Over the coming weeks leading up to Christmas, traditionally known as Advent, NMI Central will introduce our readers to some of the unique traditions followed across the global Church of the Nazarene. Typically, in the Western Church tradition, Advent is celebrated during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Each Sunday is centered around hope, love, joy, and peace. In the Eastern Church tradition, the month of December is a preparation for the celebration of Christmas that occurs after the New Year, on the 6th of January, known as Epiphany. During each of the next five weeks, NMI Central will also include a Kids Kaleidoscope focused on the themes that mark each week.
Advent began with anticipation and preparation over many generations. It was focused on hope, expressed through prayer for the coming Messiah. The hope of the people of God was that the long wait would soon be over. The world, so long in darkness, was ripe for destruction or redemption. Thankfully, God chose to redeem!
Whether you light an Advent candle wreath or you choose to place a star on top of the church, your home, or tree, hope is often represented by a light that breaks through the darkness. To learn more about how people prepare for the Christmas season around the world, check out the Advent Kids Kaleidoscope, a special NMI Central supplement created to help children, youth, and adults learn more about our Nazarene family around the world.
