This year, Advent will be different, but we would like to include familiar traditions as well, albeit through online activities and events, rather than meeting in our church building.
This is a page all about our Advent activities at Beacon Hill URC so check in regularly to see what is on offer and join in anything and everything!
Our theme this year is: On the Road to Bethlehem
Introduction taken from the Advent Meditation booklet below:
The Colours of Christmas
You may enjoy watching this with the young people in your lives:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVIDocXzpog&feature=youtu.be
It is also available on the URC web site, with lots of resources:
https://urc.org.uk/advent-hope-and-joy?dm_i=2JB1,1OPX9,A29LQG,5QSPG,1
Advent Candle meditation
Beacon Hill URC and Fleet URC will have a joint Advent candle meditation, covering the Sundays in Advent until Christmas Day, which will be part of the weekly service. In alternate weeks, members of the two churches will light the candles and read the scripture, news article and lighting liturgy from their home during the morning service at 10.30 a.m. on Zoom. Our theme is ‘On the Road to Bethlehem’.
News article:
In 2008, BBC correspondent Aleem Maqbool kept an online diary in text and video as he walked from Nazareth to Bethlehem, retracing a journey made by Joseph and Mary in the Christmas story told by Luke in the New Testament. Each week we will hear an extract from his diary.
Scriptures:
These will be short readings from the Bible referencing the road to Bethlehem.
Candle lighting liturgy:
A prayer to focus on each stage of the journey to Bethlehem, said by the family lighting the Advent candle that week, as we each light the candles in our own homes.
Something to read and reflect on each week:
Also in this booklet there is a poem or prayer for you to read and consider from home during the week. We offer our thanks to Joan McGavin, Rosemary Parrott, Gladys Webb and Pat Oliver, members of the URC South West Hants Group who crafted these items around the ‘Road to Bethlehem’ and have given their permission for us to include them. Rosemary also drew the cover page image of the road with a modern twist!
Advent wreath
We are inviting all our members to prepare an Advent wreath to light each week in their home. It doesn’t have to be a wreath – as long as there are 5 candles available throughout the season, please design whatever suits you to have ready to light each week for the service. We welcome photos of your Advent candle set up and would like to share those on the web sites for the church communities to enjoy.
Prayer Group
The prayer group will meet via Zoom for a half hour of guided prayer on Monday December 14th at 2 p.m., guided jointly by Karen & Margaret from Fleet URC. An invitation has been sent out to join the group by email.
Monthly Nurture Group: and now for something completely different
The monthly nurture group has been considering the context and nature of the women mentioned in the Christmas narrative in recent months. The group will meet at 2 p.m. on Monday December 21st and will think about Mary, the mother of Jesus. This will be a more informal structure and you are invited to bring a reading from the Bible or a poem or a prayer or an article or a hymn verse that speaks to you personally about Mary and read it to the group, followed by a short chat about what appeals to you in the reading you chose. A relaxed sharing of thoughts in the hubbub of the Christmas preparations.
This will be a virtual meeting on Zoom. An invitation will be sent out to join the meeting by email.
Christingle Service
The service on December 13th at 10.30 a.m. will be a Christingle service. Beacon Hill members will receive the parts to make a Christingle on the Food Bank collection run on December 12th.
Carol Service
An online carol service will take place on December 20th at 10.30 a.m. live. Karen will be joined by Beacon Hill’s very own Tom Dean to lead this service. We’re hoping to have a few recorded carols for you to singalong at home – on mute! and familiar Christmas readings.
A quiet service for Christmas Eve
Details of reflective “Blue” Christmas service details will be uploaded as we learn of them for you to view or attend:
Christ Church Chineham in Basingstoke have a service at 4pm on 23rd December in their building, in case any of you are interested in an “in person” service.
The Spire Church, Farnham. A service will be posted on their youtube channel by the evening of 21st December at the latest. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5eOphpuQqL1wGVJ7iSQluA
Build your own Advent wreath
You are invited to prepare your own Advent candle display this year to let us all light the candles together each week as part of the live worship. Send in photos of your Advent candle display for others to admire.
See some creative ideas here:
https://reflectionary.org/2020/11/16/advent-wreaths/
Saturday 12th December – Coffee morning after the Food bank Collection & Christingle delivery
Join us for a social time close to Christmas to catch up, enjoy a mince pie and perhaps join in some Christmas themed games! The online coffee morning will be at 11 a.m., following the delivery run by church members to one another of a Christingle kit and to collect the items being taken to Haslemere Food Bank.
Beacon Hill United Reformed Church 