Welcome to ‘walk this way - an Advent journey towards Jesus’, a four week program using videos and discussion questions from the St Francis College Short Course series. We have four themes to choose from, and each one considers an aspect of the person and ministry of Jesus, and the role that faith plays in our lives. Each theme winds its way through video conversations with discussion questions for adding your voice to the conversation. Suitable for individuals and groups, ‘walk this way’ provides rich stimulus for a rewarding Advent journey.
Want to get started? Head for the Pathways page now!
In the meantime, here’s some background thinking about where we’re heading…
Journey? What…NOW?
Journey is a word often used in the context of Christian learning, or faith education, and we love to travel!! Of course, the season of Advent is full of references to travel. Take Mary’s mid-pregnancy and hasty trip to visit Elizabeth in Luke 1:39-45. This journey sets up the whole drama of the Gospel story, Elizabeth and Mary meet, and we begin to understand the importance of the infant and the hugeness of Mary’s “yes”. Probably the most famous Christmas journey is that of Mary and Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem to participate in the census. (Luke 2:1-7) The end of that dramatic journey is the small, domestic scene depicted in every Nativity play ever staged - the movement from building to building trying to find shelter. Jesus is born on a journey. Symbolically, Matthew’s prologue to the gospel (Matthew 1:1-17) details the genealogy of Jesus, the trip back into the history of the Israelites that links this new-comer to ancient traditions – the authors of Matthew present Jesus as the culmination of the Jewish journey. (Matthew 1:18-2:15)
Advent – the arrival
Then there’s the personal journeying we do in periods of waiting. Advent means the arrival of something, the coming into being of an expected thing or event. For Christians, Advent is the season to anticipate the arrival of Jesus. We prepare for the new world ahead. Imagine the tension of waiting for a baby to be born - that mix of joy, excitement and fear – fear for the health of the baby, and our own doubts about being the adult in the room…we wait but we are not still. There are often great preparations to be made and no way is anyone wishing that the end is earlier than expected! So it is with Advent in the Christian Church: this is a season of preparation and journey. A commitment to join others in this regular faith journey aims to focus some of that energy and excitement into that particular point – the person of Jesus.
Journey + Advent
What an intriguing journey we are on – we look forward to the arrival of a defenseless infant when so many anticipated the advent of a mighty and strong vanquisher. We learn about the ministry of a radical who offended the ruling elite and was put to death for sedition and treason when so many expected a great warrior who would defeat their enemies. We anticipate the stirrings of hope in the resurrection when Jesus’ closest friends were in despair, and so the journey goes.
‘Walk This Way - an Advent journey with Jesus’, aims to enrich Christmas preparation - travel with and learn from the Gospel stories, from others who have walked this way before, and from your fellow walkers.
Next? How to “walk this way”…
Would you like to ‘walk this way’ by yourself or with a group. Equally effective, there are just different ways to plan each session.
Choose which of the four pathways, (or themes) you’ll travel, see ‘the Pathways - plan your route’
Think about how long you’ll have to use the program each week. What’s realistic?
Find inspiration from the ‘ideas for travelling solo’ or the ‘ideas for groups’ pages.