In this fast-paced world it seems odd to say that we celebrate Advent by waiting, but this waiting is far more than a passive submission to time. Advent is a time of active preparation for a whole new way of life ushered in by Jesus' birth. This four-session study introduces four major themes that help Christians move meaningfully and patiently through the season of Advent: waiting, accepting, journeying, and birthing. Over the season of Advent we will

• explore themes that enhance our observance of Advent at home and in church, our coming celebration of Christmas and our spiritual lives throughout the year;
• experience the spiritual discipline of communal study and prayer during Advent with a specific focus on the need to open ourselves to accepting the birth of Jesus Christ in our lives today;
• relate the annual celebration of Advent to the church's historical location in the period between the first and second comings of Jesus Christ;
• and consider how Mary and Joseph's birthing of Jesus in a manger is related to our own experience of birthing Jesus in our hearts and lives, bringing us joy even as it requires that we experience waiting, accepting, and journeying as necessary steps in the process.

Throughout the season we will also take short detours to the other side of the world, to Indonesia, to share in that country's experience of our four themes. Like travelers who return to their native land with new perspectives on things formerly commonplace, by venturing abroad in time and space through this study we will gain new insights into the way we observe Advent at home.