Advent
Advent is the season that helps us prepare for Christmas. Many churches observe four weeks of Advent. A more ancient practice is to observe seven weeks of Advent. (For more on the history and theology of a seven week Advent, visit The Advent Project.)
At St. Gregory's, All Saints Sunday (the first Sunday in November) is the hinge point between the season we call Ordinary Time and the season of Advent. On All Saints Sunday we remember and celebrate all the faithful people who have gone before us, we welcome new members to the church, and we celebrate baptisms.
Below you will find a variety of resources to help you pray throughout this Advent season.
At St. Gregory's, All Saints Sunday (the first Sunday in November) is the hinge point between the season we call Ordinary Time and the season of Advent. On All Saints Sunday we remember and celebrate all the faithful people who have gone before us, we welcome new members to the church, and we celebrate baptisms.
Below you will find a variety of resources to help you pray throughout this Advent season.
O Antiphons
During Advent we use seven ancient prayers, known as the "O Antiphons" to mark the seven weeks leading up to Christmas.
Download the O Antiphon Chants (PDF with text and musical notation)
Try praying the O Antiphons using Anglican prayer beads and songs: Download a booklet with seven Advent Prayer & Song Cycles, based on the O Antiphons. Download audio files of each Advent Prayer & Song Cycle. Learn more and listen to audio files directly on our Prayer Bead page.
Practice a chant and ASL interpretation for each O Antiphon on our Sing and Sign page, or by clicking on these links: O Wisdom, O Adonai, O King of Nations, O Emmanuel, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, or O Dayspring.
.Enjoy several short video meditations on the O Antiphons, below.
Download the O Antiphon Chants (PDF with text and musical notation)
Try praying the O Antiphons using Anglican prayer beads and songs: Download a booklet with seven Advent Prayer & Song Cycles, based on the O Antiphons. Download audio files of each Advent Prayer & Song Cycle. Learn more and listen to audio files directly on our Prayer Bead page.
Practice a chant and ASL interpretation for each O Antiphon on our Sing and Sign page, or by clicking on these links: O Wisdom, O Adonai, O King of Nations, O Emmanuel, O Root of Jesse, O Key of David, or O Dayspring.
.Enjoy several short video meditations on the O Antiphons, below.
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Prayer for Week 1:
O Wisdom, coming from the mouth of the Most High, spanning the world in power from end to end, ordering all things for good: Come, and teach us the Way of Knowledge. Amen. |
Prayer for Week 2:
O Adonai and leader of the house of Israel, who appeared in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire and gave him the Law of Sinai: Come and deliver us with an outstretched arm. Amen. |
Prayer for Week 3:
O King of the Nations, and their Desire, the cornerstone who makes both walls one: Come and save humankind whom you formed of clay. Amen. |
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Prayer for Week 4:
O Emmanuel, our King and lawgiver, the desire of all nations and their salvation: Come and save us, O Lord our God. Amen. |
Prayer for Week 5:
O Root of Jesse, standing for an ensign of the people, at whom kings shall shut their mouths, to whom the nations shall seek. Come and deliver us and tarry not. Amen. |
Prayer for Week 6:
O Key of David and scepter of the house of Israel, that opens and no one closes, and closes and no one opens: Come and bring the prisoners out of the prison house, and those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Amen. |
Prayer for Week 7:
O Dayspring, brightness of light everlasting and Sun of Righteousness: Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Amen. |
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Advent Wreaths
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You may wish to create an Advent Wreath to help you pray as you move through this season. With each passing week, light an additional candle on your advent wreath as you pray. Below are directions for making your own Advent Wreath, and a short ritual and simple song by AnnaMarie Hoos to use at home each evening when you light your Advent Wreath .
Gallery
Original images created by people at St. Gregory's, inspired by the O Antiphons.
Daily Prayer for all Seasons
Daily Prayer for all Seasons is a resource from the Episcopal Church created to help people weave prayer into the fabric of daily life. For each season of the church year, the book offers eight short services to pray over the course of each day, in a pattern akin to the monastic practice of "praying the hours". The services are short--it takes between one and seven minutes to pray each service. Members of St. Gregory's created these audio recordings to help you pray the hours even when you are on the go--driving, walking, working, or working out. Listen directly from this page, or download the audio files here. Enjoy!
Other Resources
St. Gregory's Advent Evening Prayer Services, 2014 (Join us at church on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6PM throughout Advent, or download the service and pray along at home.)