A new worship series for Advent–Epiphany—coming august 2025!
Luke’s Gospel begins the story of Jesus with this opening line: “In the time of Herod…” This detail may seem minor to modern readers; however, it reveals layers of information about the fearful world Jesus entered, one filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world not so unlike our own. And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, we hear the whispers of angels delivering a surprising message: “Do not fear.” When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi are each called into God’s redemptive story, they do not deny their fears—they move through them. They ask questions, hold fast to courage, trust in good news, and say, “Here I am, Lord.” When we find ourselves in fearful times, can we acknowledge our fears while also insisting on hope?
This Advent series takes seriously the angels’ message and trusts that Christ’s birth truly is good news of great joy for all people. The resources look closely at the fear and terror looming in the background during the time of King Herod and invite us to consider the fears we hold now. Fear can divide and paralyze us and even be used as a tool for oppression. But what if we formed a different relationship with fear? Can we acknowledge fear without letting it rule us? Might we catalyze our fears into love and action? What if naming our fears helps us see more clearly how God is breaking in and where God is at work?
As you journey through this season, may your hope become gritty and resilient. May you remember: hope that trembles is still hope. This season, let us insist on hope and trust that good news is greater than fear.
Download our free infographic to preview the series and:
Read all about our theme and weekly sub-themes, as well as the focal scriptures included (this is not a lectionary series).
Discover how the series is structured from Advent 1 through Epiphany Sunday.
See all of the resources we’re including in this new bundle.
Learn about our guest artists, guest writer, and the musician we've partnered with to bring these resources to life!
Share this information with your colleagues and worship planning teams to discern if these resources are a good fit for you.
As we developed the branding, we thought that the image of a lantern could represent our longing for deep hope in a fearful world. Lanterns are often used to light the way as we gently step forward into unseen or unknown territory. The lantern, like hope, steadies our hands and eyes as we walk forward through the night.
In the logo, a lantern contains the swirl of a flame—it’s active and powerful, like the Holy Spirit, and like the hope that burns inside us. The candlelight cannot be contained, and so, like hope, it grows, emanating into our guiding question for the season, “What do you fear?”
The branding photography captures the beauty of both dark and light by focusing on the patterned shadows cast from a lantern. From this ethereal space where our greatest fears greet our most palpable hopes, possibility emerges.