Residents of La Paz seem to be new to many of the traditions we Northern Christians have taken for granted for years.
Take Advent, the wonderful time of preparation for Christmas. Frankly, many Bolivian Christians – even traditionally liturgical Christians, such as some of those in the Anglican church we attend – have never heard of it. So, being the liturgically-minded and generous folks that we are, Anne and I have taken the opportunity to share about this blessed and historic season in Christian life.
I have written more extensively about this topic on my other blog, http://blendedworship.wordpress.com, but for now, I’d like to share a fun little aspect of the whole situation. Well, we made this Advent wreath. Made, because they are not to be found anywhere. Thankfully, fake greenery and cheap candles are available in abundance. Actually, we did find a regular wreath and did some ugly-ornament-amputation surgery, stuck the candles in and – viola! – Advent wreath, made with love and great rejoicing.
Filed under: Aside
A collect prayer for the first week of Advent. Let this prayer put your thoughts on the coming of Jesus this week: Almighty God, give all of us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
