An insider's guide: Our best individual resources for Advent, Christmas, & Epiphany (for any year)
We have been creating new resources for the Christmas season since 2016. If you are familiar with us, you know that we release resources in bundles shaped around an overarching theme. We do this to provide cohesive and comprehensive materials for a full liturgical season. However, this means we now have many individual resources from past seasons that could be meaningful and useful any year. Here’s an insider’s guide for our best resources for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. None of these offerings are too particular to any one theme or lectionary cycle, so they could be used any year.
RESOURCES FOR Advent
Advent Wreath Lighting Liturgy
These candle-lighting liturgies for each week in Advent (hope, peace, joy, and love) are formatted for multiple readers. Liturgy by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed.
Christmas narrative banner designs
Inspired by Mary’s Magnificat, Joseph’s Dream, Jesus’ Birth Story, and the Angels’ Birth Announcement to the Shepherds, this series of four Advent and Christmas banners designed by Hannah Garrity are perfect for progressively adorning your worship space during the four weeks of Advent.
Advent Journey Graphic Icon Series
This set of graphic icons illustrates the journey of the wise men chasing after the star as the cosmic event of God’s in-breaking, and the subtlety of our active waiting during this season. Week by week, the light of the star grows, guiding us to Bethlehem. Graphic design by: Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman.
“I Will Sing” worship film
This film blends visual and spoken poetry to offer a meditation on Mary’s Magnificat. Use it to complement your reading of Luke 1:46b-55 in worship or Sunday school. Video by: Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity and Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed, with spoken word by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed.
Advent poetry prayers
These 4 short first-person “Conversations with God” poems by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed reflect on hope, peace, love, and joy in a way that feels personal and intimate. Read them in worship or send them home to read during the season of Advent.
VISUAL ART FOR Advent
Browse all of the (primarily RCL-based) Lent art in our image licensing library. Use the images for: art galleries, visio divina, small group discussions, bulletin cover art, and worship projection.
resources for Blue Christmas & the Longest Night
Let There Be Worship Film
This worship film offers a visual meditation on love and loss, creating safe and sacred space for those wading through the tides of grief. Featuring spoken word poetry by Sarah Are, the film offers imagery of stormy chaos slowly curving into calm. It was created to accompany the “Let There Be” Longest Night Liturgy but would be appropriate during any Blue Christmas service. Poetry by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Art & film by: Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity.
Let There Be Longest Night Liturgy
This service uses stones as symbols of the grief that weighs heavy on our hearts and invites worshipers to write on the stones their particular grief. The stones are then released into jars which will hold candles that will be lit as a reminder of God’s presence even in the midst of it all. Liturgy by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed.
Liturgy for the weary
This liturgy acknowledges the weariness we can feel around the holiday season. Worshipers are invited to share a written prayer and receive another worshiper’s prayer to hold. An at-home version invites individuals to pray, light candles, and journal in place of a homily. Liturgy by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed.
A Liturgy for Endings & BeginnINGS
Grief and anxiety often stem from endings—the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the closing of a chapter in our lives. This simple service makes space for acknowledging the emotions that come with change, both in our endings and in the new beginnings that follow. Liturgy by: Rev. Anna Strickland.
a Service of Prayer & Lament
This full order of worship by Lenora & Gary Rand of Plural Guild includes lots of original music by The Many, as well as a collection of sheet music for the suggested songs. The service provides an option for worshipers to write prayers of lament on pieces of cloth and then rend them to form a beautiful “rag wreath” of laments.
“Those Who Dream” Theme Song
The theme song for our “Those Who Dream” series is suggested for the service of prayer & lament from the same bundle, but it fits beautifully in any holiday service of grief. Theme song by: The Many. Video by: Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity, featuring visual art by Lauren Wright Pittman, Hannah Garrity, & Lisle Gwynn Garrity.
Liturgy for the longest night
This prayer-centered Longest Night liturgy includes candle lighting, original poetry, written prayers, and communal litanies to acknowledge grief. Adaptations for at-home use are included. Liturgy by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed.
