Advent 2017

Advent begins on Sunday, December 3, 2017 and ends January 8, 2018. Advent is the season encompassing the four Sundays and weekdays leading up to Christmas. The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas. The final days of Advent, from December 17 to December 24, focus particularly on our preparation for the celebrations of the Nativity of our Lord (Christmas).

Advent Resources

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Advent & Christmas Season - Catholic.org - includes video

Holy Heroes Advent Adventure - I have signed up for this and will be utilizing some pieces for the classroom

Advent Bible Readings - *tip* write the verse numbers for each day on a slip of paper to include with your Advent calendars, if you have one

Advent Prayer Book

Distribute paper, pens or pencils, crayons, and markers. Say: We're going to make prayer books that we can use as a family during Advent. Have children include four pages in their prayer books, one for each of week of the Advent season. Say: On each page write a prayer that we can pray together as a family. Have children decorate the cover and the pages of their prayer books. Say: You may wish to use pictures, symbols, or Scripture passages to decorate your prayer book.

OLQA Bible Study
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Bible will begin at OLQA on Monday, November 27, 2017 at 6 p.m. For more information, or to sign-up, contact the office at 814-382-7252 or by email at olqaoffice@zoominternet.net - I am one of the small group leaders of this study and am very excited about the format. It's like nothing we have done at OLQA before! Please consider joining this group. We will be meeting for 4 weeks during Advent and then another 4 weeks in the New Year.

Please keep an eye out in the bulletin, which can be found weekly on the OLQA webpage, for more activities happening at Church during this holiday season!

Class Summary - November 19

• Prayer: Angelus

• Session 10: Celebrating Advent - pg 57-60

• Supplemental Video: A video of how a parish – St. Odilia – hosts Las Posadas, a Spanish ritual reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for a lodging in Bethlehem and thecoming of Jesus into the world. (1:34) - watched in class

• ENGAGE: The Year in Our Church: Advent - pg 153-156

• Activity:
• Jesus Family Tree
• Jesse Tree, powerpoint - slides available by request, via email

• Homework: As a family, decide what, if any, Advent activities you'll do.
• An Advent Calendar perhaps? How about a Jesse Tree? Do you have an Advent wreath?
• Be on the lookout for another blog post this week highlighting this season of Advent!

• Project: Today we decorated cake boxes for the Food Pantry. We are asking that each child bring in items to fill these boxes with birthday cake and party supplies to help those in need celebrate their birthdays just as we are able to do. For the next class, please bring in a cake mix, container of frosting, sprinkles, balloons, candles, and a birthday banner. If this will cause an undo burden, please contact Denise and Amanda.

• NEW! I have added Finding God - Family Resources under "Relatable Links." This is session and unit review study guides, games, and other information for students and families from our textbook, Finding God, Grade 4.

• Reminders: There will be no class on November 26 or December 3. I will see everyone back on December 10.

I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and blessed Thanksgiving. May the blessings of God fill all our hearts this season and may He watch over those who hunt!