Advent
Time to Celebrate Together
Experience an Advent that really matters with Trinity!
Advent is an important season for us. Amidst the chaos and confusion in our world, we take time to be still, be quiet, and wait for Jesus.
What is Advent?
Advent is celebrated during the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. It is a period of waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus as newborn king.
Advent Worship (Sunday Mornings)
We will worship online each Sunday during advent at 9:00 and 11:00 AM. Our 9:00 service and 11:00 service will be in the Sanctuary.
We will livestream our 11:00 service. Find us online here:
Trinity Livestream | YouTube | Vimeo
Advent Jubilee (Sunday Evenings, 5 – 7 pm)
Our Advent Jubilee will feature 4 weeks of being together for a meal and activities, all beginning at 5pm. All activities are family-friendly and we encourage you to bring friends and neighbors with you as well.
- Week 1, November 27:
“Create and Celebrate” returns for one night only with family-friendly Christmas crafts. A scaled-down version of the craft-filled craziness we so fondly remember. This meal will be provided and a love offering for the food will be received. Let’s celebrate together! So we can properly plan supplies, please register here!
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Week 2, December 4“Mission Madness” gives us the opportunity to meet and interact with the wide variety of mission organizations and projects that Trinity supports. See what your generosity does and how you may be able to engage even further in the future. This meal will be provided. Please come and discover mission together. So that we can be good stewards as we prepare the dinner, please sign up!
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Week 3, December 11“Double Take”: A Christmas Pageant as told by Matthew AND Luke. This is a humorous telling of both of the birth narratives found in Scripture. Hear the stories as told and performed by our own Trinity members. We will have our meal via covered-dish, so bring something to share and we will enjoy together. If you want to participate, please sign up here!
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Week 4, December 18“Christmas Carol Karaoke” will give you and your friends the chance to be the stars of the show as we sing our favorite Christmas songs together. A fun evening for everyone to get us in just the right mood for Christmas! This last week will also be by covered-dish, so bring your favorite to share as we celebrate at table before singing.
Additional Advent Events
- Blue Christmas Service: December 7, 6 pm (the chapel)
Use the links above to find out more!
Advent and Christmas Eve Offering
This year, our Advent offering and Christmas Eve offering will be given to our mission partners, including United Methodist Family Services (UMFS).
UMFS works with high-risk children and families across Virginia. Our financial support allows UMFS to make a difference in the lives of these children and their families.
During "Mission Madness" (12/4), we will have an opportunity to learn a bit more about our mission partners and many ways they transform people.
Will you consider giving to mission partners this Advent?
You can give online at https://www.trinityumc.net/give/
*When you give online, please be sure to choose “Advent Offering” from the dropdown menu.
Advent Devotional
Are you looking for a way to connect to the season of Advent in a meaningful way? This year Trinity is using Society of St. Andrew’s Advent devotional in digital format. Sign up to receive a daily email or text message devotion prepared to help you reflect on this important season. Don’t miss this opportunity to slow down during what can be the busiest time of the year to reflect on the God who gave us the ultimate gift–his son, born in a manager.
Sign up for the Advent Devotional via email message:
To sign up for the daily Advent Devotional via email, click here to visit Society of St. Andrew’s sign-up page.
An Advent Song of Ascents Sermon Series
Week 1: Up to Restoration
It’s Advent! Surely the season speaks for itself; no need for notes from us, right? Well, there are always some questions that we ask this time of year. How soon should the Christmas decorations go up? When can we start singing Christmas carols? All those are the usual questions the worship leaders struggle with year after year.
Week2: Stand as a Signal
It is the second Sunday of Advent, and we’re making a declaration. Whether we are heeding the call of John the Baptist to “bear fruit worthy of repentance” or longing for the peaceable kingdom of Isaiah, we are taking our stand for the promise that Jesus offers for beloved community, a new way of living. We are declaring and leaning into this kin-dom of heaven, living it now in all the ways we can.
Week 3: The Lord's Highway
Joy Sunday says it all. The third Sunday of Advent is marked by the pink- or rose-colored candle in the wreath in many traditions. It is the one where we are reminded of the news that shall be a great joy to all people—the news that Emmanuel is born, God with us. And we stand in the promise even today, even here, in this place, in your place – God is with you. There can be no greater joy than that.
Week 4: Give You a Sign
This is odd, isn’t it? The last Sunday of Advent, yet there is a whole week until Christmas. May this extra time allow us a little breathing space to listen to Isaiah and to Matthew before we rush off to the exuberance and extravagance of Christmas.
The Advent Candle
Two years ago when we were stuck apart due to COVID lockdowns, we created Advent Kits to link our congregation together. One item in that kit was the Advent kalenderly (countdown candle).
While Trinity isn’t providing Advent Kits and candles this year, you may still want to continue the practice of lighting a candle and saying a prayer daily.
Here is a link to some Advent Candles on Amazon.
An Advent Prayer for the people of Trinity:
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the world,
come into my (our) heart(s),
come into my (our) home,
come into our church,
come into our world.
Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen
Christmas Eve Worship
Celebrate Christ’s birth at Trinity. We will have four worship services on Saturday, December 24, for you and your family.
4:00 PM Family Service with Kids’ Interactive (and unrehearsed) Christmas Pageant
We are so excited to share with you a reimagined Christmas pageant that focuses on telling the Christmas story using kits that will be provided and all voices singing our favorite Christmas carols! The pageant will take place during the 4 PM Christmas Eve Family Service in the sanctuary.
6:00 PM Modern Christmas Eve worship service (also online)
During our 6:00 Christmas Eve service, we will sing carols led by our modern worship band, share communion, and celebrate the joy and peace Christ brings. Our service will culminate in a traditional candlelight vigil. We hope you and your family will join us for this most meaningful celebration!
8:00 PM Christmas Eve worship service (also online)
A traditional format service featuring a mini Lessons and Carols, special Christmas Communion, and Candlelight vigil. Come celebrate together this meaningful celebration of this most holy night.
11:00 PM Christmas Eve worship service
A traditional Christmas Eve worship service. This late night service is a more intimate format, featuring Christmas music, a special Christmas Communion, and candlelight vigil. Come, celebrate, as we bring in Christmas Day together.