Keeping Vigil for hope—Longest night liturgy
This simple service outline, inspired by candlelight vigils, acknowledges the power of fear in our world. Candles are lit and held throughout the service as symbols of our flickering hope. Liturgy by: Rev. Anna Strickland.
resources for Christmastide
The World’s Child Christmas Mini-Bundle
This mini-bundle for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or the Sunday After Christmas includes a creative liturgy with three narrative reflections from Joseph, Mary, and a shepherd, as well as a foldable coloring book that illustrates the narrative reflections. Liturgy and reflections by: Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Illustrations by: Hannah Garrity.
Star of bethlehem banner designs
These banner designs by Hannah Garrity feature traditional Advent & Christmas imagery as well as imagery from the Isaiah passages in the RCL for Advent, Year A. Create the paper lace banners throughout Advent to install for Christmas.
“God Couldn’t Wait” Worship Film
A poetic reflection on the precarious timing of Jesus’ birth accompanies this short timelapse of the image “God Couldn’t Wait” being drawn. Show it as a visual meditation, a prelude, or a reflection after reading Luke 2:1-20 during your Christmas Eve service. Art, words, and film by: Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity.
Interactive Lessons & Carols Liturgy
Perfect for a children & family service on Christmas Eve, this full order of service by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed offers liturgy and hands-on creative elements to keep wiggly ones engaged throughout. It can also be adapted for Christmas Day or the First Sunday After Christmas.
Creative Liturgy for Christmastide
This liturgy includes many creative elements such as: a poetic reading of John 1:1-5, a time for written prayers, and a communal benediction. Written for Christmas Day 2022 (which fell on a Sunday), the service is perfect for reducing clergy’s workload around the holidays as it does not include a written sermon.
John 1 Worship Film
If you’re reading John 1:1-5 as part of your liturgy during Christmastide, this worship video could be used in place of a traditional reading. Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed reads the scripture over video of Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity painting her image, “Light in Darkness.”
“A Very Special Child” Pageant
This pageant follows the miraculous births of both Jesus and John the Baptist as told in the first two chapters of Luke. Included in the pageant materials are print-and-color characters (for a stick puppet pageant), backdrops, and sheet music for an original musical interlude. Script by: Rev. Anna Strickland. Musical interlude by: Rev. Anna Strickland and Luke Leverett.
VISUAL ART FOR Christmas & Epiphany
Browse all of the Easter art in our image licensing library. Use the images for: art galleries, visio divina, small group discussions, bulletin cover art, and worship projection.
Resources for Epiphany
Star Banner Design
This banner design by Hannah Garrity features the star of Bethlehem as its focal point, surrounded by quilt-inspired designs from our “Words for the Beginning” series. Create the paper lace banner throughout Advent to install for Epiphany.
“What do you fear?” Star words + Liturgy
These 180 star words are formatted to print, cut apart, and distribute to your congregation. The accompanying liturgy can be used to incorporate the tradition of star words into either Holy Communion or the prayer of the people. Word list by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Cards designed by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman. Liturgy by Rev. Anna Strickland.
“Words for the Beginning” Star words + Liturgy
These 170 star words are formatted to print, cut apart, and distribute to your congregation. The accompanying liturgy can be used to incorporate the tradition of star words into either Holy Communion or the prayer of the people. Word list by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Cards designed by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman. Liturgy by Rev. Anna Strickland.
“From Generation to Generation” Star words + Liturgy
These 160 star words are formatted to print, cut apart, and distribute to your congregation. The accompanying liturgy can be used to incorporate the tradition of star words into either Holy Communion or the prayer of the people. Word list and liturgy by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Cards designed by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman.
“Those Who Dream” Star words + Liturgy
These 150 star words are formatted to print, cut apart, and distribute to your congregation. The accompanying liturgy can be used to incorporate the tradition of star words into either Holy Communion or the prayer of the people. Word list and liturgy by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed. Cards designed by Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman.
Commentary: The magi, a feminist lens
In this bonus commentary from our “What do you fear?” Advent series, Rev. Dr. Boyung Lee proposes that the magi could very well have been women. We hope this fresh take on the “three kings” informs your Epiphany preaching.
VISUAL ART FOR Christmas & Epiphany
Browse all of the Easter art in our image licensing library. Use the images for: art galleries, visio divina, small group discussions, bulletin cover art, and worship projection.