The fourth Sunday before Christmas marks the beginning of Advent, a season of anticipation for the first coming of Christ at Christmas and the second coming of Christ at his eventual return. It also marks the beginning of the traditional Western church calendar. Every year Advent is an opportunity to lean into intentional reflection as individuals, families, and as a church community.
The Digital Fast
As a church, we are going to invite our entire congregation into what we are calling a “Digital Fast” over Advent (beginning Sunday, December 1).
So what is involved? We’re borrowing the basic idea form Darren Whitehead’s book The Digital Fast and from other churches that have tried something similar. Here are the basics:
First, take your smartphone (if you have one) and make it as dumb as possible. Go through every app on your phone and ask the question “Is this a genuine utility?” (like phone calls, texts, cameras, maps, calculators, weather, calendars, stuff needed for your job, etc.) or “Is this a distraction?” (like social media, your web browser, games, entertainment, news apps, YouTube—anything that will let you infinitely scroll an endless feed). There are some that might be tough to categorize like email, music, or podcasts—you’ll have to be honest about how you personally use each app and treat each accordingly. You’ll need to delete every app that isn’t a genuine utility and commit not to download it again until at least the end of the fast.
Second, commit to staying away from TV and any other device that regularly feeds you digital content. While for most of us our phones are especially troublesome because they are with us so often, they’re not the only challenge to our digital sanity. Stay off of Netflix and other streaming services.
The fast can be done for the whole duration or with breaks—like one day per week, for example. When the fast is complete, most of us will probably have recognized some important things about our relationships to our technology. You can use those insights to consciously choose to reintroduce whatever gives you joy on the others side. Probably there will be certain habits or specific apps that many of us choose to leave behind for good.
Advent Resources to Replace Your Screen Time
As we've been talking about detoxing from our digital devices, we've suggested re-committing to our Community Commitments to the Disciplines of Grace: prayer, scripture, worship, community, giving, serving, and inviting. You could also set a goal to text a friend each time you instinctively reach for social media.
Reading together as a household is also a great way to create space for conversation and inspiration for prayer. Here’s a short list of Advent-specific books worth considering:
Watch for the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas – This is a beautiful daily reader from a variety of theologians, writers, and poets meant to bring you to the great themes of Christmas and the meaning and significance of the first coming of Christ.
God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas by Dietrich Bonhoeffer - Daily advent readings from Bonhoeffer compiled by Jana Riess.
Emmanuel: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always by Ruth Chou Simons – A beautifully written and illustrated 25-day Advent devotional.
Advent: The Season of Hope by Tish Harrison Warren – A great re-introduction to the Advent’s place in the church calendar whether you’re new to celebrating or experienced
Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Tim Keller – Keller’s book is a beautiful, insightful, relatively short theological examination of Christmas.
On the Incarnation by Athanasius - One of the genuine classics of Christian theology and a deep reflection on what it meant for the Son of God to incarnate into human flesh.
The Circle of Seasons: Meeting God in the Church Year by K.C. Ireton – Ireton’s book isn’t about Advent exclusively, but about the entire traditional church calendar. It does have great chapters on Advent and Christmas with helpful practical suggestions for celebrating.
Door of Hope Advent Reading Plan – Pip Craighead at Door of Hope Southeast illustrated this wonderful single page advent calendar with daily scripture readings to spark discussions for families.
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
Sounding Joy by Ellie Holcomb (ages 2-6)
Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne (ages 3-6)
Listen to the Silent Night by Dandi Daley Mackall, illustrated by Lou Fancher & Steve Johnson (ages 3-7)
Jesus Came for Me: The True Story of Christmas by Jared Kennedy, illustrated by Trish Mahoney (ages 3-7)
Mary’s First Christmas by Walter Wangerin, Jr., illustrated by Timothy Ladwig (ages 4-7)
Nativity by Cynthia Rylant (ages 4-8)
The Christmas Promise by Alison Mitchell, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri (ages 4-8)
A Jesus Christmas: Explore God’s Amazing Plan for Christmas by Barbara Reaoch (ages 4-11)
The God of Amazing Gifts: Family Devotions For Advent by Lizzie Laferton (ages 7-14)
CANDLES AND LITANIES
Another meaningful tradition could be to make use of Advent candles. In her book The Circle of Seasons, K.C. Ireton offers the following suggestion to begin the fourth Sunday before Christmas: "In our home, we begin our evening meal by lighting a candle and saying a short litany. During Advent, we sing the first verse of "O Come O Come Emmanuel" when we light the candle." Beginning with the one candle for the first week of Advent and adding the second, third, and fourth each Sunday over the season will help build a sense of anticipation. Light the fifth candle on Christmas Day. Ireton suggests the following litany for this candle: Candlelighter: "Jesus Christ is the Light of the world." Everyone else: "The Light no darkness can overcome!"
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