Advent 1 B (November 30): Waiting, Hoping.

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Bible Readings: Isaiah 64:1-9, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:24-37 Theme: Waiting, Hoping About the image: Southern Cross Station, Melbourne. My photo -feel free to use it. Candle Lighting Liturgy Found in Ideas for Worship, July - December 1996, JBCE, page 47 (pictured in last weeks blog) Meditation: Waiting From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 20ff. (pictured in an earlier blog). Kids's Talk One enjoyable thing to do for the four Sundays of Advent is to turn the whole Christmas story into a serial telling a small part of the story each week - or act it out (see below). Start this week with the story of Mary and the Angel. Drama: Mary and the Angel From Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 42ff. (pictured in an earlier blog). Discussion: On the Isaiah reading 1. What was Isaiah hoping and waiting for? 2. What are you hoping and waiting for: for yourself? for your church? for the community in which you live? for the world? Story: God's Answer Index 2818 from Bible Illustrator for Windows Version 1.0d, Parsons Technology Inc., 1990. This story is linked with the Isaiah reading. Adult Response: Give everyone a marking pen (or access to one) and a 2" (5cm) wide strip of green cloth,. Ask them to write on the strip one of the things that they hope for. These can be displayed in any number of ways. If you do a similar activity each week of advent (connecting the writing and the colour with the theme of each week), you will have the resources to finish in Advent 4 with the symbolic action Cloth for the Cradle found in Cloth for the Cradle by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1997, ISBN 1901557014, page 74ff.