For the seventh year in a row, #AdventWord will gather prayers via a global, online advent calendar. Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) in partnership with Forward Movement is offering 27 daily meditations and images during this holy season beginning Sunday, November 29. During a year of disparate worship and communities of prayer, AdventWord offers a way to reflect and pause for the Advent season and await the birth of Christ.
Gathering a worldwide community, #AdventWord provides a daily meditation, visual image, and invites your personal reflections via social media to share your own Advent journey. Thousands have participated each year, responding to the words with photos, written responses, crafts, drawings, poems, found art, and Holy Spirit-filled posts.
“It is amazing to witness the prayers from around the world appearing on social media when Advent begins,” says AdventWord program director, Sarah Stonesifer Boylan. “I am really pleased to see that VTS has been able to continue to provide this offering consistently for four years, each time building on its success, and I’m excited to join with Forward Movement this year to expand the offering”
In addition to the short daily meditations via email and social media, Forward Movement offers a print booklet of scripture-based longer reflections, action items, and questions. Waiting & Watching: Advent Word Reflections is available for purchase and is a perfect personal prompt following the #AdventWords and Sunday lectionaries. Each day includes a “doodle prayer” prompt by Praying in Color author, Sybil MacBeth. Forward Movement also offers a package of Advent prayer calendars created by MacBeth to accompany your #AdventWord.
“Forward Movement is delighted to be a partner in this year’s #AdventWord,” said Richelle Thompson, managing editor of Forward Movement. “Immersing ourselves in the Word of God is a wonderful way to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ. #AdventWord offers many different ways to participate, enabling us to make this journey together.”
The Advent Sunday lectionary readings and The Way of Love inspire the word list for #AdventWord. Discover the visual and written meditations and give yourself the opportunity to dive deeper into the stories of this waiting season.
The prompts for 2020 #AdventWord are:
The #AdventWord Images and meditations can be experienced through AdventWord.org, direct daily emails, as well as on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and ASL videos via YouTube. Meditations will also be available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole via email and on www.adventword.org. Find Watching & Waiting on www.forwardmovement.org.
For more information:
www.AdventWord.org
www.facebook.com/AdventWordOrg
703-461-1885