How to use the Inclusive Church Advent Calendar
Welcome to our online Advent Calendar, which we have created to spread the word about Inclusive Church within the Diocese of Durham and further afield. How you wish to use the calendar is entirely up to you; we have a couple of practical ideas you can try, but first let's go back to basics.
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus
Galatians 3:28
Jesus himself moved among those from all walks of life, from the wealthy to the lowest in society. This Advent as we prepare for the birth of our Saviour, let us all try to be just a little bit more Christ-like. Let us consider how we could not just open our hearts and churches, but how actively we can call out and welcome everyone in.
"Truly I tell you, just as you did it one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me"
Matthew 25:40
Some ideas for how you might use the Advent Calendar
Set aside 5-10 minutes each day at a particular time. It doesn't matter if it is first thing in the morning, last thing at night, as you eat your lunch at your desk, while breastfeeding at 2am, or as you are cooking dinner.
- Read the reflection, giving yourself time to take it in.
- Think about what has motivated the writer. If they are not named, consider why they might have asked for anonymity.
- Consider how your own church would appear to someone from this group. Would it be an inclusive place?
- Pray the prayer, finishing with daily Inclusive Church prayer.
- Reflect throughout the day on what you have read. Sometimes you need time to digest ideas.
- Share the calendar with a friend and discuss it together. It doesn't have to be in person, it could be by a phone call, text message, email or even on social media such as Facebook.
- If you are part of a Bible-study group or prayer group, why not use the calendar as part of your Advent reflections?
We have a couple of extra challenges you might like to try:
- Identify someone in your own congregation who has a different background to you, to whom you might not often speak or who perhaps you find difficult to get on with. Try to share a few minutes with that person and ask them a few questions about themselves so you get to know them better. Could this be during tea and biscuits after your Sunday service or while you wait for a carol service to start? Afterwards reflect on what you found out and think of ways you could build on that encounter.
- Select one of the themes that particularly speaks to you. Write down a list of three ways your church is good at making people from that group feel included. While it might feel like blowing your own trumpet, identifying positive things you already do will motivate you to continue them. Now comes the harder part where you need to be brutally honest with yourself: write down three things about your church that might act as a barrier. Can you think of any changes you could make, however small? Offering a few copies of the order of service in a larger font, for example, is a small change that might make the world of difference to someone with visual impairment. Discuss any ideas with others.
- Think of a person you know who is not a regular church-goer. Invite them to come along with you to a service over the Christmas period. Perhaps they are an isolated elderly person with no transport? Perhaps they have young children and are worried that they wouldn't be welcome at the service? Perhaps they are gay and would appreciate the assurance of a friendly and accepting companion?
- Should you come across a theme which you find particularly difficult, keep reading. You might even feel angry. Still, keep reading. Pray about how regardless of their background and/or beliefs you could welcome an individual as if he were Christ himself. If you really struggle with a topic, that's okay. Just make sure you come back the next day with a fresh mind.
Thank you and good luck!
Alice & Andrew Ambrose-Thurman
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