Tina Turner once asked, “What’s love got to do with it?” The question lands close to home for clergy and congregations, especially during Advent. We all are aware that ministry can move quickly this time of year. Our calendars become filled, expectations rise, and the work can feel relentless. However, Advent pauses us long enough to ask what truly grounds all of it.
The love at the heart of Advent shows up in ordinary faithfulness. It takes shape in our relationships, shared leadership, and the life of our congregation walking together. Clergy live this love through steady presence, thoughtful preaching, and pastoral care offered in both visible and unseen ways. Congregations embody it through patience, generosity, and commitment to one another, even when the path feels uncertain.
Click through to read Dr. Derrick’s article.
Read MoreAs the 2025 Advent season nears, new United Church of Christ resources invite people to engage with past prophets, abolitionists, and wisdom in order to make a way forward – carrying hope and expectation through difficult times.
Linked here, find worship resources and devotional offerings from Sermon Seeds and Worship Ways, Racial Justice Ministries, Pilgrim Press, the Pension Boards’ Christmas Fund, Bread for the World, and UCC Movement for Palestinian Solidarity.
Read MoreJoin us for an Embodied Advent Series that highlights the ministries of a diverse representation of United Church of Christ partners and faith leaders. All Advent programs have been pre-recorded and will be made available on Nurture the Soul's YouTube channel the Monday before each Advent week. Please note we decided to include a "Longest Night" service in lieu of a 4th week of Advent. The purpose of these webinars is to nurture your souls and ministries and can be shared in lieu of holding your own service - or to pull pieces from to enhance your own ministry settings.
Access videos here.
Read MoreFrom Open and Affirming Coalition, United Church of Christ:
With the lengthening night, Advent comes with hope. Our daily service Monday through Friday of Taizé Morning Prayer will celebrate the themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy and love. The 20-minute service begins at 9 am EST on Zoom and YouTube.
Read MoreDisplay this 18”x24” plastic lawn sign in your church’s front yard, on the side of your building, or wherever you see fit to share the story of Jesus’ birth and proclaim to your neighbors that when we welcome refugees, when we welcome asylum-seekers, we are welcoming Christ.
Read MoreJoin the UCC in prayer every day during Advent.
Read MoreWende Gonzales is curating a Spotify playlist of the Southwest Conference’s cherished Advent and Christmas songs by your favorite artists. Old and new, sacred and secular, joyful and melancholy.
To join this project, just email Wende with the song title, artist, and album (if known). Add a note (optional) telling us what you love about the song(s). If you’d rather not have your name attached to your thoughts about the song, please add the word “anonymous” to your note.
Read MoreEleven digital hymns, a movie and a pageant of lessons and carols, produced by the national setting of the United Church of Christ, will soon be available to local churches for Advent and Christmas.
Each piece will be downloadable as a video file.
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