Colouring for Advent

Advent resources for those who love to colour and think about the Bible at the same time!

The Five Parishes is a united parish comprising Broxted with Chickney, Tilty, Great Easton and Little Easton in East Anglia. The five villages making up these parishes are described as situated in ‘a large, attractive, gently-undulating area, around 450 square miles of northwest Essex, northeast Hertfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire.’

Janet Foster, who used to lead SCOP, Spiritual Care for Older People, in the Oxford Diocese, kindly devises colouring resources and a Bible reflection which are posted weekly. Just go to The Five Parishes home page and click on ‘Biblical Reflection and Pictures to download and print’ under the ‘Bible Pictures’ heading. This week’s reflection focuses on the gifts of hope, peace, joy and love that come to us at Advent. Read the reflection below:

‘Advent means “coming”; it is a time when we wait with expectation, celebration and hope as we prepare for the wonderful event of Christmas - the coming of Jesus to earth. In many of our churches during Advent, on each of the four Sundays before Christmas Day, we light a candle as part of our preparation. These reflect the light that came into the world with the birth of Jesus Christ.

During Advent you might like to colour in the candles printed on the previous page. Each candle represents a different theme. The first is the candle of Hope. Hope is like a light shining in a dark place. Jesus is our hope – this hope is not wishful thinking, it is a trust placed in a trustworthy God. What does that mean for you?

The second candle, the candle of peace. Jesus is the ‘Prince of Peace’ through whom we have forgiveness. Does knowing this give you an inner peace despite the sometimes scary world around us?

The third candle reflects the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival and through the salvation he gifted us. God fills us with joy, no matter what our circumstances nothing can take this away. Have there been times when you particularly sensed God’s joy? Think about why this was.

For the Sunday before Christmas there is the candle of love. Love is Jesus’ entire reason for coming to earth. Throughout his ministry he focused his preaching on love – asking us to love God and our neighbour. What, for you, are the characteristics of love?’

The selected Bible reading is Psalm 25:1–10, which begins: ‘In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.’

The prayer this week is:

Heavenly Father, as I prepare for the shopping, the entertainment, the gifts and all the excitement of Christmas help me to keep the greatest gift, that of your Son, to the front of my mind. As I see presents wrapped and waiting under the tree restore in me the wonder that came with Jesus’ birth. Those shepherds watching in the fields were reassured and went with joy to see your Son. Help me to put my trust in you alone casting aside all the concerns of life. I long to feel your peace deep inside me. Dwell within and around me as I journey towards your wonderful gift of Christmas. Amen

This week’s edition suggests: ‘Starting on the 1 December spend a little time each day thinking about what you would like to find in each of the pockets on the Advent tree. They could be a variety of things – a bar of chocolate, a cute soft toy...’

Every week you will find a fresh picture to colour in, plus an idea for a Bible reading and a prayer and pointers on how to think about those readings. It is all about applying the wisdom of the Bible to one’s present circumstances.

Activities coordinators in care homes may not be aware of such free resources, so do make sure you let them know where to find them!

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