas tree. However you choose to do it, it’s a hands-on way to keep Jesus at the center of your Advent season.

Start your Jesse Tree tradition today! Download our free printable ornaments and daily devotions designed to help your family walk through the story of Jesus together this Advent.