2025 Bishops Advent Offering
This year’s Bishop’s Advent Offering supports Gardens of Hope, a Michigan Conference initiative that partners with ministries in Haiti to plant seeds of renewal—both literal and spiritual. Through community gardens, nutrition programs, and agricultural training, our Haitian partners are building resilience, sustaining families, and nurturing hope. Congregations across Michigan are invited to receive an offering during Advent to support this vital ministry. Bishop David Bard shares, “When we give together, we embody Christ’s love in tangible ways. Gardens of Hope is a way to feed the body and the soul, helping families in Haiti cultivate food, faith, and a future rooted in God’s abundance.”
Congregations wishing to contribute to Bishop Bard’s Advent appeal can send a check, payable to the Michigan Conference, to this address: Attn: Michigan Conference | PO Box 72472 | Cleveland, OH 44192-0002. Write this phrase in the memo line: #3066 Gardens of Hope with your church account number. Donations can also be made online using this secure PayPal link (note that PayPal contributions cannot be credited to local church giving in Donor Direct) or via the online giving store.
Download the bulletin insert for the 2025 Advent Offering.
Bishop Bard shares a recorded Christmas Eve greeting. Churches are invited to include the video in worship, share it on social media, or use it in small-group gatherings beginning Wednesday, December 24, 2025. The message will offer encouragement, peace, and a reminder that Christ’s light still shines brightly in our world. You can view and download the video here.
Curated resources from previous years
The Michigan Conference is pleased to offer numerous resources for Advent and Christmas Day celebrations. If you have questions, please contact Rev. Kathy Pittenger.
- Creative suggestions for clergy and church leaders on how to use the video are available by clicking on the red button below.
- Kids Worship Notes download
- Ideas for Christmas Worship Bags to assemble for church and community members
- Christmas Day Faith Formation Playlist to go with the Christmas service.
Resources for worship from past years
ADVENT WORSHIP SERVICE RESOURCES
Global Health Ministries 2024 – Dr. Walter Brueggemann
Insights and theological reflections weave together the story of Elisha, the witness of Jesus, and our call as the church to be good neighbors.(free)
ADVENT CANDLE LIGHTING LITURGY
From 2022, a liturgy for lighting the Advent Candles from Discipleship Ministries. (free)
COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS
Advent series from Discipleship Ministries (UMC). Includes worship planning, preaching notes, liturgical resources, hymn suggestions, discussion guides for youth and adults, and more. (free)
FAMILY CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES & IDEAS
Children and Family Christmas Eve Service/Pageant Service Ideas
Several scripts are available for churches to use for Family Christmas Eve services. Most of them are free. Explore more here.
Online Children’s Christmas Eve Service
From 2020, a 15-minute children’s Christmas Eve worship service featuring 26 families across Michigan. The service shares the ABC’s of Christmas. The service has two versions. The video can be downloaded and used as a stand alone version or you can use the editable version to include a greeting from your local church. A script can be downloaded here.
BLUE CHRISTMAS/LONGEST NIGHT SERVICES
Blue Christmas Prayer Service
This Blue Christmas Prayer Service is from The Upper Room. There is also a devotional book called Blue Christmas that may be helpful for those seeking light during a time of darkness.
Blue Christmas Scripts
Blue Christmas Order of Worship from Rev. Brittney Stephan
Longest Night Script from North United Methodist Church, Rev. Darren Cushman Wood and Mark Gilgallan
For God Alone I Wait, Advent Song Sheet Music that may be used with the North UMC worship script
MOTOR CITY WESLEY ADVENT SONGS
#WesleyAdvent2020
Motor City Wesley put together a collection of Advent songs in 2020 that they have made available again in 2021. You may also access the videos and chord charts in the Google Drive.
The Longest Night
During the year 2020, it seemed as though everyone felt the weight of the pandemic and the way it impacted every aspect of our lives. 12 United Methodist pastors, deacons, and musicians offered a virtual service as a way to find a way of meeting that hurt and grief in a way that leads to healing and wholeness.
Advent Resources for Families
Advent and Christmas are significant to children and churches. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to provide opportunities for creative ministry around Advent and Christmas. This page has ideas, articles, resources, and children’s books. While some of the resources were created with ministry in a pandemic in mind, others may need to be adapted. Many of the resources can also be used or adapted for ministry with all ages.
#pictureAdvent
#pictureAdvent is a daily online devotional for all ages. Each day offers scripture, photos, reflection questions and a prayer, similar to the visio divina practice. For those who like an active challenge, there is also an Around the World Christmas challenge board.
Birthing a promise, building a movement
Anti-Racism Readings and Reflections for Advent
We find ourselves in a time of expectant waiting, anticipation, and preparation for the birth of a Promise in the Holy Child. Christ came into the world in an unexpected place in an unpredictable year. Over 2,000 years later, we find ourselves with similar challenges today, but it is the birth of Christ that reminds us that we are to continue building a movement for the Kin-dom of God that calls us to be in beloved community with one another.
Advent Studies/Devotionals
There are many options for Advent Studies and Devotionals. The links below are suggestions. Please review the resources you choose for theology, context, and age considerations. If you are not sure, Kathy Pittenger would be happy to assist you.
RESOURCES FROM 2020
These resources come to us from Rev. Caleb Williams. Deacon Caleb has led music ministries in a wide variety of congregations. He has led traditional choirs, hand drumming, handbells, contemporary worship bands, and even an opera or two. This summer he launched a new subscription service CalebBWilliams.com for worship music/hymn videos to help local churches offer a quality online worship experience. He is also now serving as Pastor at Milwood UMC in Kalamazoo.
Free original music to use during Advent
Never Be The Same: Learning Video
Never Be The Same: Week 1
Never Be The Same: Week 2
People, Look East
Performed by Carter Cortelyou
A Time of Prayer for Advent
15 minutes of beautiful music by M. Hayes, performed by Eric Strand, piano.
Do you hear what I hear
Music by Jean Watson and guitarist Phil Keaggy. This may be used in local churches
Carol of the Bells
Music by Jean Watson. This may be used in local churches.
jeanwatson.